A chance to win tickets to see 'Allo Allo' at the Lowry's Quay Theatre.
FIND OUT MOREWin tickets for the hilarious festive farce, See How They Run, at the Royal Exchange.
FIND OUT MOREThe Calico Cafe Bar is offering one reader a free Champagne Afternoon Tea for two, worth £45.
FIND OUT MOREChartered Accountants Lucas Reis are offering an hour's free business consultation.
FIND OUT MOREJoin the local Chinese community in celebrating the dawn of the Year of the Rat, with festivities including kung fu demonstrations, folk dance performances, fireworks and the famous Golden Dragon Parade. The parade leaves Albert Square at around 12.30pm and winds its way towards Chinatown, where there will be special stalls and fairground rides, plus the chance to sample the delights of the surrounding restaurants and oriental shops. The official celebrations end with a firework finale at around 6pm.
Albert Square & Chinatown, Feb 10, 12.30pm - 6pm. Free.
BACK TO TOPSalford-born artist Harold Riley's long and diverse photographic career is charted in this exhibition, beginning with a picture taken with a box camera and ending with images of present day Salford and cities around the world.
The Lowry, Oct 6, 2007 - April 20, 2008. Free. Tel: 0870 787 5793.
BACK TO TOPStep back 25 years to the heyday of the Madchester music era by revisiting the legendary Hacienda. This commemorative exhibition features photographs, graphics, previously unseen video footage, music, newspaper cuttings and various items from the place that put Manchester on the global clubbing map.
Urbis, until Feb 17. Free. Tel: 0161 605 8204.
BACK TO TOPA touring exhibition exploring issues surrounding our relationships with wild predators and featuring some stunning photography by Peter Cairns and Mark Hamblin. It provides not only a visually stunning spectacle but a thought-provoking insight into our changing relationship with nature.
The Manchester Museum, until Feb 24. Free. Tel: 0161 275 2634.
BACK TO TOPThe Central Library marks the Halle's 150th anniversary with an exhibition exploring the early days of Sir Charles Halle's life in Manchester, the setting up of the world-famous orchestra and its continued evolution. Among the items on display are a sculpture by Irish artist John Cassidy, pictures from the Halle's collections, letters, photographs and scores, as well as treasures such as Sir Charles' baton.
Central Library, St Peter's Square, until March 1. Free. Tel: 0161 234 1900.
BACK TO TOPAn exhibition giving visitors the opportunity to take a fresh, in-depth look at three of LS Lowry's fascinating paintings: Portrait of Ann, Pit Tragedy and Industrial Landscape. Incorporating the insights of three experts, Salford residents and local schoolchildren, Exploding Paintings also offers visitors the chance to post their own views on the paintings in a Big Brother-style booth at the end of the exhibition.
The Lowry, until March 9. Free. Tel: 0870 787 5793.
BACK TO TOPA solo show by New York-based artist Cory Arcangel, featuring his latest music-based multi-screen installation, entitled A Couple Thousand Short Films About Glenn Gould, alongside earlier works.
Castlefield Gallery, Hewitt Street, Feb 8 - March 22. Free. Tel: 0161 832 8034.
BACK TO TOPGordon Cheung's first solo exhibition responds to the rise of China as potentially the next superpower and its effect on the world order, as well as the mutation of China's socialism into socialist capitalism. The artist uses a cut/paste technique to depict post-apocalyptic landscapes that reflect his interests in power and belief systems and our obedience to them.
Chinese Arts Centre, Thomas Street, until March 23. Free. Tel: 0161 832 7271.
BACK TO TOPYofi, which means beauty in Hebrew, features a diverse selection of Israeli ceramics and jewellery previously exhibited at Flow gallery in Notting Hill, London.
Manchester Craft and Design Centre, until March 29. Free. Tel: 0161 832 4274.
BACK TO TOPA touring exhibition organised to coincide with the 250th anniversary of William Blake's birth as well as the 200th anniversary of the parliamentary abolition of the transatlantic slave trade. Blake was fervently opposed to slavery, in both its literal and metaphorical senses, and many of his most dramatic images show a confrontation between the forces of repression and those seeking freedom. Mind-Forged Manacles features watercolours, prints and plates from Blake's illuminated books, inspired by the theme of slavery.
Whitworth Art Gallery, until April 6. Free. Tel: 0161 275 7450.
BACK TO TOPWilliam Blake is a unique figure in British visual culture, attracting both academic and popular interest. In the 180 years since his death, the artist has continued to influence the world of creativity and ideas. Blake's Shadow explores Blake's continuing fascination for artists, filmmakers and musicians, with watercolours, prints, paintings, illustrated books and a range of audio-visual material.
Whitworth Art Gallery, until April 20. Free. Tel: 0161 275 7450.
BACK TO TOPSalford-born artist Harold Riley's long and diverse photographic career is charted in this exhibition, beginning with a picture taken with a box camera and ending with images of present day Salford and cities around the world.
The Lowry, until April 20. Free. Tel: 0870 787 5793.
