Manchester Flower Festival guide with pop-up gardens, floral trail and food and drink over May bank holiday

Manchester’s most Instagrammable event is back and it's set to take place this bank holiday weekend from Friday 24 to Monday, May 27. The Manchester Flower Festival returns for its seventh year with a new theme that will celebrate Manchester icons, from people to places. 

The festival, organised annually by Manchester City Centre Business Improvement District, will feature an Iconic Floral Trail, floral marquee, alfresco dining, craft workshops, sensory garden, bee parade, cocktail trail and more. 

With 10 pop-up gardens blooming across Manchester, the eye-catching floral displays will take inspiration from Manchester-born icons, music icons and iconic buildings such as Caroline Aherne, Girls Aloud, Emmeline Pankhurst, Sir Ian McKellen, L.S. Lowry and more.

Where can I find the pop-up gardens?

The Floral Trail will take visitors across the city centre over the long weekend. Starting inside Manchester Arndale with tributes to Manchester’s iconic rave culture of the 80s and 90s, designed by Visual Architects. Corn Exchange will be transformed into a desert scene to pay homage to Manchester’s iconic ale, Boddingtons Brewery.

New Cathedral Street has two pop-ups, including a portrait, by Manc artist Stanley Chow, in a floral frame to honour Manchester actress legend, Caroline Aherne, as well as the return of The Iconic Hive which will include a staggering 11ft cork tree structure and images of the city’s most iconic figures.

To celebrate Girls Aloud performing at the AO Arena, a floral sculpture at Cotton Bud Fountain in St. Ann’s Square will honour the girls and pay homage to Sarah Harding, where visitors can donate to the Sarah Harding Breast Cancer Appeal.

The Hacienda garden can be found on King Street, which will have monochromatic yellow flowers and plants, iconic yellow and black striped poles and disco balls in hope to bring back fond memories of Manchester’s house clubbing scene. 

What other activities can I find?

Manchester’s Printworks will host a free flower arranging workshop with renowned local florist David Wayman on Saturday 25 May from 12pm-3pm, alongside complementary bouquet giveaways and a treasure hunt.

If it's a party you’re after, Exchange Square will have live DJs, alfresco food and drink, while St Ann’s Square is the place for foodies with pop-ups with Tast Catala and El Gato Negro. The Manchester Flower Festival Cocktail Trail is back with floral and summer creations from Franco Manca, Gran Café (San Carlo, Selfridges), Urban Playground, Grand Pacific and Fazenda.

More workshops include Smart Floral Art to host a Pressed Flower Framing Workshop, Stockport Fungi will show visitors how to grow their own oyster mushrooms and Søstrene Grene will teach crafting skills, including crochet basics and a how-to on creating crepe paper flowers. 

Are there any events for kids to take part in?

The trail will include something for all ages to enjoy. Families can follow Manchester’s Queen Bee in the Manchester Bee Parade, along the trail little ones can take part in a Bee Hunt. The parade will start at The Royal Exchange at 12pm, Sunday 26 May, where parade goers will be encouraged to take part in the special bee dance, ‘The Waggledance’. 

St Ann’s Square will have its own mud kitchen and sensory garden, as well as workshops with Plant Co-operative, who will be hosting a full day of activities on Friday 24 May including wildflower seed bomb making, sunflower planting and a rock painting contest.

Do I need to buy tickets?

The pop-up gardens and parade are completely free to attend and require no pre-bookings. The workshops need a pre-booking to guarantee a space on the day, which can be booked on the Manchester Flower Festival website.