What's On
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 -
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.
This time next week, Manchester Day comes to town 😍
— Manchester City Council (@ManCityCouncil) July 20, 2024
Expect swooping performances and have-a-go games from the likes of:
🥁 Music from Jubacana
🎤 Music from @BridgewaterHall
👾 Actual Reality Arcade
🤗 Look Mum, No Hands! @DarylAndCo
🦖 Dinotopia#ManchesterDay pic.twitter.com/ZPXILU7D0b
The day will be packed full of free events and activities for all the family to get involved with.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Manchester Day is almost here, so we headed to Cobden Works for a sneak peek of the action with @patkarney @walktheplank @MCRActive 👀
— Manchester City Council (@ManCityCouncil) July 23, 2024
Join us for a day of free activities in the city centre this Saturday 27 July. 🥊👾🎾#ManchesterDay pic.twitter.com/r4KIV8w5TU
“We can’t wait to see everyone there, so come on down and show us what you’re made of.”
Manchester Day 2024: Let The Games Begin! will take over the city centre on Saturday 27 July from 12pm-6pm.
Read more:
- City centre to become ‘biggest ever’ playground for this year’s Manchester Day
- World’s biggest street dance battle to host UK grand final in Manchester
- Manchester to host FREE official Olympics fanzone with big screen this summer
Find out more on the Manchester City Council website.
Featured Image – Manchester City Council
