The time has finally come to wave goodbye to August – and summer along with it – and welcome September with open arms.
The busiest and most jam-packed month may have been and gone in the blink of an eye, but we still have one more bank holiday to make the most of it and there’s a wide range of events happening in Greater Manchester to get stuck into – from festivals and family-friendly activities, to foodie feasts, immersive experiences, exhibitions, and so much more.
If you’re stuck for choice, we’ve cherry-picked a few of the best bits for another edition of our ‘what’s on‘ guide this week.
Here’s our top picks.
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Manchester Pride Festival 2023
Manchester City Centre
Monday 28 August
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Manchester Pride Festival 2023 / Credit: Manchester Pride
The 2023 Manchester Pride Festival celebrations continue this bank holiday Monday.
Manchester Pride Festival is undoubtedly one of the most colourful, energetic, accepting, and highly-anticipated events in the Manchester social calendar, and 2023 has been absolutely no different so far – with this year’s event having been championing “representation, inclusivity, and community celebration” over the four-day extravaganza.
Find out more about some about the Manchester Pride Festival lineup here, or take a look at some of the family-friendly Pride-themed fringe events happening here.
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Keen to learn about this year’s Pride theme and what it means? Find out more here.
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Bolton Food & Drink Festival 2023
Bolton
Monday 28 August
Bolton Food & Drink Festival 2023 / Credit: BFDF
There’s still one more day 2023’s Bolton Food and Drink Festival to make the most of.
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The award-winning festival is the biggest of its kind in the North West, and has been celebrating 18 years in the town this year by bringing together celebrity and regional chefs, cooking demos, live music, street entertainment, special events, and over 200 market traders all weekend.
On the last day of this internationally-acclaimed event, foodies can roam freely as they explore stalls, bars, two dedicated music stages, and plenty more.
Find out everything you need to know about Bolton Food & Drink Festival 2023 here.
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The Capri Beach Club
Exchange Square
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Monday 28 August
The Capri Beach Club / Credit: The Manc Group
This is your last day to make the most of the pop-up beach club that’s appeared right in the heart of Manchester city centre.
Transporting you straight to the Mediterranean, the Capri Beach Club – which has appeared at Exchange Square outside Selfridges – has been kitted out with cabanas, boardwalks, swing chairs, and even real sand, and it promises to recreate the ambience of a real Capri beach club.
There’s a DJ playing chilled-out beats from the 80s up to the latest chart-toppers, plus resident saxophonist Elliot Slater, who has graced the stages at some of the biggest clubs in Ibiza.
As you lounge back on luxury seating, you can work your way through the summer cocktail list that includes Aperol spritzes, margaritas, bellinis, and espresso martinis, and then grab a bite to eat from the range of street food vendors.
A brand-new exhibition is currently having its world premiere at the Science and Industry Museum in Manchester, and it’s giving families the chance to “dive headfirst into the digestive system” and “travel like a poo”.
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The new blockbuster exhibition, Operation Ouch!, is based on and will see the award-winning CBBC children’s TV series brought to life.
Visitors can expect interactive experiences, amazing objects from the Science Museum Group’s collection, and appearances from world-renowned doctors who will be on hand to guide audiences through this “lively, interactive, and playful adventure to better understand our brilliant bodies”.
This is your last week to head on down to Summer Daze at the Trafford Centre.
Having been running all summer long, but set to be packed away this Sunday, Summer Daze is home to a massive 600sqm beach for sunbathing and sandcastles, and not one but two “thrilling splash parks” with loads of water jets outside the shopping centre.
Not only that, but there’s also a retro funfair with over 20 fairground rides, and you can also take part in crafting workshops and face painting, and catch costume characters, live music, and entertainment.
The Great Frogtastic Invention Trail / Credit: Totally Stockport
Stockport’s beloved giant colourful frog sculptures have returned.
