Family things to do in Manchester and the North

Shekina Rose, Families Editor

The sun is shining, the weather is sweet and it’s really starting to feel like summer in the north of England. Of course we know the score – the rain could pour at any moment, so we’ve gathered some of the top indoor and outdoor events and activities taking place in Manchester and the North for families and young people.

Throughout summer, animal lovers will enjoy a trip to Chester Zoo in a whole new light. Catch up with all your favourite animals and find out what they really get up to in the dark at Into the Night.

For families that love poo – yes that’s you! – journey through the digestive system and enjoy some seriously stinky science at the brand-new exhibition, Operation Ouch! Food, Poo and You at the Science and Industry Museum, starting July.

Also in July, a less smelly, definitely cuter kind of ‘poo’, Winnie the Pooh, is on his way to the Manchester Opera House. Expect awe-inspiring life-sized puppetry, colourful and imaginative sets and live music that you can’t help but hum along to!

Follow the yellow brick road to Leeds in a brand-new, outdoor adaptation of The Wizard of Oz at Harewood House, taking place on Saturday 22 July, and Manchester Day returns with a re-vamp, in a brand-new, ‘dusk-til-dawn’ format, featuring live music, delicious food and drink, pop-up performances, immersive activities, art installations, crafts and market stalls at the end of July.

More summer highlights include The Snail and the Whale at The Lowry and Starchitects at HOME Manchester. Manchester International Festival returns with family events including Each Tiny Drop at the banks of the River Medlock and Noah’s Flood at Factory International.  In early June, curious minds of all ages can enjoy a treasure trove of learning and fun at The University of Manchester’s Community Festival. We can’t wait for the horrific but hilarious Barmy Britainat Stockport Plaza and the tantalisingly tasty Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – The Musical, coming to treat us all at The Palace Theatre.

Our top picks

Into the Night at Chester Zoo

Into the Night at Chester Zoo at Chester Zoo, Chester, 24 June–29 July 2023, from £10.00 - Book now

Experience a trip to Chester Zoo in a whole new light. Catch up with all your favourite animals and find out what they really get up to in the dark.

Into The Night at Chester Zoo
Chester Zoo

Summer Open Day at Instituto Cervantes

Summer Open Day at Instituto Cervantes Manchester, Deansgate, 1 July 2023, free entry - Find Out More

Fancy a taste of Spain without stepping foot out of Manchester? Round up the family and head down to Cervantes Institute for their Summer Open Day.

Summer Open Day at Instituto Cervantes
Image courtesy of Kike Garpe.

Explore@RNCM

Explore@RNCM at Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM), Manchester, 2 July 2023, from £0.00 - Book now

Explore@RNCM sees the College throw open its doors to the local community for a fun-packed day of music events and activities including much family fun.

RNCM

Operation Ouch! Food, Poo and You

Operation Ouch! Food, Poo and You at Science and Industry Museum, Castlefield, 21 July 2023–2 June 2024, from £9.00 - Book now

Dive into the digestive system and enjoy some seriously stinky science at the Science and Industry Museum’s brand-new exhibition, Operation Ouch! Food, Poo and You, starting July.

Operation Ouch! Food, Poo and You
Science and Industry Museum

Winnie The Pooh at the Manchester Opera House

Winnie The Pooh at Palace Theatre, Manchester, 24–27 July 2023, from £17.50 - Book now

Winnie the Pooh is coming to visit. Enjoy spectacular life-sized puppetry, imaginative sets and live music!

Winnie the Pooh at Manchester Opera House
via ATG Tickets

Wizard of Oz at Harewood House

Wizard of Oz at Harewood House at Harewood House, Leeds, 22 July 2023, from £14.00 - Book now

Follow the yellow brick road to Leeds and experience a brand-new, outdoor adaptation of a much-loved classic, The Wizard of Oz.

Immersion Theatre

The University of Manchester Community Festival 2023

The University of Manchester Community Festival, 10 June 2023, free entry - Find Out More

Curious minds of all ages can enjoy this treasure trove of learning and fun at The University of Manchester this June.

The University of Manchester Community Festival 2023
Image courtesy of The University of Manchester.

Manchester Festival of Nature at Heaton Park

Manchester Festival of Nature at Heaton Park, Manchester, 25 June 2023, free entry - Find Out More

The Manchester Festival of Nature returns to Heaton Park this June, with outdoor activities and adventures for nature-loving families.

