What's On
This champagne afternoon tea for two in Chorlton only costs £26
The Manc -
13th January 2020
The Manc -
13th January 2020 What's On
The best things to do in Greater Manchester this week | 4 – 10 August 2025
Emily Sergeant
August has arrived, and so has the summer.
Schools across Greater Manchester are now out for the summer holidays, and that means the fun is just getting started, so there’s plenty happening this week to celebrate – from festivals, and themed events, to new foodie openings, family fun, and loads more.
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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The Cat That Slept for a Thousand Years
Manchester Museum
Monday 4 August – onwards
You can step into the fantastical imaginary world of The Cat That Slept for a Thousand Years this summer.
This world-premiere exhibition, created in collaboration with robotics studio Air Giants, invites you to experience a playful blend of education, theatre, and dreamscape – and it’s unlike anything you’ve ever seen at Manchester Museum before.
Once you’ve met the 10-meter long sleepy cat, you’ll then find a series of fun, free, cat-inspired activities at the Museum throughout the summer, including an augmented reality trail.
Find out more here.
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Summer of Senses
Science and Industry Museum
Monday 4 – 31 August
The Science and Industry Museum has got a spectacular summer holiday programme packed with all sorts of things to be getting up to, making it one of the best places to escape the hustle and bustle with your little ones in the city centre this summer.
At the heart of it all, you can explore the world of senses inspired by the museum’s latest exhibition, Operation Ouch! Brains, Bogies and You.
With events running up until 31 August, whether it’s disco dancing around a giant brain, unveiling the science behind optical illusions, or journeying through a giant ear canal, there’s something for everyone during the museum’s ‘sense-sational’ summer.
Find out more here.
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Loads To Do
Greater Manchester
Monday 4 August – onwards
Thousands of free activities have been planned by Manchester City Council ready for local families to take part in this summer.
A many parents, carers, and guardians will likely be looking for ways to keep the kids entertained for six whole weeks before the new term starts, the Council has relaunched its popular Holiday Activity and Food programme (HAF) to help keep little Mancs active during the summer break.
From arts and crafts, to sporting events and plenty other physical activities, there is a whole host of entertaining things for everyone to get involved with, no matter your budget, making sure no one gets bored over the holidays.
Find out everything happening here.
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Screen on the Square
New Jackson
Monday 4 August – onwards
A free open-air cinema has arrived Manchester city centre for the summer.
With a backdrop of the modern Manchester skyline, Screen on The Square the go-to hangout for Mancs this summer, as audiences can recline in deck chairs surrounded by one of the city’s best views, and watch everything from classic and family films, to music, sporting events, and so much more.
It’s launched down at New Jackson – Renaker’s world-class skyscraper district and thriving new neighbourhood that’s taken shape at the southern side of Manchester city centre.
Find out what’s being screened this week here.
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Stories – Brought To Life
MediaCityUK
Monday 4 – 31 August
A major new National Portrait Gallery exhibition has arrived in Salford.
The ground-breaking new experience by FRAMELESS Creative has opened at MediaCity, bringing some of the world’s most famous portraits to life like never before.
Stories – Brought to Life will explore the fascinating lives of these figures, who have shaped the UK’s history and culture all the way since the Tudor period, and will combine the highest quality digital projection, Hollywood-style visual effects, and the latest audio technology, along with specially created musical scores and creative narratives to shine a new light on each individual.
Visitors will be able to step inside iconic portraits including Grayson Perry, Nelson Mandela, Malala Yousafzai, Emmeline Pankhurst, Queen Elizabeth I, and William Shakespeare.
Find out more here.
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Music for the Senses
Manchester City Centre
Monday 4 – 31 August
An all-new multi-sensory art exhibition has taken over the streets of the city centre this summer.
The new exhibition, which is titled Music for the Senses: an art arrangement for a musical city, is a collaboration between global art producer Wild in Art – the creators of the famous Bee in the City project – and Manchester City Council.
