The best things to do in Greater Manchester this week | 26 August – 1 September 2024
August is drawing to a close this week.
But we’ve still got bank holiday Monday and the last of the summer to make the most of before it’s too late… and thankfully, there’s a wide range of exciting events and activities in Greater Manchester‘s social calendar happening this week before the little Mancs go back to school, and normality resumes.
If you’re finding it a bit tricky to pick what to do though, we’ve chosen a few of the best bits for another edition of our ‘what’s on‘ guide.
Here’s some of our recommendations.
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Manchester Pride Festival 2024
Manchester City Centre
Monday 26 August
August isn’t the only thing drawing to a close, so is Pride weekend.
Undoubtedly one of the most colourful, energetic, accepting, and highly-anticipated events in the Manchester social calendar every year, Manchester Pride Festival has returned with a bang this August bank holiday weekend, and there’s still one day left to immerse yourself in and amongst all the celebrations.
Co-created in collaboration with the North West’s diverse queer communities, this year’s lineup champions “representation, inclusivity, and community celebration” over the four-day extravaganza.
Find out more about Manchester Pride Festival 2024 here, and learn about this year’s Pride theme and what it means here.
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Bolton Food & Drink Festival 2024
Bolton
Monday 26 August
There’s also still one day left of Bolton Food and Drink Festival.
The award-winning festival is the biggest of its kind in the North West, and over these past couple of days, it has successfully brought together celebrity and regional chefs, cooking demos, live music, street entertainment, special events, and over 200 market traders.
Hosted right across the town centre, foodies can roam freely as they explore food stalls, bars, dedicated music stages, and plenty more at the free-to-attend festival.
Find out everything you need to know about Bolton Food & Drink Festival 2024 here.
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Jurassic World: The Exhibition
Trafford Centre
Monday 26 August – onwards
A major Jurassic World exhibition that’s been mesmerising visitors all over the world has now arrived here in Greater Manchester for the summer.
Based on the beloved blockbuster film franchise, this official award-winning experience is one of the fastest-selling exhibitions in history.
Manc visitors will be able to walk through the iconic Jurassic World gates, explore some richly-themed environments, and encounter a life-sized Brachiosaurus, Velociraptors, and the most fearsome dinosaur of all, the mighty Tyrannosaurus Rex.
Find out more and grab ticket here.
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Did you know that the Science and Industry Museum is giving you chance to explore ‘ideas that chance the world’ this summer?
Science and Industry Museum
Monday 26 August – onwards
Keen to keep the kids both entertained and educated now that schools across Greater Manchester are out for summer?
With a couple of weeks of the school holidays still left to make the most of, and many parents, carers and guardians understandably starting to run out of ideas, the Science and Industry Museum is inviting locals down to experience the best of its jam-packed events lineup packed full of exciting exhibitions, hands-on activities, and so much more.
And the best part is, the majority of the programme is free to get involved with.
Find out everything happening here.
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Manchester City Summer Stadium Tour
Etihad Stadium
Monday 26 August – Sunday 1 September
Fancy a tour around the Etihad? Summer couldn’t be a more ideal time to head on over there.
Voted not just in the top five stadium experiences in the UK but the 99th percentile of all reviewed Tripadvisor’s global experiences, Man City’s tours of their home ground and the wider Etihad Campus are literally some of the most highly-rated on the planet.
In fact, the club was actually awarded the Tripadvisor ‘Travellers’ Choice Best of the Best’ award in the category for the second time in three years.
Find out what makes these tours so special and book on one here.
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Summer Scran Fest
Manchester Arndale
Monday 26 August – Sunday 1 September
Manchester Arndale’s Summer Scran Fest is back for 2024, and there’s loads of tasty food and drink offers to make the most of.
Running for a whole month until Sunday 1 September, there’s discounts on over 40 of the city centre shopping hub’s fan-favourite food and drink restaurants, cafes, and kiosks – including Tortilla, Pizzaluxe, Millie’s Cookies, Lazy Sundae, Boost, and Krispy Kreme – and you can tuck into everything from burgers and bagels, to doughnuts, smoothies, and so much more.
Pick up a voucher booklet from the stands located around the centre, or claim an offer in-store on your mobile.
Find out more here.
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Bright Lights, Big Fun!
Trafford Centre
Monday 26 August – Sunday 1 September
The Trafford Centre’s massively-popular summer celebration is back, and this is your last week to make the most of it.
Back by popular demand for plenty of family fun, only this time with a new name, Bright Lights, Big Fun has seen a retro fairground and a massive 600sqm beach perfect for sunbathing and sandcastles pop up outside the Greater Manchester shopping centre, alongside a splash park with loads of water jets, and so much more.
There’s also a yummy selection of food and drink traders on site to take your pick from if you’re feeling peckish after getting stuck into some fun and games.
Find out more and get yourself some £2.50 tickets here.
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The Great Summer Social
Cheshire Oaks
Monday 26 August – Sunday 1 September
Cheshire Oaks has brought its popular The Great Summer Social event back for another year, and there’s currently loads to get involved with while schools are out.
Not only is there a bunch of retail offers and promotions to make the most of, as well as free family-friendly interactive activities to get involved with too, but there’s also a big wheel, a mini golf course, a big screen showing sporting events, DJs blasting out tunes, and a wide variety of street food and drink vendors across the Designer Outlet.