BACK TO TOPA major photographic exhibition celebrating the centenary of George Rodger's birth. Born in Hale, Cheshire, George Rodger (1908 - 1995) was a largely self-taught photographer and pioneering photojournalist, famous for his poignant coverage of the Second World War and the conflicts of the post-war era. Contact features 100 photographs by Rodger, supplemented by documentary film, interviews, wartime publications and personal objects lent by the photographer's family.
Imperial War Museum North, Feb 9 - April 27. Free. Tel: 0161 836 4000.
BACK TO TOPManchester hosts the world premiere of Gunther von Hagens' hotly anticipated Body Worlds 4 - the latest and most technically refined exhibition of real human bodies, preserved with the German anatomist's ground-breaking method of plastination. Featuring individual human organs and whole-body plastinates, the exhibition allows viewers to see inside the staggeringly complex network of muscles, tendons and blood vessels that make up our bodies.
Museum of Science and Industry, Feb 22 - June 29. £10 - £11.50. Tel: 0871 231 0847.
BACK TO TOPWe all suspected he was planning to remain at Old Trafford forever, but now we know how. Manchester United's manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, has recently opened a new permanent exhibition at the club's award-winning museum, featuring a state-of-the-art interactive hologram of himself talking football. Entitled 'An audience with Sir Alex', the three-dimensional hologram uses the Peppers Ghost illusionary technique and is only the second of its kind in the UK (the only other one being a John McEnroe exhibition at the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum).
Manchester United Museum, Old Trafford. Museum tickets (adult): £6.50. Museum and tour tickets (adult): £10. Tel: 0870 442 1994 (option 3).
BACK TO TOPDenise Black (Coronation Street, Queer As Folk) stars in Arnold Wesker's poignant exploration of self-discovery. The play centres around Beatie Bryant, who returns to her Norfolk home to visit her family after spending years in London under the influence of her cultured boyfriend Ronnie. Her new-found ideals are difficult for her family to swallow, but has Beatie really escaped her rural roots?
The Royal Exchange Theatre, until March 1. £8.50 - £28.50. Tel: 0161 833 9833.
BACK TO TOPPuccini's heart-breaking opera about a young Japanese geisha who falls obsessively in love with an American naval lieutenant, only to have her hopes of a happy ending quashed. The opera is sung in Italian with English subtitles.
The Lowry, Feb 12 - 14. £13.50 - £50. Tel: 0870 787 5793.
BACK TO TOPOpera North presents the world premiere of the family opera The Adventures of Pinocchio. Award-winning composer Jonathan Dove and playwright Alasdair Middleton turn Carlo Collodi's classic into a musical story about a wooden boy who longs to be good but just can't help tumbling nose first into trouble. The opera is sung in English.
The Lowry, Feb 15. £13.50 - £50. Tel: 0870 787 5793.
BACK TO TOPThe National Theatre brings a hilariously poignant new play to The Lowry, starring Bollywood favourite Harish Patel (Run, Fat Boy, Run and Chicken Tikka Masala). A warm-hearted, comic tale of close-knit Indian family life in England, Rafta, Rafta is adapted by the Salford-born author of East is East, Ayub Khan-Din, from Bill Naughton's All in Good Time. At an Indian wedding in Oldham the feast is over, but when it's time for bed, the proximity of his parents puts the groom off sex and his beautiful virgin bride remains just that. Six weeks later, the whole family starts to panic.
The Lowry, Feb 19 - 23. £14.50 - £22. Tel: 0870 787 5793.
BACK TO TOPManchester hosts the UK premiere of Broadway musical The Wedding Singer, starring Jonathan Wilkes (The Rocky Horror Show, Tommy and Grease) and Natalie Casey (Fame). Based on the 1998 blockbuster movie, the musical tells the story of a wedding singer whose misery gets in the way of entertaining guests after he is jilted at the altar, and the sweet waitress who wins his heart.
Palace Theatre, Feb 22 - March 1. £10 - £30. Tel: 0844 847 2328.
BACK TO TOPThe Royal Exchange stages the world premiere of Phil Porter's The Cracks in my Skin, which won third prize in the 2005 Bruntwood Playwriting Competition. The play chronicles the unlikely family set-up of four very different and very lonely people, who cling to each-other during the school holidays of a stifling summer.
The Studio at the Royal Exchange Theatre, Feb 13 - March 1. £9. Tel: 0161 833 9833.
BACK TO TOPSamuel Beckett's Waiting For Godot was considered ground-breaking when it debuted in London in 1955 and was even voted the most significant English language play of the 20th century. It centres around a pair of tramps, Vladimir and Estragon, who meet up on an isolated country road for an appointment with the mysterious Godot. But Godot shows few signs of showing up. This month, the play can be seen on the Library Theatre stage for the first time since 1971, with leading stage actors George Costigan and David Fielder in the main roles.
Library Theatre, Feb 1 - March 8. £9 - £18. Tel: 0161 236 7110.
BACK TO TOPThe pop legend's long awaited return to the live stage is packed with all the hits from Culture Club, his solo career and some new music.
The Lowry, Feb 3. £25. Tel: 0870 787 5793.
