Manchester Day 2024: Date, times, activities, performers and travel advice ahead of huge celebration

That’s right, Manchester Day is returning this summer and taking over the whole city centre. It includes a whole range of fun and family-friendly activities, as well as music stages and roaming performers at various locations across the city centre.

Taking place on Saturday 27 July, the theme for 2024 is “Let the Games Begin!” – a nod to the busy summer of international sports we’ve had this year, including the Euros and the Olympics in Paris. Here is everything you need to know about Manchester Day 2024.

Wait, that’s the weekend the Olympic Games start?

Don’t worry, you can attend Manchester Day and keep up to date with all the action from Paris. In fact, you’ll also be able to watch the opening ceremony the day before, on Friday 26 July, when it will be shown on a big screen in Cathedral Gardens.

The Olympic Games will continue to be screened throughout the day on Saturday 27 July (Manchester Day), so you can pop down in between activities or settle in for the whole day. Food and drink stalls will also be open throughout the day.

What activities will there be?

Manchester City Council have worked with some of the country’s leading sports organisations to help put together a jam-packed program of activities. 

• Taekwondo (12-6pm, Picadilly Gardens) – British Taekwondo will be teaching people some moves, like how to (safely) chop through wood with your hands, as well as some self-defence basics. They will also have information on hand for anyone who may want to join their local clubs. 
• Athletics (12-6pm, St Mary’s Gate) – Sports foundation GLL will be bringing their 60m track for any aspiring sprinters, as well as other activities like mini tennis rallies and a basketball shootout. 
• Cricket (12-6pm, St Mary’s Gate) – Fans of the Hundred will be pleased to know that players from the Manchester Originals will be sharing their skills in batting, bowling and catching. 
• Netball – England Netball will also be setting up shop in Manchester city centre, giving the netballers of all abilities the chance to throw some hoops and find out more about local clubs. 
• Football (Cathedral Gardens) – Manchester United Foundation is bringing a Panna Cage in partnership with Manchester FA and coaches will be on hand to help people practise scoring and play small-sided matches.  
• Rugby (12-6pm, Piccadilly Gardens) – Broughton Park RFU will be on hand to help you improve your skills.

Some of the other exciting things to look out for include the Hip-Hop wrestling ring, which will host breakdancing, opera, drag and, of course, wrestling. This will be set up at St Ann’s Square. The schedule for the day is as follows:

• 12-12.30pm Powered by Hip Hop (break dancing)   
• 12.30-12.50pm Top Rope Wrestling Academy  (live wrestling demonstrations)  
• 12.50-1pm Queen Bayard (drag queen sing along)  
• 1.05-1.25pm Flat Pack Music (opera with a twist)  
• 2.10-2.40pm Kemoy Walker x KYSO Collective
• 2.40-2.55pm Top Rope Wrestling Academy
• 2.55-3.10pm Hennie Lopez 
• 3.10-3.25pm Flat Pack Music 
• 3.25-3.40pm Top Rope Wrestling Academy
• 3.40-3.55pm Queen Bayard
• 3.55-4.10pm Flat Pack Music
• 4.55-5.25pm Top Rope Wrestling Academy
• 5.30-5.45pm Flat Pack Music
• 5.45 – 6pm Top Rope Wrestling Academy 

Street theatre 

• The Adjudicators 12pm, 3pm, 5pm  
• Teach Rex 12pm, 1pm, 2pm, 3pm, 4pm 5pm  
• Sports Guides 12.30pm, 2,25pm, 5pm 
• Wild 1.25pm, 4.10pm

There will also be a vintage fairground on Exchange Street, where you can have a go at hook-a-duck, darts and actual reality arcade where you can have a go at real-life 

Music, dancing and more

It wouldn’t be Manchester Day without its street performers, and as always local group Walk the Plank will be there with their weird and wonderful creations, including the world’s slowest race between giant snails. 

Elsewhere, Motionhouse circus arts-inspired dance company are bringing their hit show Wild to the streets of Manchester. No Fit State Circus will be bringing their bamboo structures for an equally enthralling performance. There will also be local Manchester performers representing their respective cultures, including Irish, Lithuanian and Bhangra dancers, as well as a Fillipino fashion show. 

Music is another important part of Manchester Day. Jubacana, a youth-led, fusion and dance project, will be performing. The Global Grooves procession will be making its way through the streets, Detroit Soul Collective will also be there, as well as the Bridgewater Hall Choir and local DJs. 

