Best Things To Do This Summer In Manchester 2025

Sit with a glass of bubbly in one hand and a brush in the other as you're guided by an expert on how to create your own masterpiece. Pick from an array of sessions with Paintvine, from classes that include sculpting using air-dry clay to nights dedicated to the Picasso Kiss. Tickets start from £29 each and while all the materials are provided, drinks are purchased at the bar. 

Whether you head to YO!'s Arndale or Trafford Centre locations, these sushi making classes are sure to fill your summer evenings with fun activities aplenty. Learn knife skills, hear about some history, and chow down on menu items you made yourself.

If summer things to do in Manchester this weekend are what you're after, then the city's brunch for unlimited pizza chomping and prosecco glugging (there's a whole bottle each included here) is just the ticket. Make your afternoon out a little more competitive with a day of darts throwing at one of Flight Club's regular socials. 

The perfect way to spend any summer afternoon? Watching a film outdoors, of course. Courts Club is a quirky outdoor venue in Spinningfields, where you can play sports and even watch classic movies on their large screens.

Every single Sunday, they're showing titles like Marley and Me, Pretty Woman and Parent Trap, with screenings at 1 and 4pm. Even better? They're free to attend.

This summer, connect with both nature and your body with Mayfield Park Yoga. This free, outdoor session is led by an experienced instructor, you just need to bring along a yoga mat and get involved. 

The hour-long session is suitable for all abilities, taking place on two Sundays every month. Plus, Freight island is right next door for some refreshments afterwards.

Ready to find out who really makes the best wings? Manchester Wing Fest 2025 brings the world's top chicken slingers together for the ultimate showdown. With categories like Best Buffalo Wing, Best BBQ Wing, and Best Wild Wing, you'll have the chance to taste some seriously delicious wings and vote for your favourite.

But it's not all about the food - there's axe throwing, live bands, and arcade games to keep the good times rolling. Get your Wing Fest trucker hat and dig into the tastiest event of the year, with tickets starting from £19.50 per person. 

Things to do in Manchester in the sun? From private igloos to stunning terraces, there are plenty of places for alfresco dining this summer. Slap on the factor 50, assemble your squad and make the most of the city with our pick of outdoor restaurants to book now. 

You'll find some of the best summer events in Manchester city centre taking place at The Spirit of Manchester Distillery, with the likes of tasting experiences and gin-making classes on the cards. Head along to try a selection of award-winning spirits from £30 each and get an insight into what production is like inhouse, or learn how to craft your own perfect tipple, creating a personal selection of botanicals from £135 for two. 

After summer things to do in Manchester today? Whether you're watching looking for bottomless brunching or cocktails and bar snacks, this city's beer gardens are always worth checking out. We're bringing you waterside boozing, elevated terraces and ice-cold craft brews with our nifty guide to the best of them.

Join Steve Price at the historic hotel The Midland and watch him perform marvellous wizardly as he turns the mundane into the incredible as part of his magic show. Tickets start from £24.50 per person and the extravaganza lasts 75 minutes. Come and experience a fun-filled evening in an iconic location (where Mr Charles Rolls met Mr Henry Royce) and delight in tipples from the bar to keep you refreshed throughout. 

The Official Manchester Rum Festival is the city's original festival dedicated to the spirit, meaning lovers of rum are sure to be in good hands this July. Make your summer one to remember by heading over to the event at New Century Hall, where all exhibitors' rums are included in your £27.50 ticket.

Add on seminars with top brands for an extra £10 per person, dine at the food vendors and head to the rum cocktail bar for more drinks.

When you need 2025 summer events in Manchester today, consider what's on from Boy Toy Events, whose happenings are complete with 90 minutes of unlimited boozing alongside world-class entertainment. Expect everything from Britney-themed shows to lip-sync battles and half-naked waiters at these unique experiences.

Under the guidance of a resident artist, create your very own masterpiece to take home with you and enjoy tipples from the bar as you go. Taking place across Manchester at venues such as Revolution Deansgate Locks and Cass Art, plus offering exciting themes like the Northern Lights and Lazy Racoons, this experience offers something a little different to do on a summer evening in the city. 

When you need summer events in Manchester this weekend, look no further than Cherry Jam's range of themed brunches and Saturday afternoon tea. These all come complete with bottomless cocktails, alongside musical bingo for afterwards.

For events in Manchester throughout summer 2025, you can count on GRUB. The Red Bank spot host the likes of disco bingo, bottomless bunches and workshops on the reg, including cocktail masterclasses or food-themed happenings. 

Fancy looking out over Albert Square while sipping unlimited cocktails? Then book a bottomless brunch on Slug and Lettuce's outdoor terrace - where you'll be able to enjoy two whole hours of free-flowing drinks. 

Tuck into the likes of Mexican brunch plates, bacon cheeseburgers and Biscoff brioche sandwiches. Brunch not your thing? There's also a killer all-day menu, alongside two-for-one cocktails every day.

If there's one thing Bougie Drag Events are known for, it's cracking bottomless brunches hosted by iconic queens like Imani Versace and Barb. DJ Smiley Vyrus will be bringing the beats throughout, while you sip on 90 minutes of free-flowing prosecco, beer or cocktails and enjoy lip syncing contests, dance-offs and much more.

Love yourself a pint? Kick off the Manchester Craft Beer Experience at Track Brewing Co, following your local guide to a range of microbreweries and taprooms, learning about the process and sampling serves along the way.

From weekly Benidorm bingo to appearances from RuPaul's Drag Race stars, FunnyBoyz Manchester has a roster of fun events that are sure to spice up the summer months. Plus, a lot of these tickets come in at under £15 each.

The Frockatoo Drag Brunch, taking place at The Cockatoo Club, is not to be missed. Join host Annabelle and a team full of some of the best glamourous queens in Manchester for around three hours of delicious food, bubbles and entertainment. Tickets are £40 each and include 90 minutes of unlimited fizz and selected cocktails, plus a complimentary bottle of prosecco for a table of four or above (so gather your friends). Expect to tuck into the likes of moreish wraps filled with Southern-fried chicken or grilled halloumi and get stuck into hilarious games. 

One of the most fun things to do this summer in Manchester for adults, Alcotraz sees you smuggle bootlegged liquor past the watchful eye of the warden. This immersive prison experience will have you sipping bespoke cocktails from the master mixologists while the story unfolds around you with live actors - plus the chance to get stuck in and impact the story yourselves.