Things to do in Manchester and the North

Unmissable things to do in Manchester and the North

Discover fantastic things to do in Manchester and the North – from cinema, concerts, art exhibitions and theatre to outdoor family events and sizzling spoken word.

Our top picks

Families 1 October 2016, FREE

Fun Palaces at Contact

Get down to Contact this Saturday as it is transformed into a family friendly creative paradise. Fly a virtual kite in spectacular settings across the world, DJ, dance and draw on the windows.

Theatre 28 September 2016–8 October 2016, from £10.00

The Emperor

Master of transformation Kathryn Hunter brings to life an extraordinary fable of corruption, avarice and the collapse of absolute power.

Exhibitions 7 October 2016–24 June 2017,

Humanities in Public Festival

The annual Humanities in Public Festival enjoys a strong reputation for its city-wide programme of events – and over 7,000 regular attendees.

Exhibitions 16 September 2016–3 September 2017, FREE

Tracey Emin and William Blake in Focus

An exhibition focusing on the work of Tracey Emin and William Blake to reveal surprising links between the two artists.

Cinema 12 October 2016–23 October 2016, from £7.00

Design City Film Season

The team behind DM16 celebrate design in cinema with a terrific short season of films each introduced by an industry expert.

Theatre 27 September 2016–2 October 2016, from £12.00

Akram Khan’s Giselle

in Khan we’ve got a real master of the craft. Pair him up with the immaculate dancers of the English National Ballet and it is hard to see what could go wrong

Lemn Sissay at the 8th Black and Asian Writers Conference

Literature 8 October 2016, from £7.00

Lemn Sissay at Contact

Join poet, author and MBE Lemn Sissay as he closes this year’s Black & Asian Writers Conference.

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Literature 14 October 2016–16 October 2016, from £4.00

The Lakes International Comic Art Festival 2016

Aimed at both fans and creators of comic art, young and old, the Lakes International Comic Art Festival is the only one of its kind in the UK and, for a fourth year, takes over the Cumbrian town of Kendal for a weekend.

Families 22 October 2016–31 October 2016, from £16.00

The Enchantment of Chester Zoo

A major new outdoor arts spectacular for one week only this autumn is set to reveal the incredible natural super powers of some of the Zoo’s mysterious and endangered nocturnal animals.

philosphers-scone-image-credit-museum-of-science-and-industry

Families 24 October 2016, from £12.00

The Philosopher’s Scone: magic tricks at Harvey Nicks

Enter the world of Harry Potter and experience a family afternoon tea like with Roger Highfield, author of The Science of Harry Potter: How Magic Really Works followed by a screening of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.