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Free things to do at MIF25

Creative Tourist

The wait is over – Manchester International Festival is back this summer. After two years of preparing yet another programme of exhilarating events, there are world-famous names and young talent from all corners of the world, right on our doorstep.

They say the best things in life are free and, as always, MIF has an array of free events to choose from. Everybody can get involved and take in the festival’s unique atmosphere.

Festival Square is back on the banks of River Irwell, hosting music and spoken word performances, family friendly events throughout the day and DJ-sets late into the night, all without having to reach for your wallet.

Elsewhere you’ll find giant animal puppets, Indigenous ceremonies and live art-making. Take a look at the events below to find out more and plan your perfect (free) MIF25 day out.

Our top picks

MIF25: An Inheritance at Manchester Art Gallery

An Inheritance at Manchester Art Gallery, Manchester, Until 2 November 2025, Free entry - Visit now

Manchester’s young people create a time capsule to capture the essence of their world today: the resulting exhibition is on display now and will be again in 100 years’ time.

Find out more
An open capsule on a beach at night. The image has a pink hue.
Factory International

Seasonal Guides

The Jungle Book at Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre
Open Air Theatre in Manchester and the North

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.

Helen Chadwick posing with a sculpture called Piss Flowers taken during the exhibition Helen Chadwick: Effluvia, held at the Serpentine Gallery, London, in 1994
Cultural Calendar 2025

Our editors’ biannually updated list of some of the best-looking arts and cultural events in Manchester and the North in 2025.
Festival-goers at Green Island
Festivals

Here’s our guide to the best summer festivals with experiences taking place in a field or on the streets near you.
Summer Holidays: the best things to do with kids
Summer Holidays: the best things to do with kids

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

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

Get out and about with our guide to interesting, unusual and distinctly cultural outdoor events and outdoor activities.
FaleSaSacred House
Visual Arts at MIF25

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

Destinations

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

Two women stand next to an orange car.
Cinema in the North

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

Theatre in Manchester and the North.
Theatre in the North

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

Blondshell by Hannah Bon.
Music in the North

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

Author portrait
Literature Events in 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...