Kicking us off this Summer is a whole host of events around the city. We’ve rounded up the best of what’s on so you can find it all in one place!
Universally Manchester Festival
We’re hosting the Universally Manchester Festival to celebrate our bicentenary, a free event that will take over campus. You can curate your own programme, from behind-the-scenes tours, music, theatre, comedy, art, poetry, wellbeing and much more. [Thursday, 6 June to Sunday, 9 June].
Gigs
There are lots of gigs on this month so there really is something for everyone, from a day-time basement disco over at Joshua Brooks with the Shapeshifters [29 June]; hip hop, grime and afrobeats [Band on the Wall, 8 June] to a celebration of electrifying classics from James Bond movies [The Bridgewater Hall, 29 June].
Celebrate the end of exams with with alternative dance music [Yes, 7 June, free tickets available], or get down to Co-op Live to see Manchester’s own Liam Gallagher celebrating 30 years of Definitely Maybe [15, 16, 27, 28 June].
Festivals
Manchester’s festival season kicks off in June and there’s lots for everyone to enjoy. For music lovers, there’s the iconic Parklife [Heaton Park, 8 and 9 June], with tickets held at 2023 prices. The Green Island Festival launches in June, celebrating underground and unrepresented artists [Hulme Community Garden Centre, 15 June].
For festivals celebrating culture and heritage you’ve got the free Histories Festival [Central Library, 7-8 June], Festival of Nature [Heaton Park, 30 June] and the Festival of Libraries [various venues, 12-16 June].
We Invented the Weekend Festival, celebrating the joys of free time [Salford, 15-16 June] and DogFest [Tatton Park, 15-16 June]. The SU is showcasing some of the best Manchester student performing artists at Alive! Festival [SU, 6 June].
Not quite Manchester, but worth a bus or train ride out of town to celebrate Stockport Pride [Stockport Marketplace, 2 June]
Culture
There are also quite a few exhibitions starting in June, including the timely General Election Trail [People’s History Museum, from 6 June]. The City of Floating sounds is guided by a bespoke mobile app, letting you make your way through the streets of Manchester listening to fragments of Huang Ruo’s meditative new work [Factory International, 6-8 June]. And head over to The Whitworth for an exhibition of Caribbean British artist and poet John Lyons. [Throughout June].
For those who would like to try their hand at something creative, there’s Life Drawing Late – where you can hone your pencil and chalk skills [Salford Museum and Art Gallery, 19 June] or for something more relaxed there’s Paint & Sip Night where you can have a lowkey paint and a chat over a drink [Factory International, 5 June].
Community
Grab your mat and get outside for a relaxing yoga session in Manchester’s sky garden [Castlefield Viaduct, 7 + 14 June]. For nature lovers, there’s Gardening Volunteer Sessions for you to get stuck into [Peel Park, various dates throughout June]. International students can enjoy a free night of music and cultural exchange with DJ Yayo on the decks [The Social, Aviva Studios, 5 June]
For the arts and crafts lovers, there’s the MCR Sew Social for sewers of all abilities to get together [Whitworth Locke, 13 June]. Make sure to check out the SU events this month as they have everything from a vintage clothes fair [3+4 June], to a mindfulness workshop [4 June].
Sports
Any finally, Euro 2024 kicks off from 14 June, and in football-mad Manchester there are no shortage of locations across the city to watch the matches. Head over to the fan zone at Diecast and soak up the 3,000-capacity atmosphere, or for more low-key watching head to Gorilla or 532 in the SU.