It’ll be running across the city centre until the end of August, and there’ll be more than 80 artworks, murals, mosaics, and installations to see.
Check out the full lineup here.
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Afterglow
Chester Zoo
Monday 4 – Sunday 17 August
Chester Zoo’s much-loved Afterglow event is back this summer, and organisers say it’ll be ‘bigger and better’ than ever.
Returning to the UK’s biggest charity zoo by popular demand, Afterglow is already known and loved for offering visitors the rare opportunity to explore the zoo and its 37,000 animals after hours… and this time around, there will be ‘even more’ surprises to discover.
Animal lovers will get the unique chance to encounter some of the world’s most endangered species during golden hour – which, for many animals, is one of their most active periods.
Find out more and see if there’s last-minute tickets here.
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Summer Fair 2025
Trafford Centre
Monday 4 – 31 August
A beach, splash park, fairground rides, and loads more family fun has returned to the Trafford Centre for the summer.
After proving to be massively-popular over the past couple of years, with thousands of families travelling from across Greater Manchester and beyond to bask in the sunshine and make the most of all the fun and games, the Trafford Centre has welcomed back its Summer Fair for 2025.
And this year, the beloved event has got itself a new family activity zone, and it sounds set to be bigger and better than ever.
The best bit? Tickets will only set you back just £3 each.
Find out more here.
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SmileyWorld® Art Trail
Stockport
Monday 4 August – onwards
Stockport has transformed into a playful outdoor gallery this summer as a colourful new art trail has taken over the town.
Visitors should get ready to explore a full spectrum of emotions this summer, as the SmileyWorld® Art Trail is making its North West debut and taking over the town centre with a colourful collection of quirky, fun, and exciting sculptures, each reimagined by a different artist to reflect the full range of human emotions including joy, pride, surprise, anxiety, and lots more.
The trail is created by trailblazing global arts producer, Wild in Art, in partnership with Totally Stockport BID and SmileyWorld.
Everything you need to know is here.
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The Great Summer Social 2025
Cheshire Oaks
Monday 4 August – onwards
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 entertainment 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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Kargo on the Docks
MediaCityUK
Tuesday 5 August – onwards
Kargo on the Docks is back for the summer.
MediaCity’s al fresco dining pop-up has taken over the waterfront and gardens once again 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.
A handful of Greater Manchester’s most popular independents have set themselves up Quayside inside those signature re-imagined shipping containers.
Foodies can expect a menu packed with bold new flavours including Caribbean, Lebanese, Mexican, Ethiopian, and Pan-Asian dishes.
Find out more here.
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NEW OPENING – Sephora
Manchester Arndale
Sephora’s so nice, Manchester got it twice.
It really wasn’t that long ago that cult-favourite beauty retailer Sephora opened its doors in the Trafford Centre, but now the city centre’s getting in on the action too, as after the first site proved so successful, a brand-new Manchester Arndale store has just opened, and she’s stunning.
Packed with all things skincare and beauty, there exclusive-to-Sephora brands in store, like Haus Labs by Lady Gaga, Rare Beauty, and many more.
That’s not all either, as you can also get beauty treatments in store too, and those minis we can literally never walk past without grabbing a few.
Find out more here.
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NEW OPENING – Oop Stay Art Cafe
Chinatown
A brand-new art cafe has opened up in Manchester where you can make your own phone case, paint a masterpiece, or craft an adorable Moru doll.
At Oop Stay Art Cafe in Chinatown, it’s all about switching off from the outside world and getting a little bit crafty, with seriously cute charms, patches and paints to play with.
Whether you’re building a phone case covered in miniature food charms or a claw clip plastered in flowers, you can do it with a matcha or an iced coffee – and leave with an adorable creation and a caffeine buzz.
There’s even a ‘messy room’ where you can whack on a rain coat and fling paint around to your heart’s content.
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NEW OPENING – The Faraday
Northern Quarter
As if the Northern Quarter wasn’t already one of the go-to spots for a pint in Manchester, a new pub has now opened its doors.