The main stage is located on Deansgate. Here is the full line-up for the main stage:

• 12-12.05pm Shree Muktajeevan Swamibapa Pipe Band
• 12.05-12.35pm Gnawa Manchester (Moroccan trance music)
• 12.45-1.30pm Splinted Ukes
• 1.45-2.25pm Twisted Tubes
• 2.25pm Shree Muktajeevan Swamibapa Pipe Band
• 2.30pm Speeches
• 2.40-2.45pm Shree Muktajeevan Swamibapa Pipe Band
• 2.45-3.25pm Detroit Soul Collective
• 3.40-4.10pm Twisted Tubes
• 4.25-4.55pm Splinted Ukes
• 5.05-5.20pm Flat Pack Music
• 5.25-6pm Detroit Soul Collective

There will also be another performance at Market Street, which will also be hosting a craft market. The line-up of performances includes:

• 12-12.40pm Look Mum, No Hands! (an acrobatic, family-friendly story of friendship performed by Daryl&Co and Mimbre)
• 1.25-1.40pm Red Bull Flash Mob
• 1.40-2.15pm Filipino Anglo Club of Greater Manchester 
• 2.15-2.30pm Manchester Lithuanian Society
• 2.30-2.45pm Witches Rise by Zephyra (tribal fusion dance)   
• 3.45-4.15pm Soul Beats Dance Troupe
• 4.15-4.55pm Look Mum, No Hands!
• 4.55-5.25pm Jubacana
• 5.25-5.40pm Ward - Mallinson School of Irish Dancing
• 5.40-6pm Manchester School of Samba

The full program of events, including timings and locations, can be found on the Manchester City Council website.

Do you have to pay for Manchester Day activities?

One of the best things about Manchester Day is that all the activities and performances are completely free to attend. There will various food and drink stands though, if you fancy some refreshment, so you might want to budget for that if you’re heading into town for the day. 

How to get to Manchester Day and road closures

Public transport should be running as normal on Manchester Day and both the Metrolink trams and buses will be able to take you right to the heart of the action. 

There will be multiple road closures, which will make driving through or to town tricky. The following roads will be closed from 6am to 11.59​pm on Saturday 27 July:

• Deansgate (Manchester Cathedral to John Dalton Street) access will be maintained to Marks and Spencer's Car Park ​and Number One Deansgate
• St Ann Street (Deansgate to Cross Street)​
• St Mary's Gate (Exchange Street to Deansgate)​
• St Mary's Street (Southbridge Street to Deansgate)​
• Market Street (Exchange Street to Cross Street)​
• Fennel Street (Corporation Street to Cathedral Street) access maintained for morning deliveries only​
• Cathedral Street (Fennel Street to Exchange Square) access maintained for morning deliveries only​
• Cateaton Street (Exchange Square to Deansgate)​
• Barton Square (St Ann's Square to St Ann Street ​
• King Street (Cross Street to Deansgate) no access for deliveries
• King Street West (Deansgate to Southgate)​
• South King Street (Ridgefield to Deansgate)

Parking will be suspended on the following streets from 6pm on Friday 26 July to 11.59pm on Saturday 27 July​:

• Deansgate (Manchester Cathedral to John Dalton Street) ​
• St Ann Street – including the bays outside St Ann’s Church (Deansgate to Cross Street) ​
• St Mary's Gate (Exchange Street to Deansgate) ​
• St Mary's Street (Southbridge Street to Deansgate) ​
• Southgate (St Mary's Street to King Street West)​
• Market Street (Exchange Street to Cross Street) ​
• Fennel Street (Corporation Street to Cathedral Street) access maintained for morning deliveries only ​
• Cathedral Street (Fennel Street to Exchange Square) access maintained for morning deliveries only ​
• Cateaton Street (Exchange Square to Deansgate) ​
• Victoria Street (Cathedral Approach to Deansgate) ​
• Todd Street (Corporation Street to Station Approach) ​
• King Street (Spring Gardens to Southgate) ​
• South King Street (Ridgefield to Deansgate) ​
• Barton Square (St Ann’s Square to St Ann Street) ​
• King Street West (Deansgate to St Mary’s Parsonage)​
• St James’s Square (John Dalton Street to South King Street) ​
• Cross Street (King Street to Corporation Street) ​
• Museum Street (Peter Street to Windmill Street)
• Marsden Street (Cheapside to Brown Street)

What do the organisers say?

Councillor Pat Karney, Chair of Manchester Day, said: "We know how much Mancunians of all ages love to celebrate the city's special day with us and this year we're really going for gold.  We've got an absolutely fantastic day lined up, stuffed full of free things to see and do for all the family, all with a sporting flavour - so grab your granny and your trainers and come on down and join us!"

Bev Ayre, Senior Producer, Walk the Plank, said: "We’re delighted to be helping produce the Manchester Day programme again this year. We’ve some of the best music, dance, theatre and performance the city has to offer. Where else would you find a wrestling drag queen, a sporting dinosaur and a hip hopping opera singer. So - Let the Games Begin!"

• The full program of events, including timings and locations, can be found on the Manchester City Council website.