Obviously we’re known for our impeccable music taste here in Manchester, what with so many successful musicians, genres and movements coming out of our city. With this in mind, we seem to also be building an impressive repertoire of music festivals showcasing that in and around our city, gaining national and even global acclaim once more. Here’s our guide to the best music festivals in and around Manchester to hype you up for the upcoming summer months!
1. Highest Point, Lancaster (Friday 10 – Saturday 11 May)
Highest Point is possibly one of the prettiest festivals in the North West, set ever so nonchalantly in the grounds of Williamson Park, culminating at Ashton Memorial where festival-goers can pan across the gorgeous view of Lancaster. This year the line-up for 10 – 11 May includes massive names like Tom Odell, Busted, Sam Ryder and Cat Burns, but the festival offers so much more in the form of woodland walks and play areas as well as a massive amount of food, drink and things to do.
As well as the music, there’ll be stand-up comedy shows, live poetry recitals, ‘in conversation’ panels and even things to do for the younger festival-goers, promising a wholesome weekend for all ages. Now, obviously this one’s outside of Manchester, but Lancaster luckily has great public transport connections to Manchester, and is still in the North West region, so we’re letting it slide.
🎟️ You can find tickets here.
📍 Highest Point Festival will be held at Williamson Park, Quernmore Rd, Lancaster LA1 1UX.
🚆 Lancaster Train Station is under 10 minutes by car.
2. Kendal Calling, Lake District (Thursday 1 – Sunday 4 August)
Also a fair journey from Manchester, but still in the region, is Kendal Calling. Over the past 10 years, Kendal has become a staple for many indie music fans, showcasing the best of legendary musicians and small bands alike. Kendal is known above all else as a lot of fun, with a massively diverse crowd and so much to do over the weekend, and of course is set in the beautiful the Lake District, boasting beautiful woodlands and gorgeous lakes.
The epic lineup this year is of course second to none, with headliners including Paolo Nutini, Noel Gallagher, The Streets, Paul Heaton, Keane, and for a bit of 2000s nostalgia, Sugababes.
🎟️ Find tickets here.
📍 Kendal Calling will be held at Lowther Deer Park, Lowther, Penrith CA10 2HX.
🚆 Penrith Train Station is under 15 minutes by car.
3. Parklife, Heaton Park (Saturday 8 – Sunday 9 June)
Parklife really needs no introduction, and the pop, house and dance festival is now synonymous with Manchester. The brainchild of Warehouse Project founder and Manchester nighttime economy advisor Sacha Lord, Parklife hosts some of the biggest names in dance music, as well as pop, annually at Manchester’s beloved Heaton Park.
This year will see a stellar line-up tread the grass of Prestwich, as usual, boasting the likes of Peggy Gou, Disclosure, Kaytranada, Doja Cat and so many more. First and foremost, Parklife is often seen as one of the younger person’s music festivals, but really it’s all about the music and can be a great Manchester day out for anyone who’s enthusiastic!
🎟️ Find tickets here.
📍 Parklife takes place at Heaton Park, Sheepfoot Ln, Manchester M25 0DL.
🚆 Heaton Park (sometimes closed during events – check before yoou travel) and Bowker Vale Metrolink stops are less than a 10 minute walk.
4. Moovin Festival, Stockport (Friday 23 – Sunday 25 August)
Moovin is one of the most sustainable music festivals in Manchester, aiming to achieve carbon neutrality. They say: “For the last few years, zero waste from the festival has gone to landfill, it goes to the tip, gets sorted into recycling as much as possible by a machine, and then the rest gets taken to a place where it is incinerated to produce energy and electricity.”
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 line-up boasts the likes of Leftfield, Laurent Garnier and Sampa The Great, and it’s sure to be a weekend full of dancing and fun for all the family.
🎟️ Find tickets here.
📍 Moovin Festival will take place at Whitebottom Farm Compstall, Etherow Country Park, Stockport SK6 5JQ.
🚆 Marple Train Station is around a 5 minute drive.
5. Creamfields North, Warrington (Thursday 22 – Sunday 25 August)
Creamfields is one for the ravers, bringing the biggest names in house, trance and electronic music to Warrington. The likes of Calvin Harris, Fisher and Solardo are set to fill the field with banging tunes, and a crowd to dance with all weekend long.
It’s a camping festival, so don’t forget to sling a tent over your shoulder, and as such there’s a huge range of food, drink and entertainment all weekend long. It’s one of the 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 limited resale tickets here.
📍 Creamfields North will take place at Daresbury Estate, Cheshire WA4 4AG.
