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.
Top Northern Quarter vintage shop Gone Fishing is closing – with one final, massive sale
Daisy Jackson
Gone Fishing Vintage, one of the Northern Quarter’s top vintage shops, is closing for good after one final weekend in Manchester.
The popular shop will be going out with an almighty sale, offering 50% off everything in store on 10 and 11 January.
Gone Fishing has carved out a niche thanks to its menswear-focused, curated range of second hand fashion, often sourced from Italy.
You’ll always find a quality selection of brands including Stone Island, CP Company, Burberry, and Moschino.
And it’s caught plenty of eyes during its time on Oldham Street – just last year, Drake popped into Gone Fishing to buy himself a vest.
But now owner Seb Dixon has confirmed he’s closing down the shop – and soon.
He said it’s been a ‘f***ing tough decision’ but Gone Fishing has ‘outgrown the space’.
In a video shared to Instagram, he announced an ‘everything-must-go’ sale with half-price clothes this weekend, kicking off from 11am on Saturday 10 January.
Seb said: “Quick announcement – I’m closing down the shop. This might come as a bit of a surprise to you, but unfortunately it’s true.
“After doing this for so many years, it’s been a f***ing tough decision.
“So I started it as a passion project and it’s not the fact that I don’t have passion for it anymore or have fallen out of love with it or you guys. I just want to take it in a slightly different direction.
“I just feel like we’ve outgrown the space a little bit and how creative we can get in there, and creativity was the main reason why I started the business.
“So this weekend is our final weekend in the shop and we need to get rid of everything. So we’re doing 50% off all items.
“I reckon it’s gonna be a little big mad – we’ll open at 11 but I’d say get there a little bit earlier.
“I just want to say thank you to everyone who shopped with us, supported us over the last few years. Especially the customers, we wouldn’t be here without you.
“Stay tuned as we release our new location where you can shop with us. Until then, see you on Saturday.”
The best things to do in Greater Manchester this week | 12 – 18 January 2026
Emily Sergeant
It may be chilly out there, but January is really hotting up now.
Now that January is in full swing, we’re really not short of exciting activities and events to be getting up to right across Greater Manchester – with everything from smash-hit musicals to 360° walk-through projection shows happening this week.
Finding it a bit tricky to pick what to do though? No worries. We’ve chosen a few of the highlights for another edition of our ‘what’s on‘ guide.
Both free things and those that’ll set you back a few pennies are featured.
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The Great British Rail Sale
UK-wide
Monday 12 January
The Great British Rail Sale / Credit: Northern | Transpennine Express
The Great British Rail Sale has returned for 2026, with train ticket prices will be slashed by up to 50% or more – and this is your LAST DAY to make the most of it.
Millions of discounted train tickets for half term activities, weekend getaways, and even commuting are up for grabs, as the week-long rail sale – which has been running from 6 to 12 January 2026 – gives passengers the chance to save well over 50% on many advance and off-peak tickets.
The reduced fares can be used to travel on thousands of popular routes between 13 January and 25 March 2026.
Looking to escape the elements and have your mind boggled this winter? Sounds like a trip to Museum of Illusions is on the cards then.
It’s time to let your competitive side out – get ready to experience the city’s most unique attraction like never before. Race through the vortex, create the best mirror image, and complete the brain gym the fastest to win the dazzling trophy at the end.
Whether you’re team building with your work lot, or taking your mates for a bit of healthy competition, it’s a great one to have a go at.
A huge gaming event is happening in Manchester at the moment.
With more than 160 consoles and hundreds of games to play, Power UP at the Science and Industry takes ticket-holders on a journey through five decades of gaming, with everything from retro arcade games, to state-of-the-art virtual reality, and so much more.
Power UP is taking place each weekend only throughout this month, with each ticket including unlimited play all day.
Have you seen that Vue Manchester Quayside has had an ‘Ultra Lux’ upgrade?
Vue currently has 93 state-of-the-art cinemas throughout the UK and Ireland, totalling more than 850 screens – and the Quayside cinema is the latest to benefit from upgraded seating.
75 brand-new ‘Ultra Lux’ seats have been installed across seven screens, offering film fans what is, quite literally, the chance to sit in the best seats in the house, as each seat provides the very-best view of the big screen and comes with a host of premium features.
Some of these exciting premium features include extra-wide armrests, a personal table for snacks and drinks, your very-own beverage cooler, and even a back and legs that recline independently.
Fancy making the most of all the January dining deals on offer over these next couple of weeks?
