A beach, splash park, fairground rides, and loads more family fun is returning to the Trafford Centre this 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 is getting ready to welcome back ‘the much-anticipated event of the summer’ in a couple of weeks time.
And this year, the beloved family 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.
A huge fairground, splash park, and beach are returning to Trafford Centre for the summer / Credit: Trafford Centre
Set to open from Saturday 19 July, and run right the way through until the end of August, the family-friendly event will see a massive beach ready for sunbathing and sandcastles pop up outside the shopping centre, alongside a splash park with lots of water jets perfect for cooling you off.
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From building sandcastles at the giant beach, to cooling off at the children’s splash park, there’s something for everyone.
Adrenaline junkies both young and old will also get to enjoy retro fairground rides, including ‘Star Flyer’, ‘Sea Storm’, while the event’s in town, as well a giant inflatable area, and loads more.
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New for 2025 is the Summer Activity Zone – an undercover tent area complete with free, hands-on crafting activities designed especially for kids.
Each week brings a new theme packed with imagination, colour, and fun, no matter whether it’s rain or shine, so if your little Mancs love painting, baking, building, or experimenting, then you’ll want to take them here to inspire their young minds.
There’s also a wide range of tasty treats available too, including burgers and hotdogs, and for those with a sweet tooth, Cheshire ice cream, Belgian waffles, chocolate covered fruit and marshmallows, and churros.
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Trafford Centre’s Summer Fair is popping up outside The Orient, opposite The Great Hall entrance, from Saturday 19 July right through until 31 August, and will be open every day from 12-8pm.
Tickets are now on sale – with pre-booking ‘recommended to avoid disappointment’ – and will set you back just £3 per person if booked in advance (includes booking fee) and £3.50 on the gate, while ride tokens must be purchased separately for £1.
Featured Image – Trafford Centre
Things To Do
Salford Pride’s popular Pink Picnic returns this summer with ‘iconic’ headliners
Emily Sergeant
Boney M, The Cheeky Girls, and Ru Paul’s Drag Race UK stars are all on the lineup at Salford Pride’s popular Pink Picnic this summer.
As this summer marks 15 years of Pride in Salford, Salford Pride has announced a whole host of exciting events to celebrate – including the return of The Pink Picnic, its biggest family-friendly celebration yet, with headliners like 90s and 00s music icons, community talent, and even a ‘bigger and bolder’ Youth Zone for 2026.
Returning to Peel Park once again, The Pink Picnic brings together LGBTQ+ community, allies, families and friends for a day built around community, joy, and belonging.
For 2026, Salford Pride is expanding the experience further with even more to do across the park than ever before.
The Pink Picnic has been part of Salford’s Pride story since 2011, but this year’s 15th anniversary addition is set to be one for the history books, as alongside a headline lineup featuring Boney M, RuPaul’s Drag Race UK’s Kyran Thrax and Paige Three, The Cheeky Girls, Big Brovaz, Booty Luv, and Baby D, a strong programme of community acts will also be spotlighted.
Some of the exceptional community acts already named on the lineup so far include Tallulah Guard, Fear of Marko, and John Tucker.
Across the day, visitors can also shop from dozens of community stalls and market traders, take part in or watch the much-loved annual dog show, and visit the ‘bigger and bolder’ Youth Zone that’s designed to help young people feel seen and celebrated.
“Celebrating 15 years of Pride in Salford feels really special, and we wanted 2026 to feel like a proper thank you to the community that’s built this with us” said Scott Turzański, who is the Head of Marketing and Brand at Salford Pride.
“The Pink Picnic is a family event – it’s welcoming, it’s joyful, and it’s about making space for everyone.”
The Pink Picnic returns to Peel Park in Salford next month on Saturday 13 June, and you can find out more and book tickets online here.
Featured Image – Salford Pride (via Facebook)
Things To Do
Manchester’s Science and Industry Museum unveils programme of FREE family fun for half term
Emily Sergeant
Little Mancs can climb aboard a miniature train and set off on a journey of discovery at the Science and Industry Museum this half term.
As schools across Greater Manchester break up for half term at the end of this week, and parents and carers gear up to entertain the little ones, the Science and Industry Museum has, thankfully, just announced a wide range of events and activities especially for the holidays – with many activities free to get involved in.
The popular cultural hub in the heart of Manchester city centre is promising visitors a May half term full of hands-on experiences designed to spark curiosity, creativity, and imagination.
The main event, which is kicking off this weekend (Saturday 23 May), invites families to ‘explore the playful side of power’.
From climbing aboard a miniature steam railway and taking part in interactive engineering sessions, to seeing steam-powered traction engines, live demonstrations, and performances inspired by the sounds of industrial Manchester, visitors will be transported back in time to play the role of passenger.
Almost 200 years ago, this was the site of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway – the world’s first inter-city passenger railway – and May half term will bring this story to life again, as families take a ride around part of the museum’s newly reopened outside space.
Hosted by Little British Rail, rides are priced at £4 (with those under one-year-old going free) and can be booked in advance by visiting the museum’s website here.
The Science and Industry Museum has unveiled its programme of free family fun for the half term / Credit: Science Museum Group
Expert Explainers will be on-hand throughout the half term hosting Curiosity Stops, so you can discover how water becomes steam, see what powers a piston, and explore how our bodies mirror the mechanics of machines.
The final weekend of the holiday (5-7 June) will also see members of Urmston & District Model Engineering Society steaming onto site with its early 20th century Fowler Showman’s traction engine and Foden steam wagon.
Elsewhere at the museum over the half term, you can take a look around the historic Power Hall: The Andrew Law Gallery, which has recently reopened to the public, and you can take part in interactive workshops with Manchester-based percussion group, Drumroots – giving visitors the chance to experiment with rhythm, movement, and music inspired by the sounds of historic steam engines.
And, of course, half term is the perfect chance to go on out-of-this-world adventure across the Solar System and visit the new Horrible Science: Cosmic Chaos exhibition, if you haven’t already. Or visit the ultimate gaming experience, Power Up, instead during its extended holiday opening hours.
For the full programme of daily events throughout half term, and to book tickets for difference experiences in advance, head to the Science and Industry Museum website here.
Emily Sergeant -
10th July 2025 
