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Everything happening for Manchester Day 2024 – sports sessions, vintage fairground, flash mobs, and more

Your go-to guide for "the day summer officially starts" in our city.

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 24th July 2024

Manchester Day is back for 2024 this weekend, and the city centre is set to become the “biggest ever playground” to celebrate.

Fancy putting your sporting talents to the test? Riding some vintage fairground rides? Watching some street theatre? Or being entertained by a flash mob? Well, now that schools are officially out across the region, and the summer holidays are well and truly here, the massively-popular Manchester Day is making a return once again this weekend, and as always, it’s set to be “the day summer officially starts” in the city centre.

Gearing up to be a massive celebration of “all things Mancunian”, the theme of this year’s annual event is ‘Let The Games Begin’.

It’s inspired by the international summer of sport, just 2024 Olympics kicks off over in Paris.

The day will be packed full of free events and activities for all the family to get involved with.

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But what exactly can you expect from 2024’s Manchester Day? Where is all the action happening? What show-stopping entertainment is on the cards? What activities can you hope to get stuck into? And how about food and drink?

Here’s everything you need to know.

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When is Manchester Day 2024?

If you’re ready to start your summer off in style, then this year’s Manchester Day is happening on Saturday 27 July.

As it has done in previous years, Manchester City Council is working with outdoor arts specialists Walk the Plank on a jam-packed programme that promises something for everyone, and the city’s streets and squares will be filled with music, dancing, and interactive activities designed to “bring out the inner athlete” in visitors, both young and old.

Manchester Day is back for 2024 to celebrate the international summer of sport / Credit: Manchester City Council

Where is Manchester Day taking place this year?

Following the resounding success of last year’s ‘promenade-style’ event that saw activities take place in a number of different locations, the Council has revealed that this year’s Manchester Day will also take over the whole city centre.

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With a wide range of festivities set to kick-off from midday and run right through until 6pm, attractions will be dotted in main social hubs such as Deansgate, Piccadilly Gardens, St Peter’s Square, Market Street, and more.

Exchange Square, St Ann’s Square, Cathedral Gardens, and New Cathedral Street are a handful of other places where plenty of action will pop up.

The one-day festival will take over the whole city centre this Saturday / Credit: Manchester City Council

What’s on this year’s entertainment lineup? What FREE activities are there to take part in?

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.

The streets will also be filled with big screens showing sports, flash mobs, a vintage fairground with loads of retro rides, street theatre performances, and even a Capri-style beach club.

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 too.

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There’s loads of FREE interactive events and activities to get involved with / Credit: Manchester City Council

Football, cricket, netball, and taekwondo being just a few of the sports you can try out.

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 things like cheekiest grin, best Dad dancer, and more.

What is the Council saying?

Councillor Pat Karney, who is the Chair of Manchester Day, said this year’s event is pretty “sensational” in terms of what’s lined up.

“We’ve pulled out all the stops to make Manchester’s favourite day of the year a medal-winning Manchester Day to remember,” Cllr Karney added. “We’re all-in, going for gold with a fantastic programme jam-packed full of free things to see and to do, and enough different have-a-go activities to bring out the inner athlete in everyone.

“We can’t wait to see everyone there, so come on down and show us what you’re made of.”

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Manchester Day 2024: Let The Games Begin! will take over the city centre on Saturday 27 July from 12pm-6pm.

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Find out more on the Manchester City Council website.

Featured Image – Manchester City Council

What's On

Manchester Art Fair is back this autumn with more than 170 exhibitors all under one roof

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

One of the UK’s largest art fairs is returning to Manchester this autumn, and will be bringing more than 170 exhibitors together under one roof.

Manchester Art Fair has gone from strength to strength since it first began back in 2008.

Not only one of the UK’s largest but also one of the most significant art fairs, and by far one of the most celebrated cultural events in Greater Manchester‘s social calendar, the annual event is known and loved for bringing together more than 170 individual artists, galleries, and artist-led spaces to our city centre – with around 13,000 visitors attending each year.

