A free festival with a lineup packed full of interactive activities, workshops, live music, and more is coming to Manchester this summer.
Happening in the heart of the city centre in a couple of weeks time, just in time for schools to be out for the summer holidays, families across Greater Manchester are invited to head on down to the independent arts venue, HOME, and get stuck into everything from interactive theatre and circus skills workshops, to dance, hands-on crafts, and so much more.
The family-friendly Little HOMEfestival is set to pop up across two weekends in August – from Friday 2 through to Sunday 4 August, and the following weekend on Saturday 10 and Sunday 11 August.
A musical theatre production of the much-loved illustrated book by Nick Sharratt, Shark in the Park, will open the festival on Friday 2 August, with extra performances on the following two days, and tickets now available to book from £15 each on the HOME website.
A variety of free pop-up performances will be taking place in the spaces in and around HOME throughout Little HOME festival, so make sure to keep your eyes peeled.
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Festivalgoers can expect to make friends with a pair of fantastical beasts, prepare to be charmed bya postman-themed puppetry production, come face-to-face with Dr Frankenstein at his work table, visit fortune teller Mystic Mog to find out the future, and meet a bunch of other mischievous madcap characters along the way.
A family-friendly festival full of free interactive activities is happening in Manchester this summer / Credit: HOME MCR
Not only will there be some special one-to-one theatrical encounters to experience, but there’ll also be an impressive choice of free creative crafts, workshops, and games to take part in too – which is ideal for those who like doing as well as seeing.
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Especially on Saturday 10 and Sunday 11 August, Skylight Circus Arts and their team of performers will not only be drawing gasps of amazement from festivalgoers for their special circus skills, but they’ll also be on hand to help little Mancs and their families master their own juggling, plate-spinning, and diabolo skills too.
And if the festival’s programme wasn’t already packed full of fun enough as it is, you can also expect to let off some steam through a range of interactive dance classes, and unwind by watching family-friendly films like includes Pete’s Dragon, Kung Fu Panda 4, and The Parent Trap inside HOME’s cinema.
You may have heard of the funny Star Wars stripper show or even seen clips of it online, but rumour has it that nothing can quite prepare you for the cheekiness of seeing this romp in the flesh.
In case you’ve been completely immersed in the dark side until now, here’s what you can expect:
Now well over a decade into its success and more than 200 Las Vegas shows, ‘The Empire Strips Back’ made its long-awaited transatlantic debut earlier this year.
Getting away at London’s Riverside Studios from May and enjoying a run until this past August, the comedy-driven twist on the classic Star Wars stories and beloved sci-fi characters was an instant hit with us Brits.
It started in Australia way back in 2011 and has gone not only to tour across Europe, but land a coveted residency at the Rio Hotel and Casino in Nevada.
Fast, funny, feisty and by all accounts, fantastic.
Now set to seek out new padawans and storm-strippers all over the cosmos, and by that we mean the UK, ‘The Empire Strips Back: Burlesque Parody’ is coming to Manchester.
Set to land at Depot Mayfield in the New Year – next spring, specifically, we cannot wait to see how this goes down with Northern crowds.
The Manc leg is scheduled to kick off on 6 March and last until 8 May, 2026, with various dates and times of day available.
It’s also worth noting that this two-hour show, including intermission, is a strictly 18+ only event; if you’re interested, you can find out more info and grab your tickets right HERE.
Manchester Open exhibition to return in 2026 with ‘biggest celebration’ of local creative talent
Emily Sergeant
The biggest celebration of Greater Manchester’s creative talent is making a much-anticipated return next summer.
Taking place every two years and now in its fourth iteration, Manchester Open exhibition sees the HOME Gallery walls filled with hundreds of artworks selected by a panel consisting of art experts and community representatives.
The exhibition is open to all and welcomes entries from people of any level of experience, including established professionals, students, graduates, new and emerging talent, enthusiastic amateurs, and even first-time artists.
Artists are invited to submit work into eight different categories, with the aim of creating an exhibition ‘rich in variety’ for visitors to explore.
Manchester Open exhibition is set to return in 2026 / Credit: Jason Lock Photography
This means you’ll get to explore works of ceramics, digital/moving images, drawings, prints, paintings, photography, sculptures/installations, and textiles.
Several awards will also be up for grabs throughout the exhibition – which is set to run from Saturday 20 June and Sunday 6 September 2026 – including a prestigious new award in honour of philanthropist and business leader, Kate Voke.
Three artists will also be awarded with artist development packages, managed by HOME and Castlefield Gallery.
“Following our 10 year anniversary in 2025, we are looking forward to 2026 and welcoming applications to HOME’s biggest celebration of Greater Manchester’s artistic talent,” explained Karen O’Neill, who is the CEO of HOME.
“With a record number of applications to the last Manchester Open, we’re hoping for even more in 2026 and to demonstrate how the city continues to grow as a place where artists and creativity can thrive.”
Manchester Open exhibition is taking place in 2026 from Saturday 20 June and Sunday 6 September, and the application and submission process is now live – with all submissions being reviewed by the selection panel who make the final selection of work to be included in the exhibition.
Artists will only be able to submit one artwork, and the selection panel members will be announced in spring 2026.
Featured Image – Jason Lock Photography (Supplied)
Emily Sergeant -
4th July 2024 
