Struggling to plan a fun-filled weekend in Manchester? Come rain or shine (in this city’s case, mainly rain), we’ve got you covered when it comes to what’s on this weekend in Manchester. From brunches to gigs, there’s something for everyone, including some activities for the kids, on our list of things to do in Manchester this weekend.
The Manchester Christmas Markets take over 10 city-centre spots this winter. Albert Square remains the main hub, bringing back the giant Santa to the Town Hall for the first time in nearly a decade, alongside a 50-metre Ferris wheel, a vintage helter-skelter, a pop-up pub, and food spanning from Parisian French toast to charity pastry demos.
Elsewhere, the new Lincoln Square market focuses on international street food with jerk chicken and Korean corn dogs, while St Ann’s Square gets a redesigned layout with extra covered seating. You’ll find the Skate MCR ice rink and mini-fairground games at Cathedral Gardens, plus expanded crafts and carnival games along Market Street. Across King Street, Exchange Square, and New Cathedral Street, stalls pour everything from tap-poured gourmet hot chocolate and glühwein to German beers, next to loaded hash browns and traditional bratwurst from the swing grill.
Step into Halloween Town as you explore a moonlit trail of dazzling lights and iconic characters. Disney Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas Light Trail will soon transform Arley Hall & Gardens into a 1.2-mile, multi-sensory walkthrough featuring over 1,700 light installations, 3D sculptures and scenes from the film. Coming to the UK for the very first time this autumn, the bewitching experience opens on October 22 and is suitable for all ages.
As the darker nights draw in, free fireworks return to light up Manchester this Bonfire Night after a five-year hiatus. Manchester City Council brings the celebrations back to Wythenshawe Park, Heaton Park, and Platt Fields Park.
The lineup features an early, reduced-noise fireworks display designed for families and SEND audiences, followed by the main event. Additional entertainment rolls out across the parks on the night. The reduced-noise display will be at 5pm, and the main display will be at 8pm.
The Night Market takes over the ground floor of Manchester’s Grade II* listed Gorton Monastery for a one-night winter pop-up. Over a hundred independent traders set up shop across the Cloisters and the Great Nave, selling handcrafted goods beneath the arches of the 19th-century Franciscan friary.
Outside, a lineup of street food vendors serves up hot dishes with plenty of seating. Inside, the Great Nave bar pours festive drinks while the Sanctuary Cafe offers hot alcoholic and alcohol-free options, all set to a live soundtrack by DJ Butho the Warrior. Tickets are available online, with remaining ones sold on the door.
Stevie Wonder brings his Songs In The Key of Life 50th-anniversary tour to Manchester’s Co-op Live this November, playing the landmark 1976 album in full. The Manchester date is one of just five across the UK and Ireland on this run of shows. The Grammy-winning record, Wonder’s highest-charting album in the UK, includes tracks like “Sir Duke,” “Isn’t She Lovely,” and “I Wish.”
Skate Manchester returns to Cathedral Gardens with its fully covered, weatherproof outdoor ice rink. Sitting right next to the Christmas Markets, the rink features a packed schedule this year, including quiet hours, toddler sessions, and themed nights.
There are plenty of deals on offer, too. Look out for £10 student skate sessions on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings, 20% off for locals on Mondays and Tuesdays (using code LCLOVE2026 before December 18), and free skating for kids on selected Tuesdays. New this year, ticket holders can also change their session time up to 24 hours in advance.
Manchester will gather at the Cenotaph to honour the service and sacrifice of the Armed Forces community. Veterans, serving military personnel, and cadets march into St Peter’s Square, led by the Greater Manchester Police Band and the Scots Guards Association Pipe Band.
Following the civic processions, a maroon sounds across the city centre to mark both the start and the end of the national two-minute silence. Keep an eye on local travel updates before setting out, as road closures and tram suspensions run through the square for the morning.
