Sports fans will want to get tickets to Old Trafford or the City of Manchester Stadium to catch Manchester United or Manchester City in action, but outside of the football season head to the other Old Trafford and catch a game of cricket. In the past, Lancashire County Cricket Club's lineup has featured England captain Michael Atherton, Pakistani fast bowler Wasim Akram and West Indies captain Clive Lloyd, and currently stars England captain and Ashes hero Andrew Flintoff and legendary Sri Lankan spinner Muttiah Muralitharan.
Manchester is the gay capital of the North, and its Pride festival, usually held over the August bank holiday weekend, is one of the biggest in Europe. Manchester also hosts Queer Up North, a three-week arts and entertainment extravaganza in May, which celebrates gay, lesbian and queer works across the arts.
There's been a hole in Manchester's listings magazines since the demise of City Life, but new lifestyle publication 69-247 goes some way towards filling the void. It's worth checking the Manchester Evening News for what's on, and a weekly Time Out magazine is planned for Manchester from spring 2007.
While you're strolling around town, keep your eyes open for the Sabi Rock Man, a Mancunian cult figure who can often be seen near Manchester's busier spots holding a cardboard sign advertising his musical website. If you spot him, you can tag him on a Google Maps mashup set up by local Sabi Rock Man enthusiasts.
Manchester has a strong reputation for brewing real ale. Look out for beers from Hydes (try Hydes Original and Jekyll's Gold), Joseph Holt and Bazens' Brewery, amongst others -- perfect on a cold, damp night.
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