The time has come again for Manchester’s restaurants and bars to slash their prices in a bid to entice customers to keep eating and drinking out all throughout January, and that means hundreds of places are offering up half-price scran, added freebies, or two-for-one offers this month.
There’s loads of offers beyond Manchester city centre too, as suburban gems are getting in on the action in 2026.
So whether you’re looking for a date night for less, an affordable family dinner, or a cheap eat after work with your mates, we’ve got you covered.
Read our massive round-up of January dining deals here.
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Got a sweet tooth? This’ll cure it.
There’s nothing quite like a hot chocolate to warm you up on a chilly winter’s day, but we guarantee you’ve never seen a hot chocolate quite like this anywhere else in Manchester… it’s quite literally, hot chocolate.
Head down to Salvi’s in the Corn Exchange for a proper Italian hot chocolate.
It’s the kind of treat that makes you forget all about New Year’s resolutions (at least for the afternoon anyway, we won’t tell anyone).
You can even pair it with one of their famous cannolis for the ultimate sweet treat combo. We dunked ours straight in, no messing about.
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SIX The Musical
Manchester Palace Theatre
Tuesday 13 – Saturday 17 January
SIX The Musical / Credit: ATG Tickets
SIX The Musical is arriving in Manchester this week.
The crowning glory of Broadway, the West End, and beyond, the international smash hit musical SIX makes its royal return to Manchester following its previous sold-out success, and will be taking to the Palace Theatre stage.
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From Tudor queens to pop princesses, the six wives of Henry VIII take to the mic to tell their tales, remixing five hundred years of historical heartbreak into an 80-minute celebration of 21st century girl power.
Find out more and get your hands on last-minute tickets to a show here.
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LUMINISCENCE
Manchester Cathedral
Wednesday 14 January – 26 March
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LUMINISCENCE Manchester / Credit: Supplied
Manchester Cathedral is set to be lit up with ‘truly stunning’ new 360° walk-through projection show this winter.
Combining 360° video mapping, new orchestral arrangements of iconic songs, and a narrative story celebrating everything that makes Manchester and its residents so special, visitors will be invited to step into a ‘spellbinding fusion’ of light, sound, and storytelling.
LUMINISCENCE is set to pay tribute to Manchester’s rich cultural heritage through specially arranged orchestral renditions of iconic anthems – with the setlist including songs by Oasis, The Verve, Joy Division, and Elbow, just to name a few.
The Matcha Kyoto has found a permanent city centre home.
There’s no denying that this viral matcha spot has gone crazy in Manchester, with pop-ups all over our city, but now, after huge fan demand, they’ve finally opened the doors to their very-own home, and are bringing a little slice of Japan to Lincoln Square.
Step inside their new cafe and you’ll find with traditional Kyoto details, as well as their famous matcha drinks topped with satisfying cream swirls and banana pudding.
They’ve even got a full food menu now, too. Think a range of sandwiches, including egg mayo, teriyaki chicken and black truffle mushroom, and delicious baked treats.
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Could a trip to the theatre could be on the cards this year?
Greater Manchester has firmly earned itself a spot as a place for world-renowned touring theatre productions to make a stop off at.
This beloved industry has now well and truly bounced-back post pandemic – with the region’s three main theatres, Palace Theatre Manchester, Opera House Manchester, and The Lowry, all having welcomed some absolute show-stopping productions in 2025.
Our region’s theatre events calendar is already jam-packed with award-winning musicals, family-friendly plays, inventive dance productions, and so much more in 2026, so we’ve rounded up some of the best shows to see and grab tickets for this year.
If there’s one thing Manchester is known for across the world, it’s music.
Our region is not only a historic musical hub in and of itself, having been the birthplace of so many legendary famous names, but it’s also a major UK stopping point on many global artists’ tour schedules too, thanks to the city’s various sizes of stage and venues.
This means there’s a jam-packed schedule of gigs happening all throughout 2026 – with something for everyone, no matter your taste in music.
Read our picks for 10 of the best gigs happening in Manchester this year here.
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What else is there to look forward to in Greater Manchester in 2026?
Oh, so much. So so much.
The next 12 months are shaping up to be another monumental year for Manchester, with absolutely loads of huge developments, events, and reopenings on the horizon. Expect major global events like the BRITs and The MOBO Awards, huge openings like The Medlock Hotel at the expanded Etihad Stadium, and the relaunch of venues like Manchester’s popular Cat Cafe, and The Spinners Rest (formerly known as The Shamrock).
We’ve rounded up some of the best things to look forward to throughout the year here.
Emily Sergeant -
28th July 2023 
