Best Things To Do This Summer In Manchester 2026

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.

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.

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.

When you need 2026 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.

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. 

Electric Shuffle is a high-tech activity bar with edge, bringing out the fun and competitive side of all who enter. With a puck in one hand and your preferred beverage in the other, you'll have a selection of game modes to choose from, and wherever your puck lands on the shuffleboard will determine how many points you rack up until the final tally at the end. 

And now, guests aged 12 and over can join in on the fun until 4:30pm on selected days of the week. So, know a competitive kid or a teenager who loves gaming? Bring them along. 

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.

We all love a good film, but when the weather is hot it seems a shame to be cooped up inside. That's where these outdoor cinemas come in, bringing you classic titles on giant screens outside.

Head to locations like Courts Club or GRUB On The Docks, where you'll find these alfresco events taking place.

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. 

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. 

Taking the concept of darts and supercharging it for the 21st century player, Flight Club is one of the original and more popular gaming bars across the UK. Not only can you have fun and get competitive at the oche, playing a bunch of digital games that all require sharp aim, you can also indulge in quirky cocktails served in slushie form or in a trophy-shaped cup, and snack on the venue's famous sharing pizzas and small plates. 

Thought the kids would have to miss out? Flight Club is now welcoming kids 12+ to step up to the oche and unleash their competitive side on the interactive dart boards. These family-friendly sessions are available until 4:30pm on selected days of the week. 

Rosé Rooftop is the place to celebrate the August bank holiday, with a lively party hosted on the roof at Chotto Matte. Teaming up with Whispering Angel, the event will serve plenty of wine and cocktails, with Frozé among the highlights.

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.

Combining the energy of a high-energy house party with ten original games, Gameface is a unique destination in the Printworks. Move through a series of fast-paced games, from Pingedy Pong to Puck Off.

Prices start from £19.95 for 60 minutes of gameplay, so you can get competitive with your mates. Afterwards, head to the bar for celebratory drinks.

A buzzing event space in the heart of The Depot, Freight Island has got plenty going on this season. Their Spring Summer Series brings you a regular lineup of live music performances, from DJs and artists like Jamie Duggan, Greg Wilson and PBR Streetgang.

That's not all that's going on here, with reggae brunches, soul bingo and more on the lineup. Soak up the sun in their outdoor space while you're here, and sample a wide range of street food from their multiple vendors.

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.

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. 

Manchester is full of great places to eat, and that list just keeps on growing. There are multiple new restaurants opening across the summer months, so it's a great time to find your new favourites.

Check out Portfolio MCR, the UK's first Champagne boutique, or Treehouse Hotel's new rooftop dining space Sister Moon, and thank us later.