1. The most colourful world cup opens its doors to the public 

In a UK first, the world’s most prestigious floral design competition is coming to Manchester Central from 7 to 9 September. The Interflora World Cup will see over 20 competitors from around the world create intricate, astonishing floral designs around the theme “Our Natural World”. This is also the first time the competition has opened to the public in 50 years, and to celebrate, the audience will be able to participate in creative workshops, enjoy delicious food and drink from traders, and experience live entertainment. Tickets start from £10. 
 

2. Discover a garden of flavours at RHS Garden Bridgewater 

From 8 to 10 September, RHS Garden Bridgewater in Salford will be hosting an exciting food festival. The Festival of Flavours will be a three-day event with plenty of exciting gardening activities to bring out your green thumb. From beekeeping workshops to wellbeing sessions, guided tours of the Kitchen and Community Grow Gardens, and even craft beer and gin tastings from Seven Bro7hers and Four Sis4ers. There will also be live cooking demonstrations by professional chefs, including Andrew Nutter, Aiden Byrne and BBC Best Home Cook Finalist, Sarah Woods. On Sunday, enjoy a show by The Bread and Butter Theatre Company. Most activities are included with garden entry, pre-book for entry to ticketed talks and demonstrations. 
 

3. Dive into Pools of Creativity in this historic swimming pool 

Victoria Baths opens its doors to the public for a free visit this weekend, 9 and 10 September. During the Heritage Open Weekend visitors can enjoy family-friendly activities while discovering the past of this iconic building which housed three pools and Turkish Baths. With a new exhibition Pools of Creativity in the space, you will discover the creative past of Victoria Baths through a mix of art installations across the site, featuring different artists and media. Entry to the Open Weekend is free, with guided tours from £8.  
 

4. Manchester musicians take the stage at Green Island Festival 

The final chapter of this grassroots festival comes to Hulme Community Garden Centre on Saturday 9 September. Giving a platform to underground, underrepresented, emerging artists from across the UK, the Green Island Festival is focused on the community. With three stages around the venue, local Manchester musicians will take the stage, with acts Jocelyn Night & Natural Soul, Rumbi Tauro and Abnormal Sleepz. Tickets for the festival start from £14. 
 

5. Explore Wigan’s musical past in this new exhibition 

Head to the Museum of Wigan Life this week to see a free exhibition about Wigan’s illustrious musical past. Every Tuesday to Saturday until January 2024, Make Some Noise – From Stage Door To Dance Floor explores music and entertainment from across Wigan with interactive displays showcasing interesting artefacts from the borough's cultural history. You will also get to listen to music from Wigan Casino and local bands and community groups bringing memories to life. 
 

Book Now: Train tickets from 50p in the Northern Flash Sale 

If you’ve been wanting to spend a day in Manchester, or even get out of the city to explore one of the ten Greater Manchester districts, now is the perfect time to book your train tickets. Northern Rail are offering over 5 million 50p, £1 and £2 tickets for travel between 11 September and 20 October 2023. This flash sale is available for purchase through Northern Rail’s website or via their app. Be quick, once the tickets are gone, they’re gone!  
 

New Opening: Finders Keepers 

This August bank holiday weekend brought with it a new cocktail bar in New Islington Marina. Finders Keepers is a new intimate venue offering a menu of high-quality cocktails by established Manchester bartenders Jonny Moncur and Jack Daniels, along with a selection of delicious bar snacks. The 50-cover bar has also set up ‘Hours of Happiness’ between 3pm and 7pm, to kick off a relaxing evening.