The memorial is a living garden that has been built beside Manchester Cathedral, featuring a marble halo engraved with the names of the victims of the Manchester Arena attack.
The cathedral itself will hold prayers that include acts of remembrance at 8.45am, 10.30am, and 5.30pm, with the names of all 22 people killed read out.
Manchester Cathedral will be open all day for people to light candles or take a moment of quiet reflection.
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Its bells will toll at 10.31pm, marking the exact time of the attack on 22 May 2017.
The Lord Mayor of Manchester will attend the 5.30pm prayers and will lay flowers on the Glade of Light afterwards on behalf of the city.
Floral tributes in previous years at Manchester Victoria. Credit: Wikimedia Commons
At nearby Victoria Station, which stands directly beneath the foyer where the atrocity took place, silences will be held at noon and at 10.31pm.
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The station announcer will read out the names of those who lost their lives, and the railway chaplain will read prayers.
Floral tributes will be laid in the station and a memory book will be available for people to leave thoughts and reflections on the anniversary of the Manchester Arena attack.
The 22 May will also see the return of the Great Manchester Run, with thousands taking on 10km and half-marathon races through the city’s streets.
A minute’s applause will be held ahead of The Great Manchester Run. Credit: Supplied
A one minute’s applause has been arranged at each starting wave of the run, to ‘honour the memory of those who lost their lives, acknowledge the courage of everyone affected and recognise the remarkable spirit shown by the city in the aftermath of the attack’.
The Great Manchester Run 2017 took place just six days after the attack and was a powerful showcase of Manchester’s resilience.
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Councillor Bev Craig, leader of Manchester City Council, said: “22 May 2017 is one of the darkest days in this city’s history. It’s hard to believe that five years has passed since those terrible events.
“We will never forget those whose lives were so cruelly taken, or those whose lives were changed forever that day.
“But nor should we forget the remarkable spirit shown in the aftermath of the attack as the city came together in solidarity, compassion and a refusal to give in to hatred and fear. Love proved stronger.
“The fifth anniversary of the attack will have a personal meaning for every one of us. Our thoughts remain with all those who were impacted by that evil act. But however they wish to do so I would encourage everyone in the city to take some time out during the day to remember and reflect.”
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Those who have been impacted by the tragedy and need support are able to access the Greater Manchester Resilience Hub on 0333 0095071 or by email to [email protected]. The hub is open 9am to 5pm on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays; 9am to 7pm on Wednesdays and 9am to 3pm on Fridays.
Manchester’s ‘busiest’ road set to close for annual safety inspections this weekend
Emily Sergeant
The Mancunian Way is set to close for its annual safety inspections this weekend.
As Manchester City Council looks to ‘improve’ what is, by far, one of Manchester’s busiest and most-used roads, given the fact it is the main thoroughfare in and out of the city centre, it has been confirmed that a two-day closure of Mancunian Way is set to take place this weekend so that essential inspection works can be carried out.
With an estimated 15 million journeys taken along this road annually, the Council says it’s vital that inspections are conducted to keep traffic flowing.
Taking place over the weekend, both carriageways and their slip roads will be out of use from 6am on Saturday 26 June until 6am on Monday 28 June.
The closure will run from the Chester Road roundabout and Fairfield Street.
🚧 Mancunian Way Annual Maintenance
The Mancunian Way and its slip roads will be closed on 27–28 June for essential inspections and repairs.
— Manchester City Council (@ManCityCouncil) June 22, 2026
Fully signed diversions will be in place during this time for vehicles travelling in both directions, the Council has confirmed – with diversion routes planned for Trinity Way, Great Ancoats Street, Bridgewater Viaduct, Whitworth Street West, Whitworth Street, and Fairfield Street.
Of course, this does mean that some disruption to the public is expected, with anyone travelling in and out of the city centre told to plan their journeys ahead of time, however the Council has chosen for the closures to be overnight so that any disruption is kept to a low a level as possible.
“Because of the tens of thousands of vehicles we see use the Mancunian Way every day, ensuring its proper maintenance and upkeep is essential”, commented Councillor Mandie Shilton Godwin, who is the Executive Member for Clean Air, Environment and Transport at Manchester City Council.
“There will be a level of disruption which is why we’d urge people to plan their journeys ahead and find an alternative route which avoids the closure.
“Thank you to everyone ahead of your patience as we carry out these essential works.”
Featured Image – Geograph
Manchester
Secret stages, surprise sets and non-stop sunshine – here’s what went down at Parklife 2026
Clementine Hall
Parklife 2026 has officially wrapped up, and dare we say it might have been the best one yet?
Well, that’s it folks. One of the biggest weekends on Manchester’s musical calendar has been ticked off, and what a time we had.
The rolling hills of Heaton Park welcomed thousands of ravers who two-stepped from the moment the gates opened until the final vibrations echoed from the speakers.
So, while we nurse our sore feet and slap on the aftersun, let’s reflect on Parklife 2026 and catch you up on what you might have missed.
Images: The Manc Group
For once, the weather actually delivered.
Blue skies and glorious sunshine stuck around all weekend, giving festival-goers the perfect excuse to stay out from open to close and making Heaton Park look more like Ibiza than north Manchester. We’re exaggerating, of course, but you get the picture.
While headline sets from pop princess Zara Larsson and grime MC Skepta drew huge crowds, some of the biggest moments happened away from the main stages.
Images: The Manc Group
After all, when else can you watch Manc icon Bez DJing on a rooftop at a secret garden party? It truly was a sight to behold.
The festival introduced three brand-new secret stages this year, which we think were a fantastic addition. Our favourite was the Bossmans Tent – an exclusive stage hidden behind the facade of a corner shop, where festival-goers had to enter through a fridge to discover the music inside.
Of course, it wouldn’t be a festival without a few cheeky surprise sets thrown into the mix. Enter Aitch.
At this point, the Manchester rapper is basically a Parklife resident, popping up each year to surprise crowds with a song or two. This year, our hometown hero joined Bou on stage, sending fans into a complete and utter meltdown.
Images: The Manc Group
The city was also well represented through a number of stage takeovers across the weekend. Ghosts of Garage, the Manchester-born brand that has built a loyal following across the region, brought together a host of local DJs on Sunday for a takeover that felt like a celebration of the city’s thriving dance music scene.
One of the most anticipated additions for 2026, the new Panorama stage was a real standout. Featuring a belting 100m LED screen, huge dance platforms and behind-the-booth access, there wasn’t a quiet moment there all weekend – and it’s not hard to see why.
Sheffield DJ Silva Bumpa drew one of the busiest crowds of the weekend at Panorama, creating relentless energy from start to finish. Fans were packed shoulder-to-shoulder as one of the UK’s fastest-rising names delivered a set worthy of all the hype.
Daisy Jackson -
17th May 2022 
