Top Picks
Guides
What’s on
Where to go
See all

Open Air Theatre in Manchester and the North

Kristy Stott, Theatre Editor

Balmy summer evenings and pre-show picnics. The pop of a cork, the clink of glasses. High-quality performance, good company, and nature’s finest ventilation system – open-air theatre really is one of our favourite things.

We’re pleased to see theatre companies and venues across the UK gearing up for another exciting season of outdoor performance.

Veterans of the scene, Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre always deliver, while Lancaster’s Williamson Park is rolling out the yellow brick road for a magical new production of The Wizard of Oz.

Here’s our round-up of outdoor theatre happening in Manchester and across the North this season. Check back soon – we’ll be adding more shows as they’re announced.

Our top picks

MIF25: THE HERDS

The Herds at Market Street Manchester, Manchester, 3–5 July 2025, Free entry - Find Out More

Manchester International Festival 2025 kicks off with an awe-inspiring outdoor spectacle as THE HERDS take to the streets of Manchester, Rochdale, and Wigan.

Find out more
The Herds, The Walk Productions
Image courtesy of Ant Strack.

Open Air Theatre at Grosvenor Park

Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre 2025 at Grosvenor Park, Cheshire, 4 July–31 August 2025, From £10.80 - Book now

Expect another fabulous season of open-air theatre when Pride and Prejudice, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Alice in Wonderland play Grosvenor Park this summer.

Find out more
Open Air Theatre at Grosvenor Park
Image courtesy of Mark McNulty.

Pride and Prejudice at Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre

Pride and Prejudice at Grosvenor Park, Cheshire, 4 July–31 August 2025, From £20.25 - Book now

On the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen’s birth, her most famous love story is brought to vibrant life once again in the open air.

Find out more
Pride and Prejudice at Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre
Pride and Prejudice at Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre

The Railway Children at Keighley and Worth Valley Railway

The Railway Children at Keighley and Worth Valley Railway, Bradford, 16 July–7 September 2025, From £10.00 - Book now

Steam-powered storytelling at its very best and perfectly staged for Bradford 2025, this much-loved classic is pulling into the station in spectacular style this summer.

Find out more
The Railway Children at Keighley and Worth Valley Railway
Courtesy Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture. Image credit: Guy Farrow

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes at Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes at Grosvenor Park, Cheshire, 18 July–31 August 2025, From £20.25 - Book now

Somewhere in modern-day Chester, renowned detectives Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson find themselves drawn into their most intriguing, and personal, mystery yet.

Find out more
The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
Image courtesy of Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre/ Storyhouse

Refract 25 at Waterside

Refract Festival 2025 at Waterside, Manchester, 22–27 July 2025 - Book now

Head to Waterside for vibrant family-friendly outdoor performance. Be wowed by aerial circus, Brazilian beats and large-scale puppetry – best of all, it’s free.

Find out more
Hikapee's Everywhere's a Beach. Image courtesy of Matthew Kaltenborn.

Alice in Wonderland at Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre

Alice in Wonderland at Grosvenor Park, Cheshire, 25 July–30 August 2025, From £10.80 - Book now

Set out on a magical adventure through Grosvenor Park with this joyous walkabout show designed for under 10s and their families.

Find out more
Alice in Wonderland at Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre
Image courtesy of Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre/ Storyhouse

Seasonal Guides

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.
Father’s Day in Manchester and the North

This year’s Father’s Day is Sunday 15 June. Get out and about and spend some quality time with the old man in Manchester.
A woman in a cap touches the head of a life-sized giraffe puppet made from cardboard and wood, as part of The Herds. The background shows an urban environment with people watching and a scenic view of trees and mountains.
Free things to do at MIF25

Take a look at these MIF25 highlights that won’t cost a penny and plan your perfect (free) MIF25 day out.

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

Theatre in Manchester
Theatre in the North

Summer signals theatre festivals, world premieres and open-air spectacle - from MIF25 to comedy, outdoor circus and beyond, here’s what we’re looking forward to.

Cloudwater Production One
Tours and Activities in the North

Go forth with wild abandon to dance the pavements, dabble with the paint and down the pints in this month's tours and activities guide.

Star Nhà Ease
Cinema in the North

July's cinema highlights include spotlights on international cinema, a new cult classic, plus a visit from one of our favourite directors.

Harry Baker
Literature Events in the North

From environmental to experimental, our poetry and prose picks from around the North are focused on the unusual and the fun.

Exhibitions in the North

Captivating, urgent and intimate - we bring you our top exhibition picks, with even more art festivals, artist-led shows and new venues.

Helena Hauff
Music in the North

Shape-shifting bands, scorched-earth techno, and off-grid festivals. Our latest music picks catch the live scene at its most urgent, inventive and alive.