Autumn

Creative Tourist

Looking for things to do in Autumn in Manchester and the North? From new exhibitions and live music to great food, drink and everything in between, if you’re after something interesting to do, look no further.

Our top picks

Liverpool Biennial 2025 – BEDROCK

Liverpool Biennial 2023, 7 June–14 September 2025, free entry - Find Out More

If there’s one thing you do this autumn, we strongly recommend you hop on a train and make your way over to the 10th edition of the ever-popular Liverpool Biennial – ‘Beautiful world, where are you?’ – a city-wide festival of new and exciting contemporary art from around the world.

A grid of pink and cream waves laid on top of an orange gradient background. The text beneath the grid reads 'BEDROCK'  alongside the LB2025 dates
LB2025 Visual Identity by Salt And Sister Studio

Manchester Literature Festival 2025

Manchester Literature Festival at Contact Theatre, Manchester and online, 1 May–16 July 2025, from £8.00 - Book now

Manchester Literature Festival presents inspiring live literature and spoken word from international writers and home-grown talent. MLF18 runs from 6 to 21 October at venues around the city, presenting 80-odd events including brand-new special commissions.

Robert Macfarlane. Photo courtesy MLF
Robert Macfarlane. Photo courtesy MLF
Image by Jonathan Schofield.
Spotlight on

Walking Tours in Manchester by Jonathan Schofield

Presenting the best walking tours in Manchester for history buffs, culture enthusiasts, and those looking to scratch beneath the surface of the city.

Take me there

Culture Guides

Theatre in Manchester and the North
Theatre in the North

Dynamic dance, party-performance, high-energy stand-up and a site-specific show set in a pub. All this and more in our newest theatre guide.

Okechukwu Nzelu
Literature Events in the North

If it's inspiring, inclusive events and avant-garde, experimental afternoons you're after, look no further than live literature this spring – we've got you covered.

A woman sits in a car with hands holding the steering wheel.
Cinema in the North

Vintage Alfred Hitchcock and a family friendly film festival are amongst our highlights this May.

Sextile
Music in the North

Open air clubs, new festivals and long-awaited gigs. The North West's live music scene is heating up this spring. 

Laura Ellen Bacon, Into Being, 2025. Photo © India Hobson, courtesy Yorkshire Sculpture Park
Exhibitions in the North

Willow weaving, textile collages, digital arts and ecology - all this and more in our exhibition top picks this month

Image by Jonathan Schofield.
Tours and Activities in the North

We've got many a good time in store this month as we round up the best walking tours, cultural classes and makers markets in the land.