Manchester Day is back and bigger than ever before for 2023 – with a trip to the beach, a visit to the zoo, and so much more on the lineup.
Fancy breaking out a deckchair and ditching the morning rush for a sun lounger? Doesn’t sound so bad, does it? Well, now that schools are officially out across the region, and summer is well and truly here, the massively-popular Manchester Day is making a return tomorrow – and this year, you’ll be whisked away on holiday.
It’s all set to be “the day summer officially starts” in the city centre.
On Saturday 29 July, 12-9pm, take a holiday right here in the city centre with #ManchesterDay – On Holiday. 🌞
Expect free entertainment, tunes, dance moves, wonderful shows, and delicious street food. 🥁🎶🌭
— Manchester City Council (@ManCityCouncil) June 24, 2023
Manchester City Council is promising that the city centre will be transformed to “bring the holiday vibes without having to go near the M60”.
But what exactly can you expect from 2023’s Manchester Day? Where is all the action happening? What showstopping entertainment is on the cards? What activities can you hope to get yourselves involved with? And how about food and drink?
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Here’s everything you need to know.
Manchester Day is back with a ‘summer holiday’ theme this year / Credit: Manchester Day
When is Manchester Day 2023?
Ready to start summer in style, this year’s Manchester Day is on Saturday 29 July.
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After several successful collaborations in the past, Manchester City Council is once again joining forces with award-winning local arts organisation Walk the Plank to offer a jam-packed schedule of family fun for this year’s event.
Where is Manchester Day taking place this year?
Unlike in previous years, you can expect to see celebrations city-wide this year.
With a wide range of festivities set to kick-off from midday and run right through until 9pm, attractions will be dotted all throughout the city centre in main social hubs – such as Deansgate, Exchange Square, St Ann’s Square, Cathedral Gardens, and more.
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Then, once the sun starts to set, the focus will shift over to the Northern Quarter, with festivalgoers able to continue soaking up the evening sunshine as the party continues.
There’s a trip to the beach, a visit to the zoo, and so much more on the lineup / Credit: Manchester Day
What entertainment is on the lineup? How about food and drink?
A day at the beach, a trip to the zoo, and a picnic in the park are just some of the things you can expect to get involved with at this year’s Manchester Day.
If a visit to the ‘seaside’ and a ride on a retro helter-skelter sounds up your street, then you’ll want to head on down to the fully-pedestrianised part of Deansgate, or if you fancy grabbing a deckchair, unpacking your picnic, and sipping a cool lemonade as you relax by the bandstand, then make your way to St Ann’s Square.
A whole host of ‘zoo’ animals (not quite) will be taking over New Cathedral Street, while Market Street is the place to go if you’re keen to “shop til you drop” with Manchester Markets popping-up to showcase lots of locally-produced goods at its craft market.
Unlike in previous years, you can expect to see celebrations city-wide in 2023 / Credit: Manchester City Council
You can have a dance and test out your cricket skills in Manchester Originals’ batting cages down at St Mary’s Gate, get creative with arts and craft workshops on Exchange Street, watch a competition to find the UK’s fittest firefighter in Cathedral Gardens, learn to ride your bike St Peter’s Square, and then take a break and grab a bit to eat from a selection of local street food traders in Exchange Square.
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Of course, by that time, you’ll be ready to soak in the evening’s party atmosphere as dancers and musicians from Global Grooves take over the Northern Quarter.
And the best part? All of the entertainment is FREE.
Inside Anthropologie as beautiful new store opens in Manchester
Daisy Jackson
Anthropologie has finally arrived in Manchester, opening a beautiful new store in the Royal Exchange.
The beloved lifestyle brand is famed for its curated range of clothing, shoes, accessories, activewear, beauty, wellness, furniture, home décor, bridal, and loads more.
Anthropologie has taken over a two-storey unit overlooking St Ann’s Square, which opens today right in time for the Black Friday sales.
Inside, shoppers will find everything from denim to dinnerware, plus delights like martini-shaped handbags, apres ski-inspired glassware, and cosy knitwear.
Brands inside include Damson Madder, Tala, Maeve, Vagabond, and Never Fully Dressed.
There’ll be live music by local artist Maya Blandy, and seasonal drinks from 3pm, for a festive shopping experience.
Inside Anthropologie ManchesterMartini-shaped bags in AnthropologieHomewaresShoes in AnthropologieInside Anthropologie ManchesterTala is in storeThe denim shopBrands include Maeve by Anthropologie
And later down the line, Anthropologie Manchester is hosting a Winter Warmer Day on 9 December, with festive hot drinks and a gift personalisation station – plus a festive goodie bag for the first 100 customers to spend £100 between 9 and 11 December.
Anthropologie was founded in 1992 and has since expanded to have more than 200 stores globally, launching three new UK sites this year (Manchester, Liverpool and Glasgow).
Matt Hilgeman, Managing Director of Anthropologie International, said: “We’re excited to open our third and final store for 2025 in the heart of Manchester city.
“As part of our Northern expansion, the new store will showcase a curated assortment of our most-loved brands, exclusive partywear, and our signature ‘Only at Anthropologie’ gifting.
“We can’t wait to open our doors and meet the community.”
Anthropologie Manchester is now from Wednesday 26 November at the Royal Exchange on St Ann’s Square.
Science and Industry Museum announces new major exhibition taking visitors on an ‘epic space adventure’
Emily Sergeant
A major new exhibition taking visitors on an ‘epic space adventure’ is making its world premiere in Manchester next year.
Horrible Science: Cosmic Chaos will invite visitors to explore our wondrous Solar System when it launches at the Science and Industry Museum next February.
Fresh off-the-back of the new BBC Children’s and Education TV show, Horrible Science, the ‘thrilling’ new exhibition will encourage visitors to ‘do science the horrible way’, and join both scientists and supervillains to unveil the secrets of space.
The new exhibition will propel families up into space where mystery, intrigue, and rocket-loads of silly and surprising science await. You’ll get to venture through a series of cosmic zones, walk in the shoes of astronauts, explore the life-giving energy of the sun, marvel at mysterious moons, and discover far-off weird worlds.
Left teetering on the edge of our Solar System, explorers will then find themselves staring into the dark depths of space, on the lookout for any extra-terrestrial life that could be staring back.
Whether its sniffing astronauts’ smelly socks, dancing on an alien disco planet, feeling the tremors from a mysterious moonquake, or launching a space rocket, organisers say this new adventure will engage all the senses in a truly immersive experience.
This is the first time Horrible Science has been brought to life as a major exhibition.
The Science and Industry Museum has announced a new major exhibition taking visitors on an ‘epic space adventure’ / Credit: BBC | Science Museum Group
Visitors will get to see familiar characters from the BBC series – like Dr Big Brain, in particular – on their mission to find out more about our fascinating Solar System through interactive experiments, playful challenges, and sensory exploration.
The exhibition is being developed by the Science and Industry Museum in collaboration with producers of the Horrible Science TV show, BBC Children’s and Education, and Lion Television, together with Scholastic, who are publishers of the much-loved Horrible Science book series by Nick Arnold and illustrated by Tony De Saulles.
‘Unmissable’ objects from the Science Museum Group’s world-class space collection will also be on show when the exhibition premieres.
Horrible Science: Cosmic Chaos will open at the Science and Industry Museum in Manchester on 13 February 2026 for an 11-month run before heading down to London, and tickets are now on sale priced at £10 – with family discounts available, and under-threes going free.
Emily Sergeant -
28th July 2023 