RHS Garden Bridgewater, nestled in Worsley, makes for a perfect nature escape, offering 154 acres of stunning landscapes and floral beauty. This urban garden features award-winning designs, including the extraordinary 11-acre Weston Walled Garden and the UK’s first authentic Chinese garden. With plenty of community spaces, a play area for children, and a garden centre, it’s ideal for families and nature lovers alike. Enjoy a leisurely visit and a delightful meal in nearby Worsley.
Luke Jerram’s spectacular seven-metre moon replica takes over Campfield Studios this autumn. Suspended and internally lit, the installation uses detailed NASA imagery at a 500,000:1 scale to bring the lunar surface to Manchester.
The free exhibition is set to a surround sound composition by Duncan Speakman and Sarah Anderson. As the artwork travels the globe, it gathers new music and personal stories, alongside a rolling programme of moon-inspired events tailored to each venue.
Bar Hütte
Bar Hütte marks a decade in Manchester this winter, bringing its après-ski setup back to Great Northern Square. The seasonal pop-up serves up pizza, signature shot-skis, Christmas cocktails, and a throwback to its 2016 launch: the Chocolate Boozy Bombardino. A heated stretch tent covers the main outdoor seating area so you can grab a drink without freezing.
Groups of up to eight can book a private karaoke hütte for an hour and 40 minutes of singing, while larger party lodges hold up to 20 people and include two bottles of fizz. The site also runs a programme of events, including the family-friendly Santa Claus Club and wreath-making socials. You can even bring your dog along to Bark Hütte, a pup-sized cabin equipped with treats and photo ops.
Legally Blonde The Musical heads to the Manchester Opera House this November as part of a UK and Ireland tour. Directed by Nikolai Foster, who recently helmed the sell-out tour of Kinky Boots, the multi-award-winning show brings the iconic story of Elle Woods to the stage.
Based on the 2001 film and the Amanda Browning novel, the musical comedy features original music and lyrics by Laurence O’Keefe and Nell Benjamin. The production follows Elle as she swaps her ‘It Girl’ lifestyle for a stint at Harvard Law School, determined to win back her ex-boyfriend before discovering a talent for the courtroom instead.
The Script hit the road this autumn for a 15-date UK and Ireland arena tour following the August release of their new album, The User’s Guide To Being Human. Supported by James Morrison, the run kicks off in Dublin in late October before bringing the band to Manchester’s Co-op Live in November.
Manchester transforms into your personal adventure playground with Race Across the World: The Experience. Step into the hit TV show’s official live adventure, where your team navigates the city streets, solves mind-bending puzzles, and manages a virtual budget over 2-3 exhilarating hours. Discover iconic landmarks and hidden treasures across three checkpoints, with optional breaks and exclusive discounts. Your strategy, speed, and teamwork will determine your place on the live leaderboard. Perfect for friends, families, and colleagues, this accessible and dog-friendly challenge promises an unforgettable weekend adventure.
MYTHIC REINVENTION: Celebrating 50 Years of Costume and Craft
Launching on 16th September 2026 and running until 15th November 2026, MYTHIC REINVENTION: Celebrating 50 Years of Costume and Craft forms a central part of the Royal Exchange Theatre’s 50th anniversary programme – ‘A Homecoming’. It will bring the theatre’s extraordinary costume archive to life through a free public exhibition, curated by international award-winning designer Leslie Travers.
Leading up to the exhibition launch, ‘Exchanging Stories‘, a series of live industry conversations, will look back at the venue’s exceptional history across design and craft, exploring the origins of the venue’s unique space and the theatre’s commitment to championing new work and its key role in shaping the UK’s theatre ecosystem.
Artist Umi Ishihara brings Nocturnal Melody to esea contemporary for its first exhibition outside London. The experience begins with Nocturnal Vibration, a soundscape combining dissonant animal calls with distorted fragments of club music. The gallery’s central film follows Tokyo dancers Eri and Catalina through dressing rooms, stages, and the Shibuya club district.
