10 bear-y good things to do with the family this autumn in Manchester

Okay, so it’s pretty obvious that our number one choice would be to watch the new Paddington in Peru movie! In his latest expedition, our favourite bear embarks on a journey to his home country, Peru, where he plans to visit his beloved Aunt Lucy at the Home for Retired Bears. With the Brown family in tow, a whirlwind of adventures, mishaps and wild mysteries through the Amazon rainforest and mountain peaks of Peru ensue. There are plenty of reasons to be excited about the third film in the Paddington trilogy; one is the welcome addition of two big-name cast members. The charismatic Antonio Banderas plays the Peruvian boat captain, Hunter Cabot – and national treasure Olivia Colman plays a nun who works at the Home for Retired Bears. Paddington in Peru hits cinemas on November 8 – check your local cinema for screening times.
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Ahead of the release of Paddington in Peru, beautiful, full-colour statues of Paddington have been erected across the UK, from Land’s End to John O’Groats and, fortunately, some rather more conveniently located spots. In Manchester, he has appeared in Hardman Square. Why not visit and get a picture with him?
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Nothing says adventure like a visit to the Legoland Discovery Centre! From exploring over 1.5 million Lego bricks at Miniland to rescuing the captured Princess in Kingdom Quest, there’s always something to do here. One for all the family? Visit Lego Ninjago City Adventure and ‘channel your inner ninja’ – yes, Mum, that means you too!
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Paddington shows us that humans and bears can be friends, so why stop there? Pay a visit to the Cockfields Farm and make a bunch of new animal pals this autumn. You’ll have the chance to meet all the resident farm animals, including donkeys, llamas, reindeer, ponies and (believe it or not) meerkats, before heading to a reptile show – or even an afternoon well spent in the Pumpkin Patch. 
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As winter approaches, there’s just one thing better than a marmalade sandwich – and that’s a hot, crunchy marmalade toastie. A special promotional marmalade toastie truck will appear at Trafford Centre on October 28 for just one glorious day… and the toasties will be free! Resist the temptation to stash it under your hat like Paddington and munch it while it’s nice and warm.

It’s time to get your best cloak and goggles on and head to the Science + Industry Museum for the 2024 edition of the Manchester Science Festival. Here, you’ll find a jam-packed programme filled with activities, talks, stories and more, all across the October half-term. Just watch out for the Arachnobot – it’s genuinely terrifying. 
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Boo! From 26-27 October 2024, join a bunch of Mancunians for a weekend of mayhem on the streets of Manchester. At the Halloween in the City Weekender this year, you can expect crazy costumes, creepy competitions and ghoulsome games, as well as some monstrous live performances and a truly spooktacular Halloween procession. Paddington would be proud of your bravery, indeed! 
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No day spent at the Immersive Gamebox will leave you feeling shortchanged, but there is one particular expedition we think you and the fam need to be a part of. And that’s the Ticket to Mars. Hailed as an ‘out-of-this-world experience’, you’ll do your part to help humanity secure its colony on Mars. Yes, it’s all very Elon-esque on Elonium, but are you ready for blast off? Let’s go.
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Put yourself in Paddington’s shoes and join the Tropical Trail at Treetop Adventure Golf, where you’ll get to dodge colourful creatures as you make your way through the mystic woods – much like our bear’s most recent Peruvian expedition. You’ll just need to brush up your birdie skills to make sure you get out of the trail in time. Time to tee up!
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Need a little recap before Paddington in Peru hits cinemas on November 8? Paddington and Paddington 2 have returned to the big screen for a short time in October. Check your local cinemas to plan your visit!
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See ‘Paddington in Peru’ in cinemas from November 8, 2024.