What's On
What's On
Bloomtown – the beautiful blossom walking trail through Manchester city centre Daisy Jackson
Manchester never looks better than it does in the spring, when all the blossom trees burst back to life – and now there’s a walking trail through town that shows off the best bits.
From the iconic purple blooms outside the Central Library to the surprising sprays that pop up in the middle of Ancoats, there are pretty colours appearing all over town.
The National Trust is once again shining a spotlight on Manchester and bringing back its new-and-improved Bloomtown Map.
There are 39 spots all over the city centre (and slightly beyond) included along the route, each one showcasing one of the city’s most picturesque locations.
The digital Bloomtown Map will tell you a little something about each hotspot as you arrive, whether you’re interested in the history of the place or just want to know what particular flower you’re looking at.
This year’s trail again starts up at Castlefield Viaduct, the incredible industrial structure that’s been brought back to life by the National Trust and turned into an urban sky park.
It then weaves through landmarks in the city centre like the Rochdale canal, Parsonage Gardens, and Manchester Cathedral.
And there are five branches of the trail to check out this year too, covering Hulme and South Manchester, East Manchester, Salford and Trafford.
Because this is Manchester, and our weather is famously all over the place, not all of the blossom trees have kicked into action yet (and some of the ones that bloomed early are dropping their petals like confetti already).
But April is usually the best time to see the blossom in full bloom – which makes the Easter weekend perfectly placed to get out for a stroll.
See the full Bloomtown Map below, or click here for the blossom trail around Manchester
All the places on the Bloomtown Map 2024 around Manchester
- Alexandra Park
- Angel Meadow
- Ardwick Green
- Birchfields Park
- Manchester Metropolitan University Birley Orchard
- Blackleach Country Park
- Bridgewater Community Garden
- Castlefield Viaduct
- Clifton Country Park
- Cutting Room Square
- Dukes Drive
- Gartside Gardens
- Hullard Park
- Hulme Community Garden Centre
- Hulme Park
- Manchester Cathedral
- Mayfield Park
- Ordsall Hall
- Parsonage Gardens
- Peel Park
- Philips Park
- Platt Fields Park
- Queens Park
- RHS Bridgewater
- Rochdale Canal Lock 87
- Rochdale Canal Lock 89
- Sackville Gardens
- Sadler’s Yard
- Salford Quays
- Science and Industry Museum
- St George’s Park
- St John’s Gardens
- St Peter’s Square
- Tariff Street
- Thomas Street Pocket Park
- University of Manchester Students’ Union
- Waterside Arts
- Victoria Park
- The Whitworth
- Whitworth Street West
- Wythenshawe Park and Gardens
Pick up a recyclable paper copy of the Bloomtown map at
- Manchester Central Library
- Manchester Art Gallery
- NOMA
- Platt Fields Visitors Centre
- Local parks across Greater Manchester
- Mayfield Park
- Waterside Arts
- RHS Bridgewater
- Hulme Community Garden Centre
- Castlefield Viaduct
- Quarry Bank
- Dunham Massey
- Lyme
Read more
- The prettiest walks in the north west to try this spring
- Beautiful Greater Manchester walks you can get to using public transport
- The Roaches and Lud’s Church: one of the most varied and scenic walks you’ll find near Manchester
Featured image: The Manc Group
What's On
Manchester’s biggest free music festival is back this Easter bank holiday weekend Danny Jones
Sunnier days are well and truly on their way and better still, that means Manchester’s biggest free music festival and one of the best event series on the annual calendar is returning: that’s right, it’s time for Manifest 2024.
Back and bigger than ever, Manifest over at The Oast House in Spinningfelds returns this Easter Sunday and we cannot wait to get soaking in the sun, tunes and good vibes.
The biggest and most popular free music festival you’ll find anywhere in Greater Manchester, Manifest has been going for a few years now and it’s become such a staple of the warmer months here in the city centre that we don’t consider spring/summertime as having even started until it rolls around again.
Set to deliver an all-day line-up of live music with various acts playing from Sunday, 31 March at 1pm onwards and well into the early hours of Monday, 1 April, we can’t think of many better ways to spend the bank holiday.
Taking place on The Oast House’s large outdoor terrace complete with its dedicated stage and the big beer garden providing both coverage and plenty of room for Mancs to turn it into one giant dancefloor, thousands turn up to this series of events every year now.
Kicking off this season’s festivities on Sunday, 31 March, the first Manifest event of 2024 has a packed roster of musicians lined up including bands, solo artists and duos, as well as interludes from their resident and ever-reliable DJs.
Guests can expect not only a vibrant party atmosphere all day and night but tastes of pretty much every genre, from rock, pop and soul to R&B, funk, disco and blues.
Again, part of the reason this music festival series has become so popular is that it’s completely free, with space inside the venue dished out on a first-come, first-served basis. There were plenty of queues at every single date last year, so we recommend getting there early. Seriously, it packs out quickly.
You’ll have everything you need to keep you sorted throughout the day when it comes to food and drink too, by the way.
The Oast House’s street food-style menu will also be on offer for those looking to line their stomachs during the festivities.
We’re talking katsu chicken fries, Northern poutine with bone marrow gravy and Shorrock’s Lancashire cheese, chicken or plant-based gyros, stacked burgers, hot wings and hanging kebabs. We’ve tried it all and trust us, some seriously good scran this.
Here’s how it went last time around:
Read more:
- Hollywood actor Jeffrey Wright waxes lyrical about his love of Manchester music
- Northern Music Awards 2024 announces full shortlist – with huge honour for Tim Burgess
- Meg Thee Stallion announces massive Manc gig on Hot Girl Summer Tour – how to get tickets
Festivalgoers can also keep cool with plenty of cold pints and house-made cocktails, including twists on the classics such as Watermelon Margaritas, Passionfruit Coladas and Pink Gin Punch. Phwoar.
The best part is, even if you’re already busy this weekend (obviously, scrap your plans and come here), you’ll have plenty more opportunity to enjoy Manifest this year with the free music festival returning every bank holiday weekend throughout the spring and summer.
There’s also set to be an extra few Saturday Manifest dates this year which are still yet to be confirmed but we’ll keep you posted as and when we know more – see you there, Manchester!
And to keep track of the other latest music news going on here in Manchester, keep your eyes peeled over on The Manc Audio.
For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.
Featured Images — Supplied/The Manc Eats