January

Creative Tourist Last Updated 9 May 2023

New year, new arts and cultural adventures.

Blow away the January blues and get out and about with these great exhibitions, gigs, live literature events, theatrical journeys and much more.

And if you’re on the Veganuary hype, check out our guides to Vegan food in Manchester, Vegan Food in Liverpool and Vegan Food in Leeds.

Happy New Year!

Seasonal Guides

Open air theatre shows are happening across the north over the next few months – we’ve collated our top picks into a neat guide for you.

Our editors’ biannually updated list of some of the best-looking arts and cultural events in Manchester and the North in 2025.

Here’s our guide to the best summer festivals with experiences taking place in a field or on the streets near you.

Check out our definitive and regularly updated guide of things to do with the family over the summer holidays.

Our guide to the North’s outdoor art, which has a special relationship to community, cultural heritage and the landscape it’s situated in.

Get out and about with our guide to interesting, unusual and distinctly cultural outdoor events and outdoor activities.

From indigenous wisdom in paint and performance to immersive sound installations, MIF25 returns with a unique visual arts programme.

Spotlight on

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

August brings a huge LGBTQ+ film festival, plus a reggae classic and a spotlight on Japanese animation.

From outdoor shows to drama in the dark, our theatre guide celebrates genre-pushing work, new writing and contemporary performance.

From Lyra Pramuk’s sacred synths to the sugar rush of YAANG, our latest music picks bring ritual, rebellion and ridiculous levels of fun.

"Tours, tours, tours!" If this month's Tours and Activities guide were a sentient speaking person, this is what it would say.

Take some eating-out tips from our August guide to food and drink in Manchester and the North.

Our latest round-up features plenty of one-off live literature events to wrap your ears about, so get those diaries ticking over...

August and beyond brings all sorts of family joy - with a huge amount of science, creativity and more.