Manchester Arena – now the AO Arena – is one of the busiest venues in the world and one of the largest indoor arenas in Europe.
Since opening in 1995, the Arena has hosted the biggest names in live entertainment including U2, The Rolling Stones, Madonna, Lady Gaga, Pavarotti and the record-breaking 2010/2011 residency by local comedian Peter Kay.
Join an access-all-areas guided tour of Chetham’s Library and the surrounding school – among the most venerable buildings in the North West.
From £20.00
Transforming Cathedral Gardens into Little Italy, Festa Italiana Manchester is back for the eighth year in a row.
Free entry
Get hands on with the decks in this funk and soul superstar DJ workshop from BBC Radio 6’s Ailsa.
Free entry
All instruments, all abilities are welcome to join a band every week at Altogether Otherwise as part of their Singing and Dancing programme.
Free entry
Marking the anniversary of the Christmas Blitz, this walking tour explores Manchester’s history of conflict, from the English Civil Wars to the World Wars and beyond.
From £20.00
Runaway Brewery Tour & Tasting is a chance to enjoy one of Stockport’s breweries in the flesh and, of course, sample the end product.
From £18.00
GASP! Horror Film Festival returns with three days of screenings dedicated to championing diversity in genre cinema.
From £5.00
The Virgin Red Room is a new private members space located at Manchester’s AO Arena, with VIP access to some of the city’s biggest gigs.
Chetham’s Library is one of the must-sees of any visit to Manchester. The library was founded in 1653, and is the oldest public library in the world – but the building dates back even further, to 1421.
High-class restaurant next to Victoria Station in Manchester, and attached to Hotel Indigo. Famed for steaks.
The Mezz is the new VIP area at the AO Arena, offering high-end food and drinks with great views of the stage.
Sadlers Yard is a public square and events space in Manchester from NOMA Mcr. Home of the Pilcrow Pub and PLANT NOMA.
The baby in the family of Manchester’s concert halls, The Stoller Hall greatly enhances the city’s already enviable live music provision.
Hotel Indigo Manchester is an elegant and welcoming hotel in the heart of this vibrant city, with the equally excellent Mamucium as the in-house restaurant.
Federation House in Manchester is a pop-up project space that provides opportunities for artists, artist groups and artist development agencies.
We visit Skof, Manchester’s most raved-about new restaurants, mere hours before 2025’s Michelin Guide announcement.
Allpress at NOMA is a home to all things coffee, with a café and seasonal menu incorporating locally sourced ingredients.
The National Football Museum is now open to the public, ready to show off its impressive array of football-related exhibits and activities.
A modernist, high-rise delight.
The sun is shining in the North, so use our guide to get out there and eat, drink and be merry in it.
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.
This month's guide is truly eclectic - from free family festivals, to food events, circus school and more!
From environmental to experimental, our poetry and prose picks from around the North are focused on the unusual and the fun.
Outdoor cinema announcements, a major retrospective at HOME, and the best of indie cinema.
Experimental performance, thought-provoking new writing and our picks of Manchester International Festival - here’s what’s taking centre stage this summer.
From city-wide art festivals to open-air sculptural installations, we have exhibitions from all around the North, both indoors and out.
Books, beer and burlesque. Dive into a glorious tangle of joyful happenings.
