For a moment there, it seemed like we’d never leave winter. But finally, here we are – enjoying some milder temperatures and a newfound excitement for the months to come. Whether it’s a breath of fresh air you fancy after months of hibernation, or a night out at one of the city’s most unique experiences – we’ve rounded up the very best things to do in Manchester this April.
1. Dine at a stylish new restaurant serving steak, seafood and stunning cocktails
The Cut and Craft, a stylish all-day dining and experience restaurant that is an absolute hit across the Pennines, has now set its sights on Manchester to open a new venue in April. With a focus on quality steak and sustainable seafood, the restaurant is perfect for indulgent dinners, leisurely lunches, evening celebrations and impromptu treats. Located on the corner of Mosley Street and York Street, The Cut & Craft will be housed within the former Manchester and Salford Bank, now Bond by Bruntwood SciTech, a Grade II* listed building dating to 1862.
2. Dance the night away at the world’s biggest Eurovision party and festival
The world’s biggest Eurovision celebration outside of the official Switzerland live shows week, known as MancHagen, is coming to Manchester. The global not-for-profit event, with concerts taking place to raise money for selected charities, is celebrating its 20th anniversary of the Manchester Eurovision Party in 2025. Taking place from April 10 to 13 in “the UK’s epicentre of inclusive culture” that is Manchester, the city will be taken over by a mix of music, dance, fashion and LGBTQIA+ led events.
3. Be enchanted by classical music and gorgeous floral displays at these spring-themed concerts
The arrival of spring is very welcome in Manchester which sees flowers bloom and trees start to bud. In keeping with the season, the Candlelight Spring concert series will be blossoming in the city to offer a new perspective on the music you know and love with the help of talented musicians, thousands of candles and a gorgeous floral display. From string quartets to solo pianists, gifted musicians work their magic on contemporary pop songs from the likes of Céline Dion and Taylor Swift at these candlelit tributes that make for the perfect springtime treat for both the eyes and ears.
4. Listen to Mumford & Sons for free at Aviva Studios
Mumford & Sons will perform at Aviva Studios in Manchester for an exclusive set as part of the Amazon Music City Sessions series, presented by Aviva. The free show at Aviva Studios will take place on April 2 and offers fans a rare chance to experience Mumford & Sons up close, featuring a mix of new material and fan favourites. For those not there in person, the performance will be streamed live on Prime Video and the Amazon Music UK channel on Twitch.
5. Cheer on runners at the Manchester Marathon
This April sees the return of the much-loved race in the city the Manchester Marathon, which will see thousands of runners take to the streets to run a marathon. Taking place on April 27, why not show your support from the side lines as you watch runners speed through the city?
6. Step in time as Mary Poppins flies back into Manchester
The classic multi award-winning musical Mary Poppins has embarked on a UK and Ireland tour. 20 years after the world premiere in Bristol and subsequent, record breaking productions around the world, Mary Poppins flies back into the Palace Theatre in Manchester from April 9 to May 17. Get ready for iconic songs including Step In Time, Chim Chim Cher-ee and, of course, Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious (try writing that out), that stand the test of time, getting the whole family tapping their feet and humming the tunes.
7. Watch Chef at an immersive eat-along screening
As one of the coldest months of the year, indoor activities are high up on the agenda. Taste Film is a great option if you’re looking for something to do with your pals or partner, with or without alcohol. Pairing brilliant food with iconic on-screen moments, Taste Film is truly a feast for all the senses. Giving a whole new meaning to ‘watch what you eat’, the immersive experience combines two of life’s greatest joys: food and film. If you’ve ever found yourself wanting to reach out and grab a bite of whatever’s on screen, then you can do exactly that, with this month’s movie being Chef.
