The city centre is to be transformed into the “biggest-ever playground” for this year’s Manchester Day celebrations.
In case you missed it a couple of months back, Manchester Day – which is often dubbed “the day summer officially starts” in Manchester, and undoubtedly one of the most vibrant and colourful events in the city’s annual social calendar – was confirmed for a 2024 return this summer, with our city all set to host a massive celebration of “all things Mancunian” next month.
This means you can expect a day packed full of FREE events and activities to get involved with.
Following the resounding success of last year’s ‘promenade-style’ event that saw activities take place in a number of different locations, , Manchester City Council has revealed that this year’s one-day festival will also take over the city centre.
And now, after weeks of waiting, the theme for this year’s event and all the celebrations lined up, have been revealed.
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The city centre will become the ‘biggest ever’ playground for this year’s Manchester Day / Credit: Manchester Day
This year’s event will be inspired by an international summer of sport, according to the Council, and the city’s streets and squares will be filled with music, dancing, and interactive activities that are designed to “bring out the inner athlete” in visitors, both young and old.
As it has done in previous years, the Council is working with outdoor arts specialists, Walk the Plank, on a jam-packed programme for the day that promises something for all ages and all sporting abilities.
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Visitors can expect to see jaw-dropping acrobatics, pop-up performances of wrestling, breakdancing, opera, drag, and more in “the most unlikely of places”, and a daring dance-circus production, all while getting stuck into various games such as darts, hook-a-duck, or even the ‘actual reality’ arcade filled with larger-than-life consoles.
Manchester Day is back on Saturday 27 July. 🌞
Inspired by an international summer of sport, expect pop-up performances, astounding acrobatics and have-a-go activities. 🤸♀️🎾🚴♂️
— Manchester City Council (@ManCityCouncil) June 20, 2024
Most importantly though, in what will be a Manchester Day special for 2024 to mark this sizzling summer of international sport, with UEFA Euro 2024, Wimbledon, and the Olympics being just a couple of the sporting events in the calendar, the Council has also partnered with some of the UK’s leading sports bodies to offer loads of fitness taster sessions and activities throughout the day.
Football, cricket, netball, and taekwondo are just a few of the sports that visitors can expect to show off their skills in.
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Gold medals will be awarded in a special ‘Winners’ Enclosure’ throughout the day, and the honours will be up for grabs in all kinds of categories – including cheekiest grin, best Dad dancer, and more.
Sporty celebrations will take place all across the city centre / Credit: Manchester Day
“We know how much Mancunians of all ages love to celebrate the city’s special day with us, and this year we’re really going for gold,” Councillor Pat Karney, who is the Chair of Manchester Day, teased ahead of this year’s event in a couple of weeks time.
“We’ve got an absolutely fantastic day lined up, stuffed full of free things to see and do for all the family, all with a sporting flavour, so grab your granny and your trainers and come on down and join us.”
Manchester Day 2024: Let The Games Begin! will take over the city centre on Saturday 27 July from 12pm-6pm.
A first look into the highly-anticipated TV soap crossover ‘Corriedale’ has just dropped
Thomas Melia
The wait is nearly over for TV soap fans, as producers behind the highly-anticipated ‘Corriedale’ crossover have just dropped an exclusive first look.
Whether you’re team Coronation Streetor team Emmerdale, this show has all areas covered as it merges both the iconic TV soaps into an hour-long special.
Now, it feels like Christmas has come early as pictures of two very distinctive cast members smiling next to each other while filming the crossover episode have been released.
In the newly-released images we can see Vicky Myers, known for playing the assertive and dedicated DS Lisa Swain, representing the Manchester-based production Coronation Street.
Vicky Myers (DS Lisa Swain) and Danny Miller (Aaron Dingle) pictured together ahead of upcoming TV soap crossover Corriedale / Credit: ITV Press Centre (Supplied)
Stood by her side is Danny Miller known for his role as the complex and vulnerable Aaron Dingle in Leeds-based hit soap Emmerdale.
Both can be seen on-set and are pictured in front of a white trailer filming for the upcoming Corriedale special.
Although the shows are set just a one hour’s drive away from each other, separated by The Pennines, this soap special marks the first time that characters from each drama will have ever crossed paths.
Most details for this soap crossover are being kept very tight-lipped although filming kicked off in September with this latest update marking the first-ever major cast announcement for Corriedale.
ITV Executive Producer for Continuing Drama Iain Macleod said: “It’s beyond exciting that filming is under way on Corriedale.
“There is a massive buzz around both the Leeds and Manchester sites and the images coming out of the shoot are utterly spectacular. And that’s before we’ve even got to all the brilliant transpennine interactions between characters from the different shows!
“As a soap fan myself, I think my head is going to explode when the episode airs next year. It will be mind-blowing, historical and unmissable.”
Corriedale is coming to our TV screens in early 2026 and heralds the start of a new soap power hour with 30 minute episodes of both Coronation Street and Emmerdale to air every weekday.
The Karate Kid – The Musical, inspired by the iconic 80s film, is coming to Manchester
Daisy Jackson
Iconic 80s film The Karate Kid has now been reimagined as a stage musical – and it’s coming to Manchester next spring.
The Karate Kid – The Musical will be heading out on its UK premiere tour in 2026, including a run of dates at the Palace Theatre in Manchester.
The musical follows the same themes as the original, legendary 1984 film, a coming-of-age story that follows the relationship and teachings between Daniel LaRusso and Mr Miyagi.
It’s not just about karate, it’s about resilience, mentorship, and the quiet strength that bridges generations, and on the stage you can expect movement, music, and energetic storytelling too.
The original blockbuster starred Ralph Macchio and Pat Morita and has gone down in history as one of cinema’s greatest films, earning Morita an Academy Award nomination.
It’s become a major global franchise, including three movie sequels, a remake with Jaden Smith and Jackie Chan, and a Netflix series (Cobra Kai).
The Karate Kid – The Musical made its world premiere in 2022, selling out theatres and earning rave reviews.
Those iconic cinematic moments are brought to life on the stage by a Tony Award-winning design team.
The Karate Kid – The Musical is heading on a major UK tour before it hits the West End and Broadway.
It’s written by Robert Mark Kamen, screenwriter of the original 1984 movie, with music and lyrics by Drew Gasparini.
Kamen says: “William Goldman said about Hollywood “No one knows anything.” He was right.
“Who knew that 43 years after I wrote the original script for THE KARATE KID, we would see these very same characters acting and singing on the British stage in a story that is as fresh and universally relevant as it was four decades ago.”
The Karate Kid – The Musical is at the Palace Theatre from Tuesday 12 to Saturday 23 May 2026, with tickets on sale now HERE.
Emily Sergeant -
24th June 2024 
