Manchester’s favourite day of the year is making a return for 2024 with details of this year’s annual event now revealed. Manchester Day is a celebration of the city and all things Mancunian and will be taking place on Saturday 27 July 2024. The city centre is set to be transformed into Manchester’s biggest ever playground for Manchester Day: Let the Games Begin!
Inspired by an international summer of sport the city’s streets and squares will be filled with music, dancing and have-a-go activities designed to bring out the inner athlete in visitors young and old, as well as astounding acrobatics, and pop-up performances in the most unlikely of places.
When and where will Manchester Day 2024 take place?
Manchester Day will take place on Saturday 27th July across Manchester city centre between 12pm and 6pm. The locations where activities will take place include Cathedral Gardens, Exchange Square, Exchange Street, St Ann Street, New Cathedral Street, St Mary’s Gate, St Ann’s Square, Deansgate, St Peter’s Square, Market Street and Piccadilly Gardens.
What is Manchester Day?
Manchester Day was created in 2010 with the purpose of celebrating the creativity and diversity of Manchester. When it first began, Manchester Day revolved around a parade through the city, but last year the format was changed to become a ‘promenade style’ event with activities across the whole of the city centre.
Like the 2023 event that saw activities take place in a number of city centre locations, this year’s event is set to take over the entire city centre with even more fun-filled, free activities for all the family to experience and enjoy.
What entertainment can visitors expect?
The city council has been working with outdoor arts specialists Walk the Plank on a medal-winning programme for the day that promises something for all ages and all sporting abilities – from the fastest kid off the block to the slowest – with events including what is set to be possibly the world’s slowest race as a pair of giant snails spend the best part of the day jockeying for first place in a race that definitely won’t be over in the blink of an eye.
Highlights include:
- Vintage Fairground – complete with coconut shy, buzz wire and strong human challenge
- Hip Hop Wrestling Ring – a wrestling ring like you haven’t seen before, with wrestling, opera and a dash of drag. Compered throughout the day by Kate O’Donnell, Artistic Director of Trans Creative, the only trans-led arts festival in the country. First bout of the day will be a break-dancing challenge from Powered by Hip Hop for 3 year olds – 23 year olds!
- Giant Board Game – Snakes and Planes is where it’s at for Manchester Day with a giant board game on Deansgate hosted by two larger-than-life WW1 era pilots helping players navigate the game.
- Actual Reality Arcade – 1970s video games in super-large format!
- Circus House – circus skills with an Olympic twist
- The Collector – meet a giant magpie who likes collecting shiny things.
Prepare to be amazed by award-winning dance company Motionhouse and their hit outdoor show Wild, that will see performers fly through the city on a forest of poles in a daring dance-circus production using careful choreography and acrobatic movement, whilst performers from No Fit State Circus will be defying the laws of gravity as they bend, flex and build a towering series of bamboo structures as part of a mind-blowing performance that relies solely on human strength, trust, and harmony with nature.
And of course, it wouldn’t be Manchester Day without the music – be transported to Copacabana beach by the sounds of Jubacana, a youth-led, fusion and dance project that combines percussion, guitars and a whole lotta sequins to create a big sound and an even bigger show. Enjoy the freshest of beats from DJs across the city, the Bridgewater Hall Choir, or a whistle stop tour around the world with the Global Grooves procession, before a show-stopping finale featuring one of the UK’s finest live soul bands, the Detroit Soul Collective.
What sports can visitors try at Manchester Day 2024?
In a Manchester Day special for 2024 and to mark what is set to be a sizzling summer of international sport, the city has also partnered with some of the UK’s leading sports bodies to bring a whole sports-day worth of taster sessions in all kinds of different sports and fitness activities. You can learn to break a board with your hands safely and with style with British Taekwondo or get your blood pumping at the 60m, pop-up athletic track supplied by GLL.
Other Manchester Day 2024 highlights include a mini tennis rally, basketball shoot out, a special area to try batting, bowling and catching (plus meet players from Manchester Originals cricket team), Manchester United Foundation’s Panna Cage where you can take on the target goals challenge, brush up on your technical skills with professional coaches, or even take part in a small-sided game. Also on hand, keeping a watchful eye across all the day’s proceedings will be a troop of roaming referees who may burst into song (or dish out a red card) at any given moment, ensuring a fun-filled day for all as families are invited to try their hand at all kinds of games and have-a-go sports activities.
There’s also plenty on offer during the day for any armchair athletes out there who prefer watching their sports rather than having a go, with a big screen in Cathedral Gardens that will be in action from Friday evening (July 26) when it will be showing the Opening Ceremony of this year’s Olympic Games live from Paris, followed by live action from the Games throughout the day on Saturday. With food and beverage stalls also on site, it promises to be a great place to settle in and watch some elite sporting action.
Councillor Pat Karney, Chair of Manchester Day, said: “We know how much Mancunians of all ages love to celebrate the city’s special day with us and this year we’re really going for gold. We’ve got an absolutely fantastic day lined up, stuffed full of free things to see and do for all the family, all with a sporting flavour – so grab your granny and your trainers and come on down and join us!”
And it goes without saying of course that everyone’s a winner at Manchester Day 2024, with gold medals being awarded in a special Winners’ Enclosure throughout the day and medals up for grabs in all kinds of categories including cheekiest grin and best Dad dancer.
Find out more about Manchester Day 2024 here.