Cultural Calendar 2025

Creative Tourist Last Updated 7 May 2025

From anniversary festivals to world premiere performances, there’s a lot for the culturally curious to look forward to in 2025. To help you fill those new calendars, we’ve asked our editors to select their highlights from the events announced so far.

There’s a bit of everything here, from blockbuster theatre shows to family-friendly picks, world-class exhibitions, performances from internationally-acclaimed musicians, live literature showcases and cinematic treasures to delight the most discerning film buff.

Want more? You can keep up-to-the-minute with what’s happening across Manchester and the North with our specialist Cinema, Exhibitions, Theatre, Literature, Music, Family and Tours & Activities guides. You can also follow us on all the usual socials (Twitter, Facebook and Instagram) and subscribe to our mailing list to get this kind of thing in your inbox every Friday lunchtime.

Helen Chadwick: Life Pleasures at the Hepworth Wakefield

Helen Chadwick: Life Pleasures at The Hepworth Wakefield, West Yorkshire, Until 27 October 2025, From £0.00 - Book now

The Hepworth Wakefield’s retrospective of artist Helen Chadwick’s work showcases a range of her sculptures, installations and photographs, charting her career and enduring contribution to contemporary art.

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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 — Helen Chadwick with Piss Flowers from the exhibition Helen Chadwick: Effluvia, Serpentine Gallery, 1994 Photo: Kippa Matthews © Kippa Matthews

Dear England at Lowry

Dear England at Lowry, Manchester, Until 29 June 2025, From £23 - Book now

Don’t miss James Graham’s Olivier Award-winning, big-hearted, ‘pitch-perfect’ celebration of football when it comes to Salford.

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This is England at The Lowry — Image courtesy of Marc Brenner.

Liverpool Biennial 2025 – BEDROCK

Liverpool Biennial 2023, Until 14 September 2025, Free entry - Visit now

Liverpool Biennial in 2025 is back for its 13th edition with 30 artists and collectives presenting work around the leading theme of ‘bedrock’.

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Katarzyna Perlak, Broken Hearts Hotel, 2021. Photography by Hicham Gardaf — Hicham Gardaf

Manchester International Festival

Manchester International Festival 2025 at Aviva Studios, Manchester, 3–20 July 2025 - Book now

Manchester will once again become the world’s stage this summer, with Manchester International Festival filling venues and spaces across the city with some of the world’s most exciting creative talent.

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A Single Man at Aviva Studios (Manchester International Festival) — Christopher Isherwood’s A Single Man at Aviva Studios. Image courtesy of Rick Guest.

Quadrophenia: A Mod Ballet at The Lowry

Quadrophenia, a Mod Ballet at Lowry, Manchester, 15–19 July 2025, From £23.00 - Book now

An explosive new dance production heads to The Lowry, bringing a whole new dimension to The Who’s iconic rock album.

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Quadrophenia: A Mod Ballet at The Lowry — Photo: Paris Fitzpatrick. Image courtesy of Johan Persson.

Elizabeth Gaskell’s House 10 Year Anniversary

Elizabeth Gaskell's House 10 Year Anniversary at Elizabeth Gaskell’s House, Manchester and online, Until 4 October 2025, From £0.00 - Book now

Throughout 2025, Elizabeth Gaskell’s House is celebrating its tenth anniversary, having first opened to the public a decade ago. From a close brush with dereliction to being awarded official accredited museum status in August 2024, it’s been an important decade in the almost 200-year history of the building, once home to North and South author Elizabeth Gaskell.

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Drawing Room with 10 year anniversary branding — Elizabeth Gaskell's House

Grimmfest 2025 at Odeon Great Northern

Grimmfest at Odeon Great Northern, Manchester, 9–12 October 2025, From £15.99 - Book now

Manchester’s foremost genre film festival continues to champion the best new horror cinema from around the world. Early ticket packages are on sale now but won’t last long.

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The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe at The Lowry

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe at Lowry, Manchester, 3 December 2025–11 January 2026, From £19 - Book now

Looking towards the end of 2025, we can’t wait to step through the magic wardrobe and into the snowy, wintry world of Narnia, where an incredible adventure awaits!

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The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe at The Lowry — Photo courtesy of Brinkhoff Moegenburg

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.

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.

Mother and daughter play with smell interactive_Operation Ouch! Brains, Bogies and You

Things to do over May half term

Looking for things to do with the family over the Easter school holidays? We’ve got you covered.

Ones Not to Miss at MIF25

One-of-a-kind collaborations and world premiere performances, we bring you details of those ‘must-see’ shows at MIF25.

May Bank Holiday 2025: Things to Do

Whether you’re a planner or prefer to play it by ear, we’ve got plenty of ideas to help you make the most of the Bank Holiday weekend.

Festivals

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

Easter Bank Holiday Weekend in Manchester and the North

Read our top ideas for things to do over Easter Bank Holiday weekend in Manchester and the North, with or without chocolate…

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

Music in the North

Gigs are coming in hot this spring – from long-awaited returns to one-off happenings you’ll blink and miss if you're not careful.

A puppet of a bear in production as a part of The Herds

Family things to do in the North

This month's guide is truly eclectic - from free family festivals, to food events, circus school and more!

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.

Food and Drink in the North

The sun is shining in the North, so use our guide to get out there and eat, drink and be merry in it.

A young boy with a white sash around his left arm cries.

Cinema in the North

Outdoor cinema announcements, a major retrospective at HOME, and the best of indie cinema.

Theatre in the North

Experimental performance, thought-provoking new writing and our picks of Manchester International Festival - here’s what’s taking centre stage this summer.