May is here and our next opportunity for freedom is on the horizon.
With ‘Step Two’ in the government’s roadmap to lifting England’s current national lockdown having already commenced from 12th April, and ‘Step Three’ – which crucially allows up to 30 people from different households to gather outdoors, hospitality to open indoors, indoor entertainment venues to reopen, indoor group sports / exercise classes to commence and more – set to be introduced from 17th May, pending official review, normality has been returning to Greater Manchester week on week.
And there’s plenty to be getting up to.
If you’re stuck for something to do, then this is your go-to guide for what’s on and what’s happening in the city of Manchester and beyond this week.
Some of the events we’re going to mention here are completely free, others will set you back a few pounds and most will need to be booked in advance, but all are COVID-secure in order to keep you as safe as possible:
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Whatever you fancy doing though, there’s certainly no shortage of choice in our region, so here’s some of the things you can get stuck into:
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World of Music Choir
Band On The Wall (Virtual)
Tuesday 4th May
World Of Music Choir
Think you’ve got a good singing voice? Love to sing regardless?
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Organised in Greater Manchester by the city’s iconic music venue, Band On The Wall, but happening every Tuesday at 6pm virtually all across the UK, World of Music Choir invites you to join award-winning folk singer Bella Hardy and the fantastic guest leaders for a workshop of song learning and harmony.
Workshop participants sing traditional and modern songs, three-part harmonies and rounds, all learned by ear, so you don’t have to be able to read music to take part.
The main aim is to enjoy yourself – there’s nothing scary, and no judgements are made.
Keen to learn the history of the iconic Manchester Guardian newspaper on its 200th anniversary?
The Manchester Guardian, now The Guardian, was first published on Saturday 5th May 1821, and this tour – led by notable Manchester tour guide, Jonathan Schofield – tells the story of how it came into being amid the turmoil following the Peterloo Massacre of 1819, and will also reveal the story of the city and the paper as both grew to international importance.
The tour will look at the extraordinary characters, and the weird and wonderful stories from The Manchester Guardian that give primary source to so many years of Manchester life.
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Tickets for each 90+ minute tour will set you back £15 and must be booked in advance here.
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Music Matters
Contact Theatre MCR
Thursday 6th May
Contact MCR
Contact – the city’s much-loved “fiercely northern theatre with an international outlook” – is set to welcome five up and coming musicians from Manchester for a 90-minute panel discussion via Zoom centred on a range of issues and talking points within the music industry that they are passionate about.
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This live discussion will also feature performances from each of the artists involved.
Although the event is free, advanced booking is required and you will receive a link to watch the live event via email.
To celebrate the reopening of one of the city’s most iconic and historic venues, the Grade II-listed Victoria Baths will be hosting a Creative Makers Fair designed specifically to give some much-needed support to independent makers and businesses after a challenging 12 months and as lockdown begins to lift.
Ideas for the home, textiles, art, gifts and jewellery will be just some of the products being showcased by businesses from the North West.
You can find more information, COVID-safety procedures, and book tickets here.
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Manchester Cheese Crawl
Central Manchester
Saturday 8th May
Geograph / Ian S | Northern Soul Grilled Cheese
The Manchester Cheese Crawl will take you around some of the cheesiest spots the city has to offer for two hours of non-stop cheese-related fun, including everything from blue cheese tasting, to cheese quizzes, competitions and more.
Starting off in St Ann’s Square, the tour wanders across the city and gives you the chance to try the finest cheeses Manchester has to offer along the way.
With tours taking place this Saturday 8th May, and happening every Saturday until 25th September, tickets cost just £25 each and include cheese samples, optional bread and crackers, and some red wine to complement.
Nestled among the backstreets of Manchester and tucked into the courtyard of an old, red-brick historic mill, Ancoats Pop Up Market is a COVID-safe weekly-run market event which has teamed up with MUD (Manchester Urban Diggers) to supply the neighbourhood with a wealthy selection of fresh, organic and locally-grown fruit and veg, as well as dry goods, all throughout May.
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The market also features Manchester-based stallholders serving speciality coffee, locally-brewed rum liquors, locally-sourced bakes and crafts, and more.
Street food and freshly-brewed coffee is also available while you browse.
Named as “Manchester’s best secondhand book sale”, the Elizabeth Gaskell’s House secondhand book sale is a popular favourite for book lovers.
From 11am – 4pm, with new stock every month, there’ll be two rooms packed full of secondhand books of all genres, including a wide variety of contemporary fiction, art, gardening, photography, classics, OS maps, biographies, history, cookery, social history and children’s.
Prices start from £1 for a paperback.
A number of social distancing measures will be in place, the wearing of face masks is mandatory, and all visitors browsing will be asked to use hand sanitiser before they touch the books.
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Pre-booking is essential due to limited numbers, and you can register here.
