What's on near Town Hall Gardens
Come face to face with SEA LIFE Blackpool’s hungriest resident. This unique experience gives you the chance to feed Phoenix the green sea turtle and learn about this endangered species.
From £75.00
Step into the majestic Blackpool Tower Ballroom for an experience like no other. With stunning architecture, live music and treats galore, Afternoon Tea here is highly recommended.
From £60.00
Expect a jam-packed day of outdoor performance, live music, family fun – plus Preston’s iconic Torchlight Procession and fireworks finale.
Free entry
A thoughtfully-curated season of Queer British Gems courtesy of Paraphysis Cinema.
From £1.00
A programme of surreal, absurd and experimental short cinema presented in a welcoming, grassroots arena.
From £1.00
The John Moores Painting Prize is back, and bigger than ever! Head to Liverpool’s Walker Gallery to see the best of contemporary painting.
Free entry
‘Bees: A Story of Survival’ seamlessly marries art and science to tell the fascinating story of bees and their essential role in nature.
From £0.00
A practically perfect treat is landing in Liverpool in January 2026.
From £29.00Where to go near Town Hall Gardens
The Engine Room is a creative community hub in Southport’s Wayfarers Arcade, offering co-working space, cultural events and collaborative opportunities for artists, freelancers and educators.
We’re pleased to report that The Atkinson, Southport’s very own multi-arts institution, has reopened and is looking forward to safely welcoming visitors back.
Southport Pier opened in 1860, making it the oldest iron pier in Great Britain. It is also the second-longest in the country.
Gallery Artist John Charles in Southport showcases the work of local painter John Charles and provides a space for workshops and events.
As well as being home to the Southport Air Show, there are many nostalgic seaside delights on Southport’s seafront, including the iconic pier.
In Southport’s town centre is Victoria Park, home to the famous Southport Flower Show, Southport Food and Drink Festival and the British Musical Fireworks Championship
The picturesque location of Lytham Festival.
A beautiful National Trust beach which emerges from glorious coastal pinewoods. The ideal spot for walking the dog and spying red squirrels.
The Arts Centre at Edge Hill University hosts a diverse range of high quality professional productions.
Popular country pub based in Ormskirk, serving classic British food and local ales.
Winner of the Good Food Award’s coveted Chippy of the Year award on multiple occasions, Harrowside is a great choice for fish and chips in Blackpool.
Culture Guides
This season’s theatre is gloriously eclectic: from radical cabaret and reinvented classics to new musicals and boundary-pushing performance.
Galleries around the North are gearing up for a new season of exhibitions - from iconic art prizes to smaller, artist-led gems.
This month we recommend a season of Film noir, cult Australian movies and a huge celebration of DIY community cinema.
From corrupted shoegaze to experimental electronica, post-hardcore to Indian classical, these are the shows that should be on your radar.
"Tours, tours, tours!" If this month's Tours and Activities guide were a sentient speaking person, this is what it would say.
Take some eating-out tips from our August guide to food and drink in Manchester and the North.
September and beyond brings culture, theatre, disgusting history and loads of fun.