🚆 Runcorn East Train Station is around a 10 minute drive, but there are shuttle bus services from Manchester, Liverpool and Warrington − find out more here.
6. Sounds of the City, City Centre (Wednesday 3 – Saturday 13 July)
Sounds of the City is the beloved summer series that takes over Castlefield Bowl in Manchester city centre every year. There’s always a cracking line up with local artists and world-renowned ones ecstatic to play, and this year is no exception. Headliners include Hacienda Classical, Avril Lavigne and Jungle, all of which will certainly pack out the heart of the industrial area of Castlefield with adoring Mancs.
The setting is always beautiful, set up on the cobbles under the shadow of the viaduct, with the stage elevated above the leg of the canal that houses local boats in the Bowl. There’s absolutely no better feeling for a Manchester music fan than standing in Castlefield Bowl with the sun shining, pint in hand, canopy looming, and the best musicians around serenading.
🎟️ Get yourself a slice of heaven in the form of a ticket here.
📍 Sounds of the City is held at Castlefield Bowl, Rice St, Manchester M3 4JR.
🚆 Deansgate and Salford Central Train Stations are less than a 15 minute walk, and Deansgate Castlefield Tram Stop is across the road.
7. Wythenshawe Park Summer Season (Saturday 24 & Sunday 25 August)
Although not strictly a festival, this summer’s Wythenshawe gigs are giving festival vibes, with Manchester icons New Order and Blossoms headlining the bank holiday weekend. The show on August 24, 2024 will mark New Order’s first full headline performance in the city since 2021 and will be joined by a huge supporting bill including Manchester’s very own Johnny Marr and adopted Manc Róisin Murphy.
Joining Blossoms at Wythenshawe Park on August 25, 2024 will be internationally acclaimed acts including Dublin’s Inhaler and the legendary Shed Seven, alongside The K’s, Seb Lowe and recent To Do List (After The Breakup) collaborator, Findlay, who will kick things off at Wythenshawe Park with her band TTRRUUCES.
🎟️ Find any remaining tickets for New Order here, and Blossoms here.
📍 Wythenshawe Park is located at Wythenshawe Road, Manchester M23 0AB.
🚆 Moor Road and Wythenshawe Park Metrolink stops are just outside the park.
8. Irlam Live, Irlam (Friday 31 May − Sunday 2 June)
Irlam Live Festival is back for its eighth year, bringing three jam-packed days of nostalgia and fun to west Manchester. Think 90s acts like Vengaboys, Liberty X and Artful Dodger, icon Holly Johnson, and a whole load of tribute bands, all keeping the crowd well and truly entertained all weekend. Plus, the food and drink on offer will be incredible, and there will be plenty of activities for the kids, so bring all the family along!
🎟️ You can find tickets here.
📍 Irlam Live festival will take place at Prince’s Park, 34 Highbury Ave, Irlam, Manchester M44 6BR.
🚆 Irlam Train Station is less than a 20 minute walk.
9. Green Island Festival, Hulme
Celebrating all thing music and arts, Green Island Festival is small but mighty, presenting a three-part series of day festivals and afterparties in Manchester. The festival will span across summer and early autumn, with the first chapter kicking off on Saturday 15 June, part two on Saturday 27 July, and the final chapter on Saturday 7 September.
The now doubled 1,000-capacity festival will see Hulme Community Garden Centre‘s floral paradise transformed into an arts mecca, housing several stages. The festival also announces an exciting expansion as they add cultural institution NIAMOS to the festival’s fabric.
🎟️ Find tickets here.
📍 Green Island Festival is held at Hulme Community Garden Centre, 28 Old Birley St, Hulme, Manchester M15 5RG.
🚆 Deansgate and Manchester Oxford Road Train Stations are around a 20 minute walk.
10. Sounds from the Other City, Salford (Sunday 5 May)
Salford‘s Sounds from the Other City, now in its 18th year, will be held across six venues on the University of Salford campus, including Peel Hall, the Salford Museum & Art Gallery, the recently-refurbished Old Fire Station, the Working Class Movement Library and a stage on Heritage Lawn off The Crescent.
This year, live music will be returning to its hallowed venue Maxwell Hall. Welsh artist Gruff Rhys will headline a set at the venue, joining past legendary musicians including Paul McCartney, U2, The Smiths and Blondie who have performed on the stage, which will also host the festival’s joyous afterparty in the evening, featuring A Guy Called Gerald.
🎟️ Find tickets here.
📍 Sounds from the Other City will be held across Salford, mainly in venues along Chapel Street.
🚆 Salford Crescent and Salford Central Train Stations are at either end of Chapel Street.