Following the undeniable success of previous art trails in both 2019 and 2021, the Stockport Frogs are back for a brand-new adventure this summer, with 19 multi-coloured amphibians having hopped onto podiums across the town centre.
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This year’s trail is themed all around ‘Frogtastic Inventions’, and will see frog-spotters of all ages get to make their way around the town centre on what’s set to be an “educational, engaging and vibrant” outdoor adventure.
Backyard Cinema and its Miami Beach rooftop experience that’s been transporting people back to the 1980s all summer long is ready to say goodbye to Manchester this week.
The immersive cinema experience had taken over the roof of Depot Mayfield and transformed the industrial space into Miami Beach – using 30 tonnes of sand and signature palm tree cocktails to create the UK’s largest pop-up beach.
This final week sees cinematic parties and screenings of major summer blockbusters, plus sing-alongs and loads more, all with sand between your toes and ultra-comfy seats.
Greater Manchester’s iconic heritage railway is hosting one of the most unique fine dining experiences in the region.
Running every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday right through the summer until September, ELR’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.
The Tour of Britain 2023 – Grand Départ / Credit: Tour of Britain
The Tour of Britain is back for 2023, and this year, the international sporting event will be starting in Altrincham.
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With the Altrincham hosting the start line for the second time the 73-year history of the competition – which is the biggest cycling race in the UK ,and one of the biggest in Europe – the Tour of Britain and its massive crowds will be treated to some proper Manc hospitality this Sunday.
This year's Tour of Britain 🇬🇧 will begin in the award-winning market town of Altrincham on Sunday 3 September.#TourOfBritain 🔴🔵⚪
— Lloyds Tour of Britain (@TourofBritain) July 27, 2023
The peloton will roll out from Market Street, which is close to the famous Altrincham Market right in the heart of the town centre.
Featured Image – Tour of Britain | Manchester Pride | BFDF
What's On
Two nights of Noah Kahan at AO Arena, Manchester – tickets, times, and more for 2026 tour
Lydia Mastrolonardo
Noah Kahan isn’t just gracing Mancunians with his presence once this autumn, we’re lucky enough to host him for two nights of his world tour.
The two-time Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter is heading back to the UK for his biggest tour to date, two years after his last appearance in our city when he played to a packed-out Co-op Live.
Noah Kahan has taken the world by storm in recent years following the release of his acclaimed third album in 2022, Stick Season, which sat in the UK album chart for three years. He has almost 15 billion global streams, sold nearly 12 million albums, and earned 22 Platinum and Gold certifications to date – he’s not doing half bad, is he?
This tour is in support of his fourth studio album, The Great Divide, which is said to build on Kahan’s signature storytelling, encapsulating his thoughts on grappling with success, identity, family, distance, and unspoken truths.
Not only does Kahan provide us with the best music to cry it all out to, he also founded a mental health non-profit, The Busyhead Project, which has raised over $13 million in support of its mission to increase awareness around the importance of mental health.
Without further ado, here’s everything you need to know.
Noah Kahan will be playing at AO Arena next week / Credit: Publicity Picture
Noah Kahan at AO Arena, Manchester
Noah Kahan – The Great Divide UK & Ireland Tour Dates
Thursday 5 Nov – Glasgow, UK – OVO Hydro
Friday 6 Nov – Glasgow, UK – OVO Hydro
Monday 9 Nov – Manchester, UK – AO Arena
Tuesday 10 Nov – Manchester, UK – AO Arena
Friday 13 Nov – London, UK – The O2 Arena
Saturday 14 Nov – London, UK – The O2 Arena
Thursday 19 Nov – Dublin, Ireland – 3Arena
Saturday 21 Nov – Dublin, Ireland – 3Arena
Sunday 22 Nov – Dublin, Ireland – 3Arena
Are there any tickets left?
Sadly, both Manchester dates are now fully sold out, but keep your eyes peeled on any resale sites, as you could still be in with a chance to secure some last-minute tickets.
Click HERE to access these tickets via the Ticketmaster general sale or verified resale.
