The best things to do in Greater Manchester this week | 27 May – 2 June 2024
It’s time to say goodbye to May, and welcome June with open arms.
Throughout the month of May so far, the Greater Manchester social calendar has featured the likes of foodie festivals, cultural celebrations, wholesome spring-themed events, and so much more… and thankfully, there’s loads more where that came from this week – especially as schools across the region are out for half term.
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 Flower Festival 2024
Manchester City Centre
Monday 27 May
Manchester has become one of the most picturesque places in the UK this bank holiday weekend.
That’s because the city has got all dressed up in celebration of the annual Flower Festival, which is back by popular demand for its seventh year, and it means that plants and flowers are covering landmark buildings, shop windows, doorways, balconies, statues, fountains, and more for as far as the eye can see.
There’s also a ‘Manchester Icons’ floral trail, and visitors can see 10 glorious displays inspired by Manchester-born figures, music icons, and even legendary buildings created by local artists, gardeners, and flower enthusiasts.
Find out more about everything happening at this year’s Manchester Flower Festival here.
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Vintage 1940s Weekend
East Lancashire Railway
Monday 27 May
Fancy stepping back in time? The Greater Manchester public invited to “dig out your gladrags” and head on down to East Lancashire Railway (ELR) to round-off the bank holiday weekend, as an ‘immersive’ 1940s-themed weekend is back by popular demand.
The Vintage 1940s Weekend has been an absolute hit in previous years, and has always been one of the heritage railway’s most popular events.
You can expect an exciting programme of live music all throughout the three-day weekend, as well as food, fashion, and memorabilia of the 1940s being brought to life.
Find out more here.
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Brilliant Bodies Month & Half Term Events
Science and Industry Museum
Monday 27 – Friday 31 May
Fancy diving into the “gloriously gross” world of our brilliant bodies?
With schools across Greater Manchester breaking up for half term at the end of this month, and parents and carers gearing up to entertain the little ones, the Science and Industry Museum has a wide range of events and activities planned especially for the holidays.
The city’s most-visited museum is promising visitors a May half term “full of family fun” inspired by its world-first exhibition Operation Ouch! Food, Poo and You.
Find out more about what’s on at the Science and Industry Museum this half term, and the rest of the month here.
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The Manchester College ‘Greater Mancunians’ Exhibition
Manchester Central Library
Monday 27 May – onwards
Photography students from The Manchester College are now showcasing their ‘Greater Mancunians’ project as part of a landmark exhibition at Manchester Central Library’s Main Exhibition Hall.
150 students have participated in the groundbreaking photography project, and it features images of some of Manchester’s most famous and influential people shot at numerous locations across the city.
More than 100 contributors are featured in the project, including musicians Noel Gallagher and Johnny Marr, athletes Diane Modahl and Ricky Hatton, local politicians Andy Burnham, Angela Rayner, and Bev Craig, actors Maxine Peake and Bill Roache, artists Stan Chow and AKSE P-19, and other local figures like Jonathan Warburton, Simon Martin, and Professor Erinma Bell MBE.
Find out more here.
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NEW OPENING – Summer Town
Diecast
Monday 27 May – onwards
Have you seen that Diecast has just launched its huge outdoor beer garden for the summer?
‘Summer Town’ is billed as being the biggest summer garden party space, with room for 800 revellers to make the most of the sunshine over the next few months.
Diecast’s famous daiquiris are dominating at Leno Ex Machina’s central bar, with up 49 flavour combinations pouring from their gigantic Bacardi Frozen Daiquiri machines, while at the centre of the garden is the brand-new ‘Barbecue Kitchen’, where you can took into burgers, chargrilled hanger steaks, hot dogs, kebabs, and chef’s specials while the sun shines.
Find out more here.
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Disney’s Aladdin
Palace Theatre Manchester
Monday 27 May – 7 July
The magic carpet has officially landed, as Disney’s smash-hit musical Aladdin is now here in Manchester for the summer.