BACK TO TOPA blend of alternative country, psychobilly and indie rock, Sons and Daughters' music is uniquely dramatic and spine-tingling. Having wowed audiences with an extensive UK tour last autumn, the Glaswegian band returns for a fresh run of dates this month.
Academy 2, Feb 9. £9.50. Tel: 0871 2200 260.
BACK TO TOPOne of the UK's most successful soul singers, Gabrielle is known for her shimmery voice and tender-tough lyrics. This month, she makes her first visit to The Lowry to perform tracks from her new album, Always.
The Lowry, Feb 10. £27.50. Tel: 0870 787 5793.
BACK TO TOPLegendary alternative rock band Smashing Pumpkins made a rapturous comeback last year, with a new album and a number of festival headlining performances. This month, the pivotal group is on a UK arena tour which brings them to Manchester for one hotly anticipated show.
M.E.N. Arena, Feb 15. £30. Tel: 0844 847 8000.
BACK TO TOPPaul McCreesh, artistic director of the Gabrieli Consort, conducts Chetham's Symphony Orchestra in a performance of Mendelssohn's Elijah, sung by a quartet of international soloists.
Manchester Cathedral, Feb 15. £14. Tel: 0161 838 7244.
BACK TO TOPHaving dominated charts and airwaves alike in 2007, the critically acclaimed British-born/NY-based producer and performer is now on a UK tour. Joining him is a ten-piece band and a host of special guests, including Daniel Merriweather and Alex Greenwald.
Manchester Apollo, Feb 16. £18.50. Tel: 0844 477 7677.
BACK TO TOPA concert for lovers, featuring some of the most romantic music ever written, with a free rose for every couple in the audience.
The Bridgewater Hall, Feb 16. £18 - £31.50. Tel: 0161 907 9000.
BACK TO TOPThe legendary Dionne Warwick returns with her critically acclaimed show 'My Music and Me' - a biographical showcase combining all the hits (including 'Walk on By', 'Any One Who Had a Heart' and 'Heartbreaker') with delicious anecdotes from her 45-year career.
The Lowry, Feb 17. £33.50 - £35. Tel: 0870 787 5793.
BACK TO TOPIconic Madchester bands Happy Mondays and Inspiral Carpets are headlining this year's Versus Cancer charity concert, providing some of the local indie flavour this annual gig is famous for. They will be joined by The Fratellis, The Fun Lovin' Criminals and other world-class acts in a bid to make musical history while raising money for the fight against cancer.
M.E.N. Arena, Feb 23. £40. Tel: 0844 847 8000.
BACK TO TOPCarl Davis conducts a concert of fondly remembered themes to popular TV programmes, including Doctor Who, News at Ten, Star Trek, The Avengers, Coronation Street and Dynasty.
The Bridgewater Hall, Feb 23. £9 - £35. Tel: 0161 907 9000.
BACK TO TOPTipped to become one of the biggest new faces of 2008, Kate Walsh brings her special blend of folk, pop and classical music to Manchester this month.
The Lowry, Feb 26 - March 1. £12.50. Tel: 0870 787 5793.
BACK TO TOPPerforming in the UK for the first time in three years, award-winning vocalist Alicia Keys will be promoting her third studio album, As I Am.
M.E.N. Arena, Feb 26. £27.50. Tel: 0844 847 8000.
BACK TO TOPThe Canadian rock band is poised to wreak havoc with its trademark blend of raucous punk-rock and thunderous heavy metal.
Academy 1, Feb 26. £18. Tel: 0871 2200 260.
BACK TO TOPHailed as one of the brightest stars of British contemporary dance, Henri Oguike combines intense musicality with intelligent choreography. This month, he presents his latest creations in a mixed bill of music and movement.
The Lowry, Feb 6. £9.50 - £17.50. Tel: 0870 787 5793.
BACK TO TOPEdouard Lock, founder of La La La Human Steps, has a track record for producing startling, radical dance with a world-class reputation. Don't miss your chance to see his latest piece, Amjad - Lock's unconventional interpretation of some of the great classical ballets, featuring live on-stage music.
The Lowry, Feb 9. £12 - £20. Tel: 0870 787 5793.
BACK TO TOPEngland's premier badminton event features the cream of the country's badminton talent, including Elizabeth Cann and Nick Kidd.
Manchester Velodrome, Sportcity, Feb 1 - 3. Session tickets (adults): £8 - £12. Tel: 0844 847 1552.
BACK TO TOPSome of the world's best players will battle it out for the coveted British Champion titles, with Jenny Duncalf and James Willstrop looking to defend the titles they won last year.
National Squash Centre, Sportcity, Feb 11 - 18. Session tickets (adults): £5 - £14. Tel: 0844 847 1688.
BACK TO TOPAn exciting night of high-octane entertainment, combining fast racing by international road and track cycling stars with music and lighting effects. Star riders include Arnaud Tournant, Gregory Bauge and Chris Hoy.
National Cycling Centre, Sportcity, Feb 23. £10. Tel: 0161 223 2244.
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