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Open Air Theatre in Manchester and the North

Kristy Stott, Theatre Editor

Balmy summer evenings and pre-show picnics; the popping of corks and the clinking of glasses; high-quality performance, good company and nature’s very own top tier ventilation system, make open air theatre one of our favourite things.

We’re pleased that theatre companies and venues across the UK are currently gearing up for an exciting summer of outdoor performance.

Veterans of outdoor performance, Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre always brings the goods, alongside Lancaster’s Williamson Park, which will provide the perfect backdrop for an Alice in Wonderland adventure this summer.

Here’s our round-up of outdoor theatre happening in Manchester and the North over this summer. Check back soon – we’ll be updating this list with more shows as we find them.

Seasonal Guides

Father’s Day in Manchester and the North

This year’s Father’s Day is Sunday 16 June. Get out and about and spend some quality time with the old man in Manchester.
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Manchester International Festival 2025
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Helen Chadwick posing with a sculpture called Piss Flowers taken during the exhibition Helen Chadwick: Effluvia, held at the Serpentine Gallery, London, in 1994
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Image by Jonathan Schofield.
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