8. Take a bite of this edible, sculptural installation at The Whitworth
A less conventional exhibition that’s currently gracing our wonderful city is Bobby Baker‘s radical sculptural installation ‘An Edible Family in a Mobile Home’ at The Whitworth – in which family members are made from cake… Originally created in her prefabricated East London house in 1976, the remake of this installation accompanies ‘Women in Revolt! Art and Activism in the UK 1970-1990’, opening simultaneously. This major artwork contains five life-size sculptures of family members made from cake, biscuits and meringues, which will be steadily eaten by the public.
9. Head to Freight Island as it reopens for the spring and summer seasons
Freight Island is set to reopen at Depot Mayfield on April 3 with a host of new traders (and some pretty big Manchester names) inside the 55,000-square-feet food hall. Continuing to champion the independent, the new kitchens at Freight Island will see some much-loved and celebrated traders from the North West and beyond coming to Depot Mayfield. Manchester’s most sought-after authentic Italian spots, Ornella’s Kitchen, which will be serving its pasta-deli specials in a new restaurant setting inside Freight Island, offering the comfort of table service with direct booking available. Across the food hall, new offerings include MOREJOY serving up Shaokao (Chinese BBQ), Gooey bringing in its signature French Toast every weekend, and Hello Dezato by Hello Oriental with their exquisite ice cream and desserts.
10. Explore all the cherry blossom spots in the city
There are a number of things we love about the spring. Warmer weather, the smell of dew in the morning… But our favourite part of all? The sight of gorgeous, pink cherry blossom. Adding a huge dose of beauty to any landscape, the trees pop with blossom for a very limited time, with stunning pastel pink flowers that flow in the wind. So get outdoors and catch the cherry blossom before it’s gone for another year and why not follow the Bloomtown trail to discover all the blossoming hotspots?
11. Paint the town fluorescent at this glow in the dark painting experience
Head to AATMA in Manchester if you’re after one of the most unique ways to spend your free time: a fun-fuelled art masterclass in the dark. Intrigued? Paint In The Dark invites friends to flex their art skills, creating unique works with glow-in-the-dark paint. You’ll be guided by a talented art facilitator, and there’ll be beer, wine, and soft drinks on hand to really get the creative juices flowing. And for those a little unsure, don’t worry: the room isn’t pitch black, it is low-lit with fluorescent colours.
12. Head to the world debut of A Knight’s Tale The Musical in Manchester
The world premiere production of A Knight’s Tale The Musical, based on the Columbia Pictures film written and directed by Brian Helgeland, which starred Heath Ledger and Paul Bettany, is debuting at Manchester Opera House. A Knight’s Tale The Musical will open at Manchester Opera House on April 11 for a strictly limited run until May 10. A Knight’s Tale has it all. Expect a truly rockin’ soundtrack, packed with chart-topping hits! Join Will Thatcher and his band of merry misfits for a Knight like no other.
13. Be mesmerised by this new, vibrant digital exhibition at Manchester Printworks
This April, Manchester will be illuminated like never before as world-renowned light artist Rupert Newman unveils his first-ever Manchester exhibition, ‘Spaces Up-Above‘, at Printworks. Visitors can step into a breathtaking digital art experience that redefines light and space. For one month only, you can witness awe-inspiring, large-scale digital artwork projected across Europe’s largest digital ceiling. Inspired by the vibrancy of summer, ‘Spaces Up-Above’ will bathe visitors in a mesmerising display of vivid hued waves, tropical fish, and coral-inspired patterns.
14. Dine at the stunningly-transformed Stockport Pyramid
After sitting empty for almost seven years, the iconic 86,000 sq ft blue pyramid in Stockport will be transformed into a massive luxury restaurant and banquet hall, with bookings already being taken for April. Plans by the Royal Nawaab to turn Stockport’s iconic landmark into a huge curry house will feature space for 1,500 diners and 150 staff, with a buffet restaurant and banquet halls across three floors. The Pyramid will be used to host large events such as weddings within a ‘lavish spacious area’ on the first and second floor.