What are the stage times for Noah Kahan in Manchester?
Doors are set to open at 6pm. However timings for both support act Bella Kay and then Noah Kahan are yet to be announced, though Kahan should be on stage around 8-9:15pm, judging from previous gigs.
Be sure to keep your eyes on their Instagram accounts, as well as the AO Arena website, for further information, as stage times are typically announced on the day of the show.
One thing we know for certain is that the show will finish before 11pm, due to AO Arena‘s curfew.
Who is supporting Noah Kahan at the AO Arena?
For both Manchester dates, Noah Kahan will be supported by Bella Kay.
Bella Kay is a 20 year-old Texas-born singer-songwriter. These dates will be some of the largest performances of her career to date, following the release of her debut album, My Reckless Abandon, back in July.
Similarly to Kahan, her album is an exceptionally honest account of her journey through self-acceptance.
Noah Kahan on stage / Credit: Raph PH (via Flickr)
Expected setlist for The Great Divide Tour 2026
As always, we cannot confirm the exact setlist as everything can depend on the city or differing tracks for multi-night venue runs, but this is an expected The Great Divide Tour setlist:
American Cars
Doors
All My Love
Deny Deny Deny
Staying Still
Haircut
Downfall
She Calls Me Back
Dashboard
Dial Drunk
Willing and Able
Porch Light
Orbiter (Extended)
Pain Is Cold Water
Maine
Paid Time Off
The View Between Villages (Extended)
Northern Attitude
The Great Divide
Orange Juice
New Perspective
End of August
Homesick
Stick Season
Getting to AO Arena
Tram
For those of you heading to AO Arena, luckily, it’s connected to Manchester Victoria Station, and it has an integrated Metrolink stop to make your life even easier.
Head along the pink, light blue or yellow lines directly to the Victoria stop, and you can get off the tram literally spitting distance from the arena. You can find the full map HERE.
Train
Considering this live entertainment venue is situated right in the middle of one of Manchester’s most frequented stations, concertgoers should find no problem getting to the arena, wherever they are.
Bus
A variety of buses cover AO Arena andVictoria Station on their route, such as the 2 bus, which stops just a one-minute walk away from the venue.
A full list of buses and their routes can be found HERE.
Getting there by car and parking
The Arena has its own official CitiPark, with 958 car parking spaces, including 40 Blue Badge parking bays, which can be booked in advance.
Alternatively, anyone attending a gig can park at their nearest train station and jump on a train service or the various Metrolink park and ride facilities.
Walk/cycle
Greater Manchester now also offers the option to hire bikes through the Beryl app, with riders able to locate, unlock, get to their destination and then safely lock up the bike all through an easy-to-use app.
Manchester Christmas Markets 2026 – prices for beer, mulled wine, bratwurst, and more
Emily Sergeant
It’s timeeeeee… Manchester Christmas Markets are officially open for 2026.
Now in their 27th year, Manchester Christmas Markets are known and loved for bringing thousands of people into the city centre each year to fill up on the fantastic festive treats and soak up all the Christmas atmosphere.
This year sees an even bigger return of Albert Square, and there’s also some new locations too for 2026. Lincoln Square has joined in on the action, and there’s also some big changes to St Ann’s Square – with what is being described as a ‘brand new layout’, bringing in a bigger number of market stalls.
There’s a total of 210 stalls spread out across the city centre, but we know there’s one question on everyone’s lips… ‘what’s it gonna cost me?’.
We’ve been running around the markets this morning checking out all the prices on things like beer, mulled wine, bratwurst, and more, so without further ado, here’s everything you need to know.
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Average food and drink prices at Manchester Christmas Markets 2026
Mulled wine – £6.50
Beer – £7
Prosecco – £7
Hot chocolate – £5
Bratwurst – £8
Albert Square
Bratwurst King on Albert SquareThe North Pole pub at Albert Square
Emily Sergeant -
25th August 2023 