Manchester Festival of Nature

MIF23: Each Tiny Drop at Mayfield Park

Each Tiny Drop at Mayfield Park, Manchester, 29 June 2023, free entry - Find Out More

To celebrate the start of Manchester International Festival, adults, children and young people alike are invited to Each Tiny Drop, a joyful gathering on the banks of the River Medlock at Mayfield Park, exploring cycles and connection with ourselves, each other, water and nature.

Each Tiny Drop at Mayfield Park
Image by Lee Baxter.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – The Musical

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - The Musical at Manchester Opera House, City Centre, 11–30 July 2023, from £13.00 - Book now

Enjoy a tantalisingly tasty treat in a world of pure imagination as Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – The Musical comes to The Palace Theatre this July.

via ATG Tickets

MIF23: Noah’s Flood at Depot Mayfield

Noah's Flood at Depot Mayfield, Manchester, 9 July 2023, from £10.00 - Book now

Experience a one-of-a-kind opera production for families at Noah’s Flood at Factory International, one of the family highlights at this year’s Manchester International Festival.

Noah's Flood at Factory International
Image by Tom Arber.

Barmy Britain at Stockport Plaza

Barmy Britain at Stockport Plaza Cinema, Stockport, 9 July 2023, from £15.95 - Book now

Prepare yourself for a truly gruesome show packed with crazy characters and some of the rudest rulers from Britain’s barmy past at Barmy Britain, taking place at Stockport Plaza.

Barmy Britain at Stockport Plaza
Horrible Histories Barmy Britain

Manchester Day 2023

Manchester Day, 29 July 2023, free entry - Find Out More

Manchester Day returns with a re-vamp this year, in a brand-new, ‘dusk-til-dawn’ format, featuring live music, delicious food and drink, pop-up performances, immersive activities, art installations, crafts and market stalls.

Image courtesy of Manchester Day.

More families events

Barmy Britain at Stockport Plaza
FamiliesStockport
Barmy Britain at Stockport Plaza

Barmy Britain at the Stockport Plaza returns this July, in a horrific show packed with crazy characters and some of the rudest rulers from Britain’s barmy past!

from £15.95
The National Festival of Making
FamiliesBlackburn
The National Festival of Making

Britain’s revolution in hands-on creativity, contemporary manufacturing and tech-led making shows no sign of slowing and the festival that shouts loudest about the brilliance of the nation’s makers returns for enjoyment year on year.

free entry
Things to Do in Liverpool
Spotlight on

Things to Do in Liverpool

Our guide to the thriving city of Liverpool, where new creative futures are written against the backdrop of a unique history.

Take me there

Family things to do in Manchester and the North

HOME Manchester
Manchester
Theatre
HOME Manchester

Now back open with a packed schedule of events and things to do, HOME Manchester is one of the city’s leading hubs for arts and culture.

The Hepworth Wakefield
Wakefield
Gallery
The Hepworth Wakefield

Winner of the 2017 Art Fund Museum of the Year Award, The Hepworth in Wakefield is easily one of the leading cultural highlights of the North.

The Whitworth
Manchester
Gallery
The Whitworth

This much-loved gallery-in-a-park is open for business, showcasing some of the city’s finest contemporary and historic exhibitions.

Salford
Restaurant
Black Friar

Salford’s Black Friar has one of the most impressive Sunday roast options in the North.

Velvet Hotel
Canal Street
Hotel
Velvet Hotel

Velvet Hotel is a 4* boutique hotel on Canal Street, the heart of Manchester’s famous Gay Village.

Culture Guides

Exhibitions

There's no rest for the art lover - this month brings outdoor sculpture, musings on water, political drawings and Liverpool Biennial 2023!

Music

We look towards a summer filled with quality festivals, from cultural behemoths to grassroots gems.

Classical Music

Summer's classical music calendar is filling up nicely! Read our top picks of concerts happening in Manchester and the North.

Gerry Potter (credit Lee Baxter)
Literature

Books are big this summer, with festival readings, poetry slams, creative writing activities and famous faces all putting in an appearance.

Food and Drink

All signs point toward June being a scorcher of a month, so let’s take a look at all things summery food and drink.

Tours and Activities

From literary activities to brilliant independent shops, keep your minds and homes filled with the good stuff this month.

Theatre in Manchester
Theatre

Check out our updated guide for lively theatre festivals, rip-roaring rooftop circus and dreamy outdoor shows.