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Secret City
EventCity
Monday 3rd – Sunday 8th May
Park N Party
Manchester’s newest event space is back and it’s better than ever.
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Cinemas and entertainment complexes may currently still be closed, but reopening is on the horizon.
If you’re far too eager to wait until mid-May though, Park N Party – the team that delivered both the sell-out successes of ScareCity and ChristmasCity, and a number of other outdoor live events throughout 2020 – has launched SecretCity, and there’s a whole host of immersive drive-in entertainment events happening this week.
There’s screenings of cinema classics such as The Greatest Showman, Bohemian Rhapsody, Superbad, Pineapple Express, Mulan, and more all on show throughout the week.
Tickets must be booked in advance, and you can grab yours from £35 per car here.
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Totally Roarsome
Mottram Hall
Monday 3rd – Sunday 8th May
Totally Roarsome
Named by many as being one of the safest attractions for all the family in Greater Manchester, Totally Roarsome took the region by storm last summer after it opened to the public following the initial lifting of coronavirus (COVID-19) lockdown restrictions in mid-2020, with visitors flocking from far and wide.
Now at the new location of Mottram Hall, just over the border into Cheshire, Totally Roarsome features everything from dinosaurs, jungle animals and Arctic creatures, to superheroes, pirates and cartoon characters.
Tickets are priced at £7.95 per ticket (+ £1.50 booking fee, per transaction), and must be booked in advance online from the Totally Roarsome Facebook page.
This is to manage and restrict the number of visitors / families being allowed around the attraction at any one at a time, with five minutes between slots, to allow for necessary COVID-safety precautions and social distancing measures to be upheld.
You can find out more information, and book your tickets here.
The OT Art Trail – which has been organised by OT Creative Space and is funded by Arts Council England – sees a number of local artists work together with members of the Manchester community to create six individual large scale murals which have been painted onto walls and building gable ends around the area, including in Seymour Park and Ayres Road.
The new murals have added to murals and artwork already seen around Old Trafford.
The several new street art sites will be linked together via a downloadable audio tour, which is suitable for people of all ages.
Each mural centres around the theme ‘community togetherness and diversity’.
You can find more information on The OT Art Trail via the OT creative SPACE website here.
What's On
The best things to do in Greater Manchester this week | 4 – 10 May 2026
Emily Sergeant
It’s our first full week of May, and we can practically see summer on the horizon now.
With a new month getting underway, there’s obviously loads of events and activities to be getting up to across Greater Manchester this week, especially as we’re starting this week off with our first bank holiday of the month too.
Finding it a bit tricky to pick what to do though? No worries. We’ve chosen a few of the highlights for another edition of our ‘what’s on‘ guide.
Both free things and those that’ll set you back a few pennies are featured.
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Celebrate National Space Day this bank holiday
Science and Industry Museum
Monday 4 May
National Space Day 2026 / Credit: Drew Forsyth (Science Museum Group)
You can celebrate National Space Day with a bunch of free ‘out of this world’ activities this bank holiday.
Ever wondered what astronauts eat in orbit? How they use the loo in zero gravity? Or why crumbs are bad news on the International Space Station? Well, to celebrate National Space Day, you’ll now get to discover the answers to those questions and so much more down at the Science and Industry Museum this bank holiday.
The programme of free events are set to accompany the museum’s latest special exhibition, Horrible Science: Cosmic Chaos and will give visitors more ways to explore the ‘wonders and weirdness’ of space.
Blossom and Bloomtown 2026 / Credit: The Manc Group
The blossoms are blooming everywhere you look, and the National Trust’s popular Bloomtown programme full of trails and events is back once again so you can appreciate them in all their glory.
From ornamental magnolias in gardens to hawthorn scattered across the countryside, each spring, the most beautiful blossom covers the UK in swathes of pink and white, and you really don’t have to go far to experience the beauty of this season either, as there’s plenty of blossom to discover right on our doorstep in Greater Manchester.
Whether you’re walking through the city centre on your way to work, enjoying a spot of lunch in the park, or going on a little local adventure with your family, Bloomtown has something for everyone.
Find out more about all the events happening here.
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LUMINISCENCE
Manchester Cathedral
Monday 4 May – 5 June
Luminiscence / Credit: Supplied
Did you see that the spectacular 360° immersive experience that’s currently lighting up Manchester Cathedral has extended its run in our city?
That’s right – due to ‘overwhelming demand’ and following a roster of impressive reviews since making its UK debut earlier this year, LUMINISCENCE has now extended its run at Manchester Cathedral until the early summer.
LUMINISCENCE combines 360° video mapping, new orchestral arrangements of iconic songs, and a narrative story celebrating everything that makes Manchester and its residents so special.
Visitors are invited to step into a ‘spellbinding fusion’ of light, sound, and storytelling. Find out more and get tickets here.
