Bringing the best of music, food, drink and culture (whatever it is that floats your boat!), the 2024 schedule is looking pretty packed this year, and we have a feeling it’s gonna be a pretty special season. From food-filled havens to some of the biggest music events around, here’s our guide to the best festivals in Manchester to attend this summer.
Music festivals in Manchester
1. Manchester Jazz Festival − 16−25 May
The city’s longest-running music festival, Manchester Jazz Festival returns this 16–25 May, covering some of the city’s favourite venues, previously including Freight Island, Matt & Phreds, St Ann’s Church, Band on the Wall, NQJazz@The Yard and Forsyths.
🎟️ Ticketed events will be going on around the city, and you can monitor the full programme and grab tickets for Manchester Jazz Festival 2025 here.
2. Moovin Festival, Stockport − 13−15 June
Moovin is one of the most sustainable music festivals in Manchester, aiming to achieve carbon neutrality. Of course, it’s first and foremost a music festival, and the growing list of local and acclaimed artists is pretty impressive for the little farm.
The likes of Craig Charles, Haçienda legends DJ Paulette and Graeme Park, and the amazing Ezra Collective are all on the line-up this year, ensuring a day full of dancing and fun for all the family.
🎟️ Find tickets here.
3. Parklife, Heaton Park − 14 & 15 June
Considered one of the most noteworthy music festivals in the Manchester calendar, Parklife is always a weekend of fun. With many house, dance and techno acts having top billing, it’s a festival with a difference that provides all the comforts of your usual music festival, including street food, great drinks and more popular acts on the main stage.
This year’s epic line-up features everyone from Charli XCX and 50 Cent to Peggy Gou and Confidence Man, and everyone in between, making it the biggest Parklife yet.
🎟️ Find tickets here.
4. Creamfields North, Warrington − 21–24 August
Creamfields is one for the ravers, bringing the biggest names in house, trance and electronic music to Warrington. The likes of Calvin Harris, David Guetta and Peggy Gou have previously filled the field with banging tunes, and a crowd to dance with all weekend long, with an equally high-caliber line-up coming to the field this year, plus more.
This year, the line-up includes names like David Guetta, ANYMA, Chase & Status, Martin Garrix, Swedish House Mafia, Pete Tong, Dom Dolla and so many more. It’s one of the (near) Manchester music festivals taking place on August bank holiday weekend, so choose wisely and hope for the best weather possible – it’s always a toss up.
🎟️ Find any remaining tickets here.
Arts and culture festivals in Manchester
5. Middlewood Locks Fest
The second annual canal-side festival at the award winning Middlewood Locks neighbourhood in Salford takes place on Saturday 10th May from 2pm until 10pm, bringing a daytime market, children’s interactive workshops, face painting, live music with performances from The Ski Band and others, a pop-up pub and street food vendors, water-based activities, as well as a spectacular fire display at dusk to the space.
🎟️ No tickets are necessary – just turn up!
6. The Manchester Flower Festival − 23−25 May
Now in its sixth year, Manchester’s floral takeover attracts tens of thousands of additional visitors to the city centre and launches the summer event season in the city. Taking place across the late May Bank Holiday weekend, Manchester Flower Festival transforms the city centre with themed decorations and green installations, alongside live music, entertainment, al fresco food and drink, talks, demonstrations and workshops. Take a stroll around and drop in and out of local street vendors at the festival, only paying for what you choose – which can be nothing at all!
7. Manchester Festival of Libraries − 4−8 June
The Festival of Libraries will celebrate the literary scene that Manchester has to offer, running from 4–8 June all over the region. It will be full of exhibitions, performances, talks, workshops and art installations that all reflect Greater Manchester’s huge pride in its libraries and their value to their communities.
🎟️ The events are scheduled to take place in the whole of Greater Manchester and every one of them is free.
Community festivals in Manchester
8. Didsbury Festival − 7 June
Instagram post from @didsburyfestival
A wonderful festival for all the family in and around South Manchester, Didsbury Festival is an annual shindig full to the brim with fun, live music and activities for all the family. The festival includes a carnival procession and wonderful stalls boasting local produce and artists, as well as face painting and dance performances from local schools and musical groups. Fancy dress is Didsbury Festival’s bread and butter, as well as exhilarating funfair rides and attractions, perfect for a family day out.
💭 Find out more here.
9. Góbéfest − 20−22 June
This June, Góbéfest, a huge celebration of Székler culture, is coming to Manchester, bringing food, drink, live folk music and dancing to Cathedral Gardens. There, Mancs can learn more about the Székler people, while enjoying native grub such as langos, Romanian sausages (also known as mititiei), grilled pork steaks, Hungarian honey bread and more.
🎟️ Find tickets here.
10. Manchester Pride − 22−25 August
The LGBTQ+ community and its allies can celebrate equality at this August bank holiday‘s Manchester Pride festival – which will involve the iconic parade, Village party, touching vigils to those who have lost their lives to HIV and AIDs, and of course the much-anticipated Pride Live concerts. The city will stand together against discrimination while celebrating the liberation movement and Manchester Pride charity.
🎟️ Find out more and get your tickets here.
Food and drink festivals in Manchester
11. Heaton Park Food and Drink Festival − 2 & 3 August
Following year-on-year Heaton Park Food and Drink Festival success, this year’s festival will land in Manchester between 2 and 3 August this summer, bringing tons of delicious Northern grub to one space. Boasting live music, tons of activities and, of course, plenty of food to go at, guests will be able to try out new cuisines made by talented street food vendors and shop delicious baked treats and more.
🎟️ Get tickets here.
12. Festa Italiana − 23-25 August
Salvi’s Festa Italiana is expected to return this 23-25 August, bringing an infusion of Italian culture to Cathedral Gardens. Like years before, the free festival will consist of an array of fantastic local Italian food traders, alongside live music, masterclasses, and an array of one-off special events.
📲 Stay tuned for more details and follow their social media channels.
