Father’s Day is fast approaching, and there’s a wealth of dad-based activities going on across the city for fathers of all kinds, from the beer and pie lovers, to the ravers, to the gardeners to the ones who are basically still children themselves.
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Eat
If a slap-up Father’s Day lunch is in order, Albert’s Schloss is offering up a free beer on arrival to every dad who turns up to eat (two courses start at £23), from 12pm. You can stay on for live entertainment too, from The Piano Man, the Feel Good Choir and DJ Paulette till the early hours.
Over the road, the Impossible bar is offering a ‘dads eat free’ offer, with a free beer thrown in too for pre-booked parties of four.
Meanwhile, new ramen and bun spot Suki Suki on Deansgate is offering a free bottle of Asahi to every customer who comes in to tell a dad joke on the big day. Dads are surely at an advantage here.
Dads heading to Zouk for its infamous Sunday roast are instructed to wear their ‘craziest dad shirt’ to have the chance of winning a £50 voucher, and another £150 drinks voucher too.
Smart Portland Street hotel The Alan is doing a special Father’s Day 50-day aged picanha steak for two, served up with beef fat potatoes, greens and bone marrow gravy for £60.
Head to the Refuge, and if you order a pie for lunch from the peerless Great North Pie Co, you’ll get a free beer gift back from the Track brewery to take home with you.
Drink
If your dad is the posh cocktails type, there are some excellent options across the city. Why not take him for an old fashioned at Schofield’s bar on Little Quay Street, or something a little more experimental at Speak In Code on Jackson’s Row, both among the best cocktail bars in the UK.
If he’s more the beer type, why not take in a tour of some of the city’s fantastic taprooms. Head to the Piccadilly trading estate, and you’ll find the marvellous Track and Cloudwater taprooms within spitting distance of each other (please keep actual spitting to a minimum). If they don’t quench his thirst for IPAs, DIPAs, or indeed TIPAs, head for Sureshot on Sheffield Street and get one for the road.
Days Out
If your dad is basically still a child, Ashton’s Cockfields Farm is having a ‘big machines’ bonanza on Father’s Day, where he’ll be able to thoroughly immerse himself in a world of large scale tractors, diggers, dumpers and excavators.
Failing that, you could always tie his ankles to some rubber and throw him from a height. The UK Bungee Club will be at Tatton Park on Father’s Day this year, with a 300 ft jump.
Though if that’s a bit too high adrenaline, Dog Fest is also on at Tatton too, boasting top canine athletes, free expert advice, workshops and, obviously, dogs.
Rave
Some dads still indulge in a rave up every now and again, so perhaps the best arena for celebrations might be Escape To Freight Island. Hot Chip’s Alexis Taylor will be playing its Better Days party, alongside Fat Tony and Raw Silk. It’s free, there will be food from the excellent traders (Bugerism, Voodoo Ray's etc) as well as craft beers from The Tap Room, and if it all gets a bit much, it’s not far to the new Mayfield Park where he can have a lie down.
Meet
Because not every Father’s Day is equal, the people behind Mandem Meetup, a group for men’s wellness and mental wellbeing, are hosting a special meet-up event for dads and their kids at Longford Park in Stretford. Anyone is welcome, and it starts at 11am. Find more details here...
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