Based on the beloved 1992 animated film of the same name, and following several critically-acclaimed and sold-out runs on both Broadway and in London’s West End since it first debuted back in 2011, the Tony and Olivier Award-nominated production has taken to the stage down at Manchester’s iconic Palace Theatre.
The musical features all the timeless songs we know and love from the film, and people are already describing it as a seriously magical show.
Find out more and grab last-minute tickets here.
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Manchester Green Spaces Trail
Manchester & Salford
Monday 27 May – onwards
Workers and visitors are being invited to discover some stunning outdoor spaces across Manchester city centre and beyond this summer.
Keen to get out and about on foot? Manchester has launched Manchester Green Spaces Trail – a brand-new walking trail celebrating the best green, blue, and outdoor areas the cities of Manchester and Salford have to offer.
Created in collaboration with Manchester tour guide, Jonathan Schofield, the walking trail is free to do and accessible via a downloadable map, and it features 16 garden and water spaces.
Find out more here.
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Did you see that Chester Zoo has been named the best zoo in the UK for 2024?
Everyone in and around Greater Manchester and the North West is already familiar with just how brilliant the UK’s biggest charity zoo is and all the work it contributes towards conservation and protecting endangered species all across the world.
But now, it’s got itself a respectable new title to prove it, and it’s all thanks to tens of thousands of positive TripAdvisor reviews.
The world’s biggest travel guidance platform has named Chester Zoo as the best-rated zoo to visit in the UK this year, with more than 11,000 ‘Excellent’ ratings.
Read more here.
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Tales of Manchester 2.0
Kimpton Clocktower Hotel
Monday 20 – Thursday 31 May
This week is your last chance to visit a brand-new art FREE exhibition curated by visual artist Emma Evans in partnership with six other creators.
Tales of Manchester 2.0 down at Kimpton Clocktower Hotel is a collection of multi-platform art celebrating our brilliant city, and it’s showcasing six spoken word pieces by established Manchester based poets – Griot Gabriel, Ilaria Passeri, Lisa O’Hare, Mark Jackson aka Keith’s Brother, Matt Concannon aka The Thirsty Poet, and Sarah Attwell.
The spoken word is paired with visual pieces painted by self-taught artist Emma Evans, where the words have served as inspiration for the art.
Find out more here.
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Half Term in Bloom
Trafford Palazzo
Monday 27 – Friday 31 May
Trafford Palazzo is hosting loads of gardening-themed events to entertain the little Mancs this half term.
To celebrate National Children’s Gardening Week, Trafford Palazzo has partnered with We Are Mud to curate a lineup of “blooming fun” bactivities that will inspire the whole family to get growing, and encourage little green fingers to get stuck in.
And the best bit? It’s all absolutely FREE to get involved in.
Find out more here.
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Fizzy Quizzy
GRUB
Wednesday 29 May
Fizzy Quizzy is GRUB’s weekly quiz event where, put simply, “the fizz meets the quiz”.
Each week, the popular Green Quarter-based street food fair and social hub’s in-house quizmaster crafts a mind-blowingly original quiz featuring six topical and light-hearted rounds, and it’s even been hailed as the best brain-tickler in Manchester.
Tickets are now on sale, so you know what to do if you’re looking to put your knowledge to the test – and there’s loads of prizes up for grabs too.
Find out more and grab tickets here.
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Festival Oldham 2024
Oldham
Saturday 1 June
Oldham’s outdoor arts festival celebrating culture and community is back this Saturday to mark the 175th anniversary of the town.
Held annually in the town’s centre, this exciting family-friendly festival will showcase the very best local, regional, and national street theatre, music, dance, and visual arts across a variety of spaces, and visitors on the day will have a choice of over 50 performances and activities to make the most of and get stuck into.
It’s all FREE to attend too, so if you are looking for something to do with the kids that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg, this is a great half term plan.
Find out more here.
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Featured Image – Manchester Flower Festival | Annapurna Mellor | Science Museum Group