Find out more here.
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Did you see that Manchester’s LEGOLAND Discovery Centre has launched half-price kids tickets over the summer holidays?
As the rising cost of living crisis unfortunately continues to make its impact felt across the UK, the popular Trafford Palazzo attraction wants local families to “say yes to real fun”, and is on a mission to help parents, carers, and guardians entertain their little ones as schools are out, all while keeping pennies in their pockets.
In a bid to make “money go further” and “memories last longer”, the family-friendly venue has slashed the price of a children’s general admission ticket from the usual £21.50 right down to just £10.75.
Find out more here.
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Wild
Manchester Museum
Monday 26 August – onwards
A groundbreaking new immersive exhibition exploring our relationship with the natural world is now open at Manchester Museum.
‘Wild’ look at how people are creating, rebuilding, and repairing connections with nature, and how the natural world has traditionally been presented and idealised through Western art, as well as looking at some unique approaches to environmental recovery too.
The exhibition will also crucially look at how we can tackle the climate and biodiversity crisis by making the world more wild.
Find out more and grab your FREE tickets here.
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Injecting Hope: The race for a COVID-19 vaccine
Science and Industry Museum
Monday 26 August – onwards
More than 100 objects and stories collected during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic are now on display as part of a new exhibition at the Science and Industry Museum.
The groundbreaking new exhibition, titled Injecting Hope: The race for a COVID-19 vaccine, explores the worldwide effort to develop vaccines at pandemic speed, while uncovering the inspiring stories of scientists and innovators around the globe who collaborated to tackle the worldwide COVID-19 challenge along the way.
The best bit? It’s absolutely FREE to attend, and advanced tickets are available to book on the Museum’s website now.
Find out more and book tickets here.
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50 Years of the Replica Shirt
National Football Museum
Monday 16 August – onwards
A new exhibition telling the story of the football shirt pioneers, Admiral, is now open at the National Football Museum.
50 Years of the Replica Shirt will take visitors right through the Admiral’s history, from their humble beginnings in a Leicestershire textile town, to the official kit manufacturers for the England national team – with key moments in the company’s timeline highlighted through a range of objects, photographs, and kit designs.
Find out more about the new exhibition here.
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Kargo on the Docks
MediaCity
Tuesday 27 August – onwards
One of Greater Manchester’s best-loved outdoor dining concepts has returned for 2024, and there’s a proper tasty lineup of traders.
‘Kargo on the Docks’ – which is MediaCity‘s al fresco dining pop-up, in place of the former Box On The Docks – has had itself a bit of a “glow up” and has taken over the waterfront and gardens with a fresh wave of local food traders and stunning artwork by Salford-based creatives, all as the sun shines down on Salford Quays this summer.
Find out more and see who’s pitched up here.
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Did you see that the UK’s biggest social dog walking club has now launched in Manchester?
Dedicated to “bringing the UK’s dog lovers together”, Walkie Dogs has officially launched nationwide, and is already turning the popular Park Run concept into its very-own series of its very-own “bark runs”, with group walks will taking place up and down the country each week.
The first events in Manchester are happening over at Alexandra Park.
As part of the scheme, Walkie Dogs members will not only be able to embrace the outdoors and immerse themselves into the dog walking community, but they’ll also gain access to a variety of dog-friendly perks – including the ability to book onto weekly dog walks, and bespoke discounts on a range of products like dog staycations.
Find out more here.
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Red Rose Diner
East Lancashire Railway
Friday 30 August – onwards
Greater Manchester’s iconic heritage railway is hosting one of the most unique fine dining experiences in the region this summer.
Running on selected Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays throughout the summer, East Lancashire Railway’s ‘Red Rose Diners’ are described as being “the ultimate first class foodie experience”, as they start with a glass of fizz and stretch over an almost three-hour steam train journey through the Irwell Valley.
The experience includes a four-course dinner with complimentary sparkling wine, followed by tea or coffee and after-dinner chocolates.
Find out more and book here.
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Manchester Psych Fest 2024
Manchester City Centre
Saturday 31 August
Manchester Psych Fest is back for one day only this Saturday.
2024’s edition of the UK’s leading Psychedelic multi-venue music and arts festival is returning to Manchester this weekend, and is bringing dozens of exciting artists to several stages across the city – including Albert Hall, O2 Ritz, Projects Skatepark, The Union at Man Met, Gorilla, YES, The Bread Shed, and Deaf Institute.
BC Camplight, Altin Gün, Baxter Dury, The Horrors, and Pigs x7 are all headlining, with loads of other big-name and upcoming artists on the lineup.
Find out more and grab last-minute tickets here.
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Manchester 100 Bike Ride
Wythenshawe Park
Sunday 1 September
Fancy hopping on your bike? The Manchester 100 Bike Ride is back this Sunday
Geared towards the more experienced cyclist, and starting and finishing in Wythenshawe Park, the Manchester 100km is a “worry-free day out” which will take you on a picturesque journey through winding country lanes in the beautiful Cheshire countryside.
There’ll be mechanics, pick-up vehicles, marshals, and refreshment stops along the signed route, and cyclists will return to a warm welcome and a medal at the end.
Find out more and book your place on the ride here.
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Featured Image – LEGOLAND | BFDF | Bike Events