University of Manchester Community Festival 2021

University of Manchester Community Festival, online, 18–20 June 2021, free entry - Visit now

The University of Manchester’s free Community Festival is always a sure bet for a great day out.  A top-notch combination of discovery, ideas, knowledge … and fun. For 2021 the University has taken all of the fun online for a brilliantly accessible digital edition of the Festival.

In many fields such as science, medicine and the arts, the University’s progressive principles have led to world-changing discovery and are integral to Manchester’s history as the birthplace of new ideas.

With some great activities for all the family, this annual festival offers a chance to peek behind the scenes, and find out more about some of the University’s pioneering research. This year, the University has joined forces with Manchester Museum, the Whitworth and the John Rylands Library to create an exciting weekend of digital events. So whatever your age, whether you’re interested in science or art, want to get hands-on, or just share some fascinating stories, there’s something for everyone.

This year you can join some of the University’s scientists for a virtual demonstration as they investigate chocolate. Chocoholics can find out more about the internal structure of the delicious confectionery while also creating ‘hydrogels’, fascinating materials that can be placed into your body to help prevent damage and even delay the ageing process.

Continue the intrigue around health and medicine with Sights, Sounds and Stories: Manchester’s Medical Histories where the whole family can delve into the wonderful world of eye and ear medicine.

Exercise your creative brains, using art tools you can find at home, to create new and exciting inventions. Drawing inspiration from the Whitworth’s collection, ‘Art for Inventions’ is a great opportunity for young inventors to explore objects from our history and the development of future technologies.

A top-notch combination of discovery, ideas, knowledge … and fun.

Take part in a community mapping session and make a difference to the lives of thousands of people who are suffering from limb loss. Join this online workshop to help map the way for prosthetic and orthopaedic surgeons to reach those in need of healthcare and prosthetic limbs in Northern Uganda.

Movers and shakers of any age and ability can join Manchester Museum Dance Practitioner and Culture Champion Hazel Roy for a ‘Let’s Dance’ taster session. Meanwhile, ‘PLAY Live’ offers special play sessions for the under 5s and also sensory play sessions for babies and their grown-ups.

Wildlife lovers of all ages should head for the ‘Frogs and Friends’ sessions. Join Manchester Museums Live Animals team for a virtual visit to Manchester Museum’s Vivarium and get all your frog questions answered.

Find out more about the Chinese Dragon Boat Festival. Join poet Qu Yuan for a lively session exploring the legends behind some of the most celebrated Chinese festivals.

We love that, through such interactive discovery, kids and adults of all ages can explore the world-leading research of England’s first civic university on their own terms. Progressive indeed.