Things to do in Manchester this August bank holiday – including Pride and Bolton Food and Drink Festival

The August bank holiday is always bittersweet. On the one hand, you get an extra long weekend. On the other, however, it means that summer is drawing to a close, with long nights and cold weather imminent.

For Manchester, this is one of the busiest weekends of the year with several huge events taking place across the region throughout the weekend – from food festivals to the annual Pride celebrations – which means there are plenty of options if you want to say goodbye to the summer in style.

If you’re stuck for ideas, here are the big events happening in Manchester this August bank holiday.

Manchester Pride

Let’s start with the obvious – Pride. Not only is this the biggest LGBTQ+ event in Manchester, but it’s one of the best in the country. There will be concerts, performances, workshops, a vigil and, of course, the parade. Some of the Pride events are free, others are ticketed. All the information about tickets, events and line-ups can be found on the Manchester Pride website.

Bolton Food and Drink Festival

This annual food and drink festival is one of the biggest in the North West and one of Greater Manchester’s main foodie events of the year. It’s a mostly free event, with hundreds of food traders for you try, there are also two stages of music and a family-friendly kids zone. This year, Gok Wan, Nisha Katona and James Martin will be doing live demos, and Gok Wan will also be DJing at the party. Elsewhere there are James Bond and Fawlty Towers dining experiences and bottomless brunch sessions. More information can be found on the Bolton Food and Drink Festival website.

Worsley Live 2023

On Sunday 27 August, a selection fo tribute acts will be taking to the stage for Worsley Live, which is also headlined this year by Phats & Small. Pirate entertainer Captain Dan Tastic will also be there to keep the little ones entertained. More information, including on how to buy tickets, can be found on the Worsley Live website.

Festa Italiana

Organised by the team at Salvi’s, this annual celebration of Italian food and culture is returning to Cathedral Gardens this bank holiday. There will be plenty of Italian food vendors from around Manchester there to satisfy your taste buds, and there will also be live entertainment and chef demonstrations from the likes of Genaro Contaldo and other TV cooks. Most of the event is free, but some parts will require tickets. More information can be found on the Festa Italiana website.

Moovin Festival

This Stockport festival has grown considerably over the years and now welcomes big acts from the whole spectrum of musical genres. Groove Armada, Goldie, Giles Peterson, Mr Scruff and Sister Nancy are all on the lineup this year, and there are also plenty of other stalls and activities for people of all ages. There are still some tickets available and you can find them via the Moovin website.

Den Fest

Free festival Den Fest will also be returning to the Great Northern Warehouse this year. There will be a music line-up of some of Manchester’s best grassroots bands and performers, plus food and drink from all the independent restaurants and bars Deansgate Mews has to offer. More information can be found on the Great Northern website.