This is The Faraday, everyone say hello.
Set just off Stevenson Square, this brand-new boozer has a traditional-style pub upstairs and a haven of gaming downstairs, so think pints, performances, and pool – plus a banging happy hour and electric darts.
Find out more here.
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NEW OPENING – Dave’s Hot Chicken
Printworks
Say Drake, we hear that new chicken shop you’ve backed is opening in Manchester very soon.
That’s right – Drake-backed chicken brand, Dave’s Hot Chicken, is already known and loved across the pond, but now it’s arriving in Manchester and is setting up shop inside the Printworks in the heart of the city centre.
Once the Manchester location opens its doors, you can expect signature LA-style hot chicken with a full menu of seven heat levels.
Dave’s Hot Chicken in Manchester opens this month.
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Featured Image – The Manc Group | Artem Kniaz
What's On
Britain’s beloved Bongo’s Bingo is coming to Kendal Calling for the very first time
Danny Jones
One of the UK’s biggest, silliest and best nights out, the almighty Bongo’s Bingo is making its festival debut at Kendal Calling 2025.
The crazy, comedy-driven mix of traditional bingo, dance-offs, rave intervals, crowd participation and all manner of shenanigans began over a decade ago, and has genuinely grown into a cultural phenomenon.
Be it a random weeknight or peak Friday-Saturday pint time, Bongo’s Bingo venues all over the country pack out with people ready to make a fool out of themselves in hopes of winning random prizes – even the completely pointless ones.
In case you’ve never seen it for yourselves before, here’s a little glimpse at the standard and frankly chronic level of chaos:
Sorry, why would you go to normal bingo when you can go to one where drinks and dancing are compulsory, and you can leave not just a life-sized Gary Barlow cut-out but even a Henry Hoover all in the same night?
Personally, we’ve been going to Bongo’s Bingo since pre-pandemic, as we’re sure lots of you also have; it’s now in over 50 locations, having recently tested the waters across the pond in the US, and they’re only planning to expand further this year.
Come 2026, we’re betting on them going well and truly global.
Founded by Jonny Lacey (a.k.a. ‘Jonny Bongo’ himself) and Joshua Burke back in April 2015, fast forward to the present day, and you’ll find a soul who hasn’t at least heard of the ridiculous bingo-themed party, if not experienced the madness for themselves.
With Kendal Calling promising plenty of other live entertainment and activities that quite literally cater to just about everyone, we think it’s the perfect place to make some noise and leave a mark, not to mention create another Northern stronghold.
Lowther Deer Park isn’t the only festival location on their list either: Bongo’s is also set to make a splash at BeatMasters Festival in Norwich and Oxford this summer. Speaking ahead of the festival debut, host Jimmy Sweets said, “Bongo’s Bingo is ready for Kendal Calling.
“We’re bringing the magic and mayhem for a special festival set this weekend, packed with bangers, classics, and hands-in-the-air madness as the UK’s most talked about night out comes to Cumbria.
“There’s nowhere else like Bongo’s Bingo to be immersed in pure escapism and nostalgia – this is going to be wild. Myself and Rich Furness are DJing back to back both nights, so come and get involved this Saturday and Sunday at The Soapbox. We can’t wait to see everyone.”
Bongo’s Bingo will be taking place this Saturday and Sunday, 2-3 August, from 11pm until gone half past midnight at The Soapbox tent. You can read our full Kendal Calling 2025 festival guide HERE, and we’ll see you in the fields – or at the very least in the bingo hall.
Read more:
- Cult favourite clothing brand Clints has dropped the lineup for the first-ever music festival
- Oasis are clearly doing something deliberate for the as-yet-unconfirmed Live ’25 reunion album
- Beat-Herder Festival 2025 – a magical weekend of music, madness, miniature worlds and more
For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.
Featured Images — Supplied (via Bongo’s Bingo/Albert Hall)
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