Always double check opening hours with the venue before making a special visit.
Preston Mela has been taking place since 1997, although the local activists involved have been championing the profile of South Asian culture since the 1970s. Head along for a vibrant celebration of South Asian arts, culture, tradition, and heritage.
Preston’s historic market square hosts many outdoor cultural events throughout the year.
With an array of independent shops and places to eat and drink, including a number of contemporary pubs and bars, you’ll be spoilt for choice.
Hosting a variety of year-round events, from guided walks to jazz evenings, Winckley Square is a Georgian square packed with history in Preston city centre.
Located in the heart of Preston, Avenham and Miller Parks are among the finest examples of traditional Victorian parkland in the North West.
There are few more thrilling things than having a bird of prey swoop in to land on your arm, and seeing these spectacular, elusive creatures up close.
Located in the rural village of Samlesbury on a 35-acre smallholding, Alpaca Fold provides quality accommodation suitable for short and longer stays surrounded by the peace and calm of a rural setting.
Gastro pub The Foundry serves freshly cooked and locally sourced pub fare, alongside a quality drinks selection and a warm atmosphere.
A haven of luxury and serenity in the heart of the Ribble Valley, Everything Retreat is an idyllic spot for an indulgent getaway.
This quality bistro offers fine dining at fabulous prices. One of the leading training restaurants, Scholars Restaurant is run by both industry professionals and fantastic Blackburn College students.
Blackburn’s home of live music, Electric Church Club hosts artists from the whole of the UK.
One of the North West of England’s best known and loved entertainment venues the historic King George’s Hall in Blackburn was built in the classical style from stone quarried at Butler’s Delph in Pleasington.
Dating back to 1865 when it opened as one of four exchange halls in the country, The Exchange is an iconic Blackburn venue
Slow Knife perform a brand new live score for Dario Argento’s iconic giallo as part of Leeds Jazz Festival.
From £11.50
Dance a Céilí with Altogether Otherwise as part of their singing and dancing months in May and June.
Free entry
After 27 years, the groundbreaking nightlife documentary Hang The DJ takes us back to the nineties dance scene.
From £25.00
Hidden gardens, re-wilded viaducts, and endless canals – explore Manchester’s softer side on this guided walking tour.
From £20.00
Enjoy hands-on printmaking activities.
From £5.00
Meg Erridge asks what it means to live without direction in her first solo exhibition ‘Drift’ at Assembly House in Leeds.
Free entry
manchester jazz festival 2025 culminates with a free celebration at Aviva Studios. Expect a triple bill of genre-pushing European jazz artists alongside the best local talent.
Free entry
The bunting’s up to celebrate Chorlton Arts Festival’s 23rd birthday, with the multi-venue event running 16 to 25 May.
Free entry
Gigs are coming in hot this spring – from long-awaited returns to one-off happenings you’ll blink and miss if you're not careful.
The sun is shining in the North, so use our guide to get out there and eat, drink and be merry in it.
From city-wide art festivals to open-air sculptural installations, we have exhibitions from all around the North, both indoors and out.
Eclectic as ever. You'll find inventive reworkings, world-class contemporary dance and Greater Manchester's inaugural Improv Festival in our guide.
With these lighter, brighter days and warmer temperatures, it's really starting to feel like summer here in the North West!
Books, beer and burlesque. Dive into a glorious tangle of joyful happenings.
We've got laughs and we've got leftfield on the live literature radar this month. Something for everyone, from poets playing with form to short story writers looking long.
Read our latest highlights from the live classical music offer in Manchester and the North, taking in a number of the region's most cherished orchestral forces and venues.