Designed for the collector, the curator, and those who are just simply curious, the event will feature lots of new and returning galleries and artists, all of whom will be showing new works. 

Manchester Art Fair is making a grand return to the city centre next month / Credit: Manchester Art Fair

For three days only this November, Manchester Central will transform into the North’s biggest art gallery, where art enthusiasts can connect directly with galleries and artists and find that perfect piece to take home.

The full exhibitor list for 2025 has now been published online.

Manchester Craft & Design Centre, and Linton 59 Gallery are among the galleries making an appearance at the event in November, each showcasing works by an eclectic mix of UK and international artists, while Alec Cummings and Zoe Anker are just a couple of the stand-out names on the long list of individual artists who’ll be exhibiting.

And if all of that wasn’t exciting enough as it is, this year’s event also features an extended programme of high-profile talks, immersive experiences, and workshops too.

More than 170 exhibitors will all gather together under one roof / Credit: Manchester Art Fair

Manchester Art Fair 2025 will first open at Manchester Central with an exclusive preview night on Friday 21 November from 5-9pm, before it then continues on Saturday 22 and Sunday 23 November, with advance tickets now on sale.

Tickets are priced at £12 for a day ticket, £15 for a two-day ticket, or £25 for a preview night ticket, including access throughout the weekend, all with booking fees applying.

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Advanced tickets are now live, and you can get your hands on them from the Manchester Art Fair website here.

Featured Image – Manchester Art Fair

What's On

GRUB is throwing a big three-day closing party full of ‘food, booze, music, and memories’

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant Beloved Manchester street food venue Grub shares major update on its future

GRUB is set to bid farewell to Red Bank this week with one almighty closing weekend party.

After five unforgettable years at Red Bank, GRUB, one of Manchester‘s original and best-loved street food markets and social hubs, is set to say goodbye in the best way it knows how – with a three-day blowout of food, booze, music, and memories this week.

You many remember earlier this year that it was announced GRUB will ‘cease to exist’ in its current form this autumn, as the building they have occupied for the last five years, on Red Bank in the Green Quarter, will be undergoing redevelopment.

The much-loved venue confirmed that it will be going back to its roots and ‘returning to the street’ as a travelling food festival filled with street food chefs, pop-up bars and ‘unbeatable vibes’.

But before then, it’s time to say goodbye to the beloved Green Quarter venue first.

Grub will 'cease to exist' at its current home in Red Bank
GRUB is throwing a big three-day closing party full of ‘food, booze, music, and memories’ / Credit: The Manc Group

From this Thursday (25 September) through to Saturday 27 September, GRUB regulars are invited to come together for one final massive send-off packed with 2-for-1 cocktails, shooters and tacos, a non-stop 72-hour Happy Hour, and GRUB’s resident DJs going back-to-back as the cellar is drunk dry.

This Thursday will be the final ever ‘Fizzy Quizzy’ event, so expect huge prizes, free-flowing fizz deals and the chance to win parts of the bar – literally.

Then Friday is a night of GRUB resident DJs going back-to-back until late, before the closing weekend peaks on Saturday with prices so low, you might think GRUB has lost the plot.

“Everything must go, and it is going out with a bang,” GRUB said in a statement.

While this may be the end of Red Bank, it’s not the end of GRUB, as in the meantime, GRUB fan favourites like Sip & Paint and Baby Mosh will live on just down the road at sister venue, Fairfield Social Club.

“Red Bank has been our home for over half a decade, and we’ve loved every minute of it – the community, the traders, the parties, the memories,” explained Jason Bailey, who is the co-founder of GRUB.

“But it’s time for something new.

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“We’re so excited for this closing weekend, which will be a proper knees-up in true GRUB fashion, and even more excited to show you what’s next.

“Manchester, we promise it’s going to be special.”

Featured Image – The Manc Group

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