15. Meet Peter Rabbit this Easter at the East Lancashire Railway
One Easter event not to be missed is the one and only Peter Rabbit coming to Bury Transport Museum, along the East Lancashire Railway (ELR). On Friday 18th (Good Friday) and Saturday 19th April, Peter Rabbit will be around to visit with all members of the family at intervals at Bury Transport Museum, plus there’ll be even more family fun with funfair rides (suitable for toddlers), face painters and craft activities. Plus, you can complete your day out with a ride on one of the ELR heritage steam or diesel trains through the Irwell Valley from Bury Bolton Street station across the road.
16. Step inside the weird and wonderful world of Alice In Wonderland at this new experience
You can explore the world of Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland for yourself as a brand new XR (extended reality) experience in Manchester. Perfect for all the family, this April Trafford Palazzo will be offering a new kind of storytelling. Immersia XR: Walking XR Theatre makes its debut as the UK’s first large-scale immersive XR experience, blending cutting-edge technology with iconic tales in an unforgettable walk-through format. Running from April 5, Immersia XR invites audiences of all ages to step inside legendary stories and live them from within. No screens. No controllers. Just you—walking through the story.
17. See burger vendors battle it out at Track Brewery to be crowned the best
The legendary Battle of the Burger is celebrating a milestone 10th anniversary in 2025 by expanding beyond its Newcastle roots to Manchester and Leeds. With a mission to crown the best burger, the battle kicks off on April 18 at Track Brewery in Manchester, promising an epic showdown of flavours and fierce competition. The ‘Food Battles’ are vibrant weekend street food festivals that champion a particular cuisine and invite the best restaurants, pop ups, and chefs in the region to compete in friendly competition.
18. Witness 1,000 Morris dancers dancing in the streets of Stockport
Stockport will be swept up in a whirlwind of bells, sticks and folk music this April, as the town is set to host A Day of Dance – a spectacular one-day event attracting 1,000 Morris dancers from across the country. Taking place on April 26, Stockport town centre will be transformed into a stage for over 60 Morris dancing groups for the Joint Morris Organisation’s National Day of Dance, filling the streets with rhythmic stepping, clashing sticks and swirling ribbons. Promising to be the biggest, boldest and most bell-clanging gathering the North West has ever seen, this event could quite possibly be a record breaking celebration of Morris and folk dance in the UK.
19. Explore the free Ein Null exhibition at Kimpton Clocktower ahead of Record Store Day
A collection of prints going back a decade, ‘Ein Null’ at Kimpton Clocktower celebrates an era of musical output and artwork from the iconic Manchester record label Sprechen. With a reputation of originality, quality and an altogether unique visual and listening experience, Sprechen has developed an instantly recognisable characteristic across vinyl, digital and cassette releases over the last 10 years. The new exhibition, which is launching ahead of Record Store Day, will see various styles and approaches undertaken from digital graphic designs to hand cut stencil with spray paint, and hand screen printing by a collective of creatives who are now an integral part of the Sprechen story.
20. Discover a range of dairy delights at Ramsbottom’s Chocolate & Cheese Festival
A popular festival dedicated to all things chocolate and cheese is returning to the quaint Greater Manchester town of Ramsbottom this April. Taking place on April 13 in the charming town north of Bury, visitors will be able to peruse a number of stalls brimming with the dairy delights. The festival will also include live music, demonstrations, a creative space for children as well as tasters of the delicious chocolate and cheese brought in by local businesses.
21. Dance the night away at this huge, late-night rave in an abandoned pharmacy
Rainy Heart is returning to Stretford town centre on Friday 4th April with a cheeky rave of its own, known as ‘A Repeat Prescription – more of everything’. The night will see the former Boots unit in Stretford Mall transformed into a covert, after-hours event space, complete with the Rainy Heart sound system in its full club configuration. Party-lovers in Stretford and beyond are invited to come along for an iconic night of music, dance and getting lost in the fiery club-night energy.