Things to do in Manchester today and this weekend

Start with the Central Library on St Peter's Square and walk the few minutes to Manchester Town Hall on Albert Square. Follow Deansgate south-west to the John Rylands Library, then carry on to Castlefield for the canal basin, the viaducts and the Science and Industry Museum on Liverpool Road. In the evening there is a concert at the Bridgewater Hall, theatre at the Royal Exchange on St Ann's Square, or a gig in the Northern Quarter.

Go indoors: the Science and Industry Museum, the John Rylands Library and the Central Library are all in the centre, and The Lowry at Salford Quays has galleries and theatres under one roof. The rainy-day page lists what is indoors, with what is on there next.

Entry to the Science and Industry Museum is free. Castlefield's canal basin and viaducts can be walked at no cost, and Manchester Day, the city's July parade, is free to attend. The free page lists the events of the next 30 days that cost nothing.

The Science and Industry Museum is free to enter and has the Power Hall as a permanent gallery. Castlefield is good for a walk along the canal, and The Lowry at Salford Quays has theatre shows and galleries. In winter the Christmas markets have a Ferris wheel in Albert Square and a covered ice rink at Cathedral Gardens.

The Christmas markets are open from 6 November 2026 on ten sites in the city centre. Albert Square and Cathedral Gardens stay open until 3 January 2027 and close on Christmas Day; the other sites close on 22 December. Our guide to Christmas markets in the UK has the details for the other cities too.

The year starts with the Lunar New Year dragon parade to Chinatown, then the Manchester Folk Festival in March, and the Jazz Festival and the Great Manchester Run in May. In summer come Parklife, Manchester Day and Pride, with the Manchester International Festival every other year, in odd-numbered years. October has the Literature Festival, and the Christmas markets open in November. The year page has the dates.

Northern Quarter for bars and live music, with Band on the Wall nearby; the Gay Village around Canal Street; Deansgate and Castlefield for bars along the canal; and the Oxford Road and Whitworth Street area for the Palace Theatre and the Albert Hall. The going-out page lists each night of the week.

Co-op Live is the arena for the biggest shows, with room for 20,500 seated or up to 23,500 with standing. The O2 Apollo and the Albert Hall are the big halls for touring bands. The Bridgewater Hall is for classical music, Band on the Wall for jazz and world music, and Aviva Studios for large-scale shows.