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.
Salford Everywhere: A City Gathering
Visual artist Matthew Rosier projects large-scale video portraits of more than 1,500 local residents across two city landmarks. At Peel Park, a 45-minute film screens twice nightly against the University of Salford’s Maxwell Building, set to a live score performed by local choirs and brass bands with music direction from Salford composer and DJ AFRODEUTSCHE. Simultaneously in Pendleton, the facade of the Salford Shopping Centre turns into a massive backdrop for silent video portraits showcasing everyday community members, from NHS staff and builders to local sports teams and school groups.
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.
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.
The family-run Summerseat Garden Centre brings back its indoor pumpkin patch with a fresh woodland theme for autumn. You can wander through displays filled with scarecrows and woodland animals, snap some photos, follow the Autumn Pumpkin Trail, and pick out a pumpkin without having to brave the Lancashire weather.
Alongside the patch, a new pop-up food hut serves sourdough toasties, hot mini doughnuts, and loaded hot chocolates. A handful of specific events run throughout the month too, including appearances from The Lancashire Hawks and Owls, a Magic School, and an adults-only Faulty Towers dining experience.
Zouk Tea Bar & Grill brings back its £20 bottomless curry deal for five nights to celebrate National Curry Week. Diners get 90 minutes to tuck into endless curry alongside unlimited rice and naan, with meat, vegetarian, and vegan choices served every evening. Each night features a rotation of four dishes, with options throughout the week including Chicken Karahi, Lamb Rogan Josh, Chicken Tikka Masala, Dall Makhani, Chicken Handi, and Gobi Manchurian. Pick your starting curry, then order as many refills as you like from the open kitchen at this fully halal Indian and Pakistani spot.
A new grown-up daytime rave series transforms the disused Victorian swimming pool at Victoria Baths into a two-room daylight dance floor. House and techno duo Deep Dish headlines the inaugural launch with an extended four-hour set, supported by Ibiza resident Smokin Jo and producer Pattn. To keep the crowd present and focused on the music, the event operates a strict no-phones policy on the dance floor. Beyond the main pool space, a second room turns into a lush immersive installation, flanked by local street food vendors, specialist barista coffee, and fully stocked bars.
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.
Beyond The Music takes over MediaCity for its third edition, bringing its global music forum and festival to Salford just in time for the city’s 100th birthday. By day, the campus hosts a massive conference series, including a first-of-its-kind global All Content AI Summit led by Andy Burnham to tackle the future of arts ownership and digital rights. By night, the focus shifts to the future of the local scene. Over 100 emerging artists play live across the campus—popping up in dock10 studios, the adjoining Quayside shopping centre, and a selection of beloved grassroots venues around Salford.
Manchester’s indie cinema CULTPLEX lifts the coffin lid on a full month of sinister cinema, creepy classics, and terrifying television. The programme kicks off with The Living Dead at Manchester Morgue and packs in a bloody blend of cult favourites, including a 50th-anniversary screening of Carrie, the latest restoration of Christopher Lee’s Dracula, and a Simpsons Treehouse of Horror quiz. World cinema also takes a front seat with screenings of the edge-of-your-seat Korean thriller I Saw the Devil and the original Danish Speak No Evil.
You can also catch the UK premiere of Velocipastor 2, a chaotic bottomless-booze screening of Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed, and a Haunted House All Nighter featuring The Shining and Japanese cult oddity Hausu. On Halloween itself, tickets drop to a spooky £6.66, starting the day with family favourite Hocus Pocus and wrapping up with a double bill of Curry Baker’s Obsession and Evil Dead II for one final night of big-screen horror.
Freight Island is putting its own spin on the world’s biggest beer festival this autumn, transforming the venue into a high-energy beer hall. The drinks line-up features Paulaner Oktoberfest, Hacker-Pschorr Gold, and Steigl Grapefruit, alongside party kegs and specialty cocktails. The entertainment leans into the chaos, led by comedian Charlie Partridge as Master of Ceremonies and Acid Klauss on Bavarian beatboxing duties. Expect all-out Oompah sets from the Pretzel Twisters, drag performances by Liquorice Black and Gisele, and headline weekend sets from rock and soul act Oh My God! It’s The Church. Sundays shift to a relaxed daytime experience, inviting families in for arts and crafts, shadow puppet making, and a Brothers Grimm-inspired trail.
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.
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.
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.
Scare City returns to the abandoned Camelot Theme Park, bringing psychological terror to the ruins. The award-winning live-action experience takes you through a continuous outdoor trail filled with live actors, immersive sets, and twisted pathways across newly unlocked, never-before-seen sections of the site. This year features nine new zones, including Cutthroat & Co, inspired by Sweeney Todd, and the Thornveil Coven, where intruders are trapped in an ancient forest. You’ll also encounter a demonic orphanage and an asylum, while CarniValley returns with a grotesque ringmaster forcing outcasts into a survival game. A new retro diner, Rest Bite, offers a break—but even the food stop is overrun by vampires and freaks.
Albert’s Schloss Oktoberfest
Manchester’s favourite Alpine pleasure palace hosts a five-week takeover celebrating Oktoberfest with authentic Bavarian biers, hearty Cook Haus feasts, and non-stop live entertainment. Albert’s Schloss stands out as one of the few places outside Munich pouring all six official Oktoberfest brews straight from the tap—Spaten, Paulaner, Löwenbräu, Hacker-Pschorr, Hofbräu, and Augustiner. The marathon party kicks off with a traditional keg-tapping ceremony, launching a daily lineup of Oompah bands, brass sets, wiener-eating contests, and pretzel-tossing showdowns. Between steins, you can fuel up on classic Alpine dishes like Schweinshaxe, Currywurst, and slow-cooked beef goulash, or book a dedicated Bier Masterclass to tour the taps with a resident specialist.
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.
Internationally acclaimed Manchester artist Stanley Chow is taking over the Arndale this summer with a free art trail featuring 13 of his bold, minimalist portraits—blown up as giant inflatables suspended from the ceiling. The exhibition, titled ‘MCR Made’, transforms the shopping centre into a massive tribute to local icons across music, sport, science, politics, art, and culture. The six-metre installations depict familiar faces like Liam and Noel Gallagher, Marcus Rashford, Emmeline Pankhurst, and Alan Turing. The trail also debuts an exclusive new portrait of suffragette and pioneering MP Ellen Wilkinson.
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.