Drawing on her upbringing in Japan’s 1990s free rave scene, Ishihara narrates the piece, blending documentary footage and night-vision shots with sequences of surreal nocturnal creatures roaming the city. Across the gallery, the installation Nocturnal Breath bathes the space in blue light, featuring figures in pearlescent skinsuits that explore nightlife, performance, and liberation outside conventional societal rules.
Shameless actor David Threlfall makes his return to the Manchester stage after 27 years to take on Shakespeare’s ultimate tragic hero. Directed and adapted by Matthew Dunster, this reimagined production of King Lear serves as the flagship centerpiece for the Royal Exchange Theatre’s 50th-anniversary season, titled “A Homecoming.” Threlfall, who served as the theatre’s associate artistic director in the 1980s and 90s, stars alongside Mercury Prize-nominated musician Nadine Shah, who plays Goneril and composes the show’s original score. The ensemble cast includes Jonathan Slinger as Gloucester, Isobel Akuwudike as Cordelia, Tom Varey as Edgar, and Jason Done as Kent.
Step inside the cosmos in this free-roam virtual reality journey, created in collaboration with the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory. The experience transforms raw astronomical data from NASA, the ESA, and the Smithsonian into immersive 3D worlds, allowing you to walk through the birth of stars and the surfaces of alien planets. Guided by “Astro,” you begin on the summit of Mount Hopkins in Arizona before embarking on a tour of the galaxy. Highlights include witnessing solar flares from the Sun, exploring the lava-covered landscape of the “diamond planet” Janssen, observing the death of the red supergiant Betelgeuse, and standing at the edge of the supermassive black hole at the heart of the Milky Way.
Campfield Market, a weekly artisan market in Manchester city centre, has expanded into St John’s, creating the biggest weekly artisan market in the UK. ‘Campfield Market at St John’s’ extends beyond the iconic Campfield building and out onto Grape Street, transforming the area into a one-kilometre loop of market stalls, street food and independent retail. Each week, visitors can expect over 100 independent traders spanning street food, local produce, artisan goods and makers, alongside an expanded food and drink line-up.
Manchester’s National Football Museum opens a rare pop-up exhibition showcasing never-before-seen objects from Sir Alex Ferguson’s personal archive, coinciding with the launch of his new memoir, Games of My Life. The display brings the book’s most poignant stories to life through intimate items spanning his childhood in Govan, early playing days, Rangers, Aberdeen, and Manchester United. Visitors can view handwritten diary notes reflecting on key matches, a tracksuit, fan letters, a match ball, a VIP pass, a Scotland cap, and personal photographs.
Get ready to hit the streets for a top-rated walking adventure through Manchester. You’ll dive into the city’s best-kept secrets, taking in everything from hidden gems to the iconic street art spread across the Northern Quarter. The route covers major landmarks, including Manchester Central Library, Chinatown, Stevenson Square, and Afflecks. Along the way, the guide points out locations used in major BBC and Netflix shows, as well as spots that double for New York City on the big screen. You’ll also learn about the city’s pivotal role in history, track the humble beginnings of famous local singers, and uncover why Manchester beats to its own musical rhythm.
Manchester’s People’s History Museum has unveiled a rare jug commemorating the 1819 Peterloo Massacre. Arriving in time for the anniversary of the historic protest, the everyday object features a map of the exact site where cavalry charged into 60,000 peaceful demonstrators demanding parliamentary reform. Though originally produced on a commercial scale to channel the escalating public anger that followed the tragedy, it is the only known surviving example of its specific design. The piece joins the museum’s permanent Peterloo exhibition, sitting alongside yeomanry sabres, a commemorative handkerchief, and a cane carried by one of the original protestors.
After a massive run in London, Sir David Attenborough’s immersive environmental show is heading north to Chester Zoo this autumn. Taking over the former Ape House, the 50-minute experience surrounds you with 360-degree projections, original animation, and natural world footage narrated by Attenborough himself.
The story traces the four-billion-year history of Earth and humanity’s impact on it, backed by an original score and run through 50 speakers. It’s the first time the full-scale production has been staged outside the Natural History Museum. Relaxed sessions are available for visitors with younger kids.