Trof is entering a new era… and we think it’s looking pretty special.
The Northern Quarter institution has officially reopened its doors as The Trof – a space for pints and roasts (as always), but also refined British dining.
The team behind Stow are in charge of the kitchens and the bar, so suddenly this boozy favourite has become one of town’s most exciting food destinations.
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Did you know there’s an adorable open farm in Bolton where you can meet and hold baby bunnies, lambs, chicks, AND more?
This is Smithills Open Farm, and it’s one of the most wholesome family days out you’ll find this spring.
Here on this picturesque family-run farm nestled within 70-acres of countryside, you can feed the sheep and llamas, ride a tractor to visit the donkeys, or even head into the barn to see the cows, horses, and piglets.
Plus, they host ‘Pets Corner’ sessions throughout the day too, where you can meet and hold many different baby animals (including the softest little goats and chicks we ever did see.)
They even have a farm shop and ice creamery where you can buy local honey and other goods to take home with you.
Find out more about the farm and plan your trip here.
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Or what about that Chester Zoo has been named the UK’s best zoo for the third year in a row?
Chester Zoo has been named the UK’s best zoo for 2026 / Credit: Chester Zoo
That’s right – the UK’s biggest charity zoo has officially been named the best zoo in the country by TripAdvisor reviews, with the zoo having claimed a record 11,666 ‘excellent’ ratings for the first time too, making it even more of a cause for celebration.
Not only has the zoo’s strong focus on conservation and unforgettable visitor experiences made it the best in our country, but this has also earned it a place among Europe’s elite.
Chester Zoo’s CEO, Jamie Christon, says he is ‘over the moon’ with the zoo’s new title.
Sure, we know this isn’t exactly the type of ‘event’ we usually include in these round-up articles, but how could we not draw attention to the fact that, after eight long years, Albert Square has finally reopened to the public?
This means that you can now walk – heck, even run, skip, and jump if you’d like – your way through the big, clean open space outside the Town Hall.
Of course, we just had to go and check it out for ourselves👇
Just like we do every month, we’ve rounded up some of the best things we got to eat in April, so if you’re on the hunt for somewhere new to eat in May, then we’ve absolutely got you covered as there’s plenty of places across the city region.
It’s been another jam-packed month of insanely delicious eats, and we’ve been lucky to have a bunch of new openings too.
Featured Image – The Manc Group | Drew Forsyth(Science Museum Group)
What's On
Latest wave of ‘Evening 4’ Ricky Hatton lineup in memory of the legendary Manc boxer announced
Danny Jones
Manchester is set to host a night of remembrance and celebration in honour of the late, great, local boxer, Ricky Hatton, and now a superb second wave of names has been added to AO Arena’s lineup.
Coming this summer, the legendary Manchester arena – where Hatton enjoyed so many of his iconic moments – will be holding the first-ever ‘Evening4Ricky’ later this year.
Held at the legendary sports and live entertainment venue just in time for summer, we still only know bits and pieces about what’s in store, but a whole host of familiar Manc faces, famous British names, and figures from the world of sport have now been announced.
Sharing the news on social media, AO Arena said: “Join us for an unforgettable night of entertainment as Manchester comes together for Evening4Ricky.
“This will be a spectacular, unique celebration of the life, spirit and legacy of one of the city’s most beloved icons – Ricky ‘The Hitman’ Hatton.”
With seats priced at £25, fans are being encouraged to join the early bird sign-up to secure access to discounted tickets.
As you can see, now confirmed for the evening are the likes of Man United legend, Paul Scholes, darts icon Phil ‘The Power’ Taylor, as well as fellow former boxers like Frank Bruno, Tony Bellew and more.
Local band, The K’s, were already confirmed as part of the in-person performances, but now the likes of Manc grime artists Bugzy Malone, fellow UK rapper Tinie Tempah, and The Lottery Winners are joining in, too, alongside loads more live music and entertainment set to be revealed in the coming weeks.
They go on to add: “Hosted at the legendary AO Arena, home to so many of Ricky’s big fights, featuring a superstar cast of legends from the worlds of boxing, music, comedy and entertainment.”
So, we do at least know there’ll be some famous faces coming along to help make it a memorable Manc moment, just a few months on from the city and beyond uniting for his public funeral procession.
Ricky was beloved not only by the Greater Manchester community but was a popular figure and friend to many in the sporting and showbiz industries.
The homegrown ‘Pride of Hyde‘ tragically left us on 14 September 2025 at the age of just 46, but his passing has once again helped reassert the importance of having more conversations around wellbeing, suicide prevention, and most specifically, men’s mental health.
You can find more information and see how to grab tickets right HERE.
This isn’t the only charitable in memoriam event happening across the region in the coming weeks, either, as Mancs will be gathering to pay tribute to another fellow inspiring sportsman.
Emily Sergeant -
30th April 2021 
