Looking to take the kids out around Greater Manchester this summer? There’s plenty of events to get involved in, with many free admission.
From interactive art to food festivals and theatre productions, here’s some of the best...
Kids eat free at Yard & Coop
Our good friends at Yard and Coop in Northern Quarter understand entertaining the kids over the summer holidays can be a bit of a headache. They’re making parents’ lives that little bit easier as kids eat free at the restaurant. Get a FREE kids main, dessert and cordial drink for free with any adult main meal ordered during the school holidays. Valid Sunday to Friday, 12-6pm.
SUPERMASSIVE Digital Playground
Taking over the roof and part of the inside of Depot Mayfield, Supermassive is an AV experience that is serious about play, and is fun for adults and children. Step into a futurist playground of interactive art, music, and AI – where nothing works without you. An experience for all the senses, the project aims to reconnect people through the simple joy of creative play. You can spend up to 90 minutes in the indoor, open-world adventure and explore the surreal landscape of interactive tech, musical machines, projection-mapped puzzles, and strange inventions – all at your own pace. After, head over to the outdoor area which has been transformed into a sky-high outdoor playground, featuring a sound-reactive fountain, a climbable lighthouse, immersive light art, and a café-bar serving food and drinks all day and night long.
SmileyWorld Art Trail
Explore a full spectrum of emotions as Stockport town centre transforms into the SmileyWorld Art Trail. Created by trailblazing global arts producer Wild in Art, in partnership with Totally Stockport BID and SmileyWorld, the playful outdoor gallery hosts a collection of quirky and fun sculptures, each inspired by the SmileyWorld icons. Open until 15 September, the free trail guarantees family fun during the school summer holidays. Perfect for all ages, the trail will be spread across the town centre, with sculptures featured at Merseyway Shopping Centre, Market Place, Redrock Stockport, Stockport Underbanks, Stockport Exchange, Viaduct Park, The Plaza, Stockport Train Station, Prince’s Street, Stockport Retail Park and Tesco Portwood.
Lowry 360: Going to the match
LOWRY 360 is the brand-new immersive experience that lets you step into the world of LS Lowry. The Salford artist’s famous painting Going To The Match is brought to life, inviting visitors to lose themselves in the sights and sounds of his iconic work. The installation is a collaboration between the team at the Salford Quays arts venue and Barcelona’s renowned immersive studio Layers of Reality. Narrated by Bolton’s own Sophie Willan, visitors will be surrounded by a creative exploration, in super-high resolution, of a painting that celebrates the excitement, anticipation and ritual of going to a football match on a Saturday afternoon. From factory whistles to the excited chatter of an expectant crowd, the experience is a testament to LS Lowry’s exceptional skill at capturing the daily lives of working people, then and now. This ambitious and exciting new experience has been made possible thanks to incredible support from The Law Family Charitable Foundation, and is free to attend. Free tickets are currently available to book until the end of the year.take th
Music for the Senses Art Trail 2025
As Manchester prepares to welcome over a million music fans for the return of Oasis, a brand-new art trail has popped up celebrating the people, places, moments and instruments of Manchester’s music scene. With murals, mosaics and more, the Music For The Senses project aims to raise awareness, and money, for grassroots music venues and projects across the city. From the Gallagher brothers to Busted, Elbow to Doves, over 300 guitars have been donated by members of the public and well-known musicians to create the installations. You can find them all over the city streets, including AO Arena (home to an exclusive guitar donated by Busted), St Peters Square and Northern Quarter.
Quentin Blake & Me
The Lowry invites families to step into the magical world of Quentin Blake, one of Britain’s most beloved illustrators and authors in a vibrant new exhibition. Curated by Lowry in collaboration with the artist and his studio, Quentin Blake and Me will feature over 100 of Blake’s instantly recognisable works. In addition, it will feature a full-size sailing boat for children to hop-aboard (inspired by Blake’s story A Sailing Boat in the Sky), the National (Monster) Portrait Gallery alongside Russell Hoban’s storybook, Monsters, and a magnetic marble puzzle inspired by John Yeoman’s retelling of the voyages of the intrepid Sinbad. There will also be dressing-up and opportunities for all young visitors to write and draw their own stories.
Kids eat free at Total Ninja
This summer, Total Ninja has introduced a new Ninjas Eat Free pass that allows kids to eat free after they have taken on the obstacle course. To claim, parents need to pre-book the Ninjas Eat Free Pass online, which includes two 1-hour sessions and one sharing pizza.
Oxygen Passport to Play
Oxygen at MediaCity has launched the Passport to Play, giving families the chance to check in to the trampoline and obstacle park all summer long for £30. Families can have fun with Oxygen’s Hero Crew whilst they take to the skies on interconnected trampolines, a mega-airbag, an inflatable park and a Strike Arena, where players can form a team or take on a solo mission, to navigate their way through obstacles to strike lit-up targets and score the most points. The Passport To Play gives the holder access to the park’s 282 60-minute Open Play sessions taking place throughout the six-week summer break, as well as 12 hours of SEN Peaceful Play for those who prefer a calmer setting. Sessions can be booked between 11am-6pm every day of the break, with passport holders able to book as many 60-minute Open Play sessions as they like each day.
Teachers go free at Museum of Illusions
Manchester’s Museum of Illusions says thank you to all the incredible teachers by offering them free entry all summer long. With over 60 interactive exhibits on offer, from optical illusions and gravity-defying rooms to mind-bending holograms, the museum offers an unforgettable experience where science, perception, and play collide. It’s an ideal day out that’s as entertaining for adults as it is exciting for children. Teachers simply need to show a valid ID at the door to claim their free ticket.
Summer holidays at Archie’s Atomic
Head over to Archie’s Atomic at Trafford Palazzo for the ultimate playground this summer. Perfect for all ages, they’re offering midweek skating tickets for just £8.50 through the school holidays (just book between Monday and Thursday with code SUMMER2025). The attraction is home to the North West’s largest pink roller rink, designed for skaters of all ages and skill levels, from newbies to pros. From its vibrant arcade with an immersive games Arena, private party rooms, DJ decks, an Archie’s diner, and a dedicated milkshake bar, Atomic is great for keeping the whole family entertained. Terms and conditions can be found here.
Screen On The Docks
MediaCity’s popular open-air screen Screen On The Docks returns this summer with a packed schedule. Offering something for all ages, the free open-air screen will be showing classic films including Dirty Dancing and Forrest Gump as well modern favourites like Wicked and Moana 2. The Screen will be operating from now until the end of September, with slots for family films such as Coco, Finding Nemo and The Lego Movie on weekdays from 11am, as well as afternoon screenings of cult favourite films such as Mean Girls, Mamma Mia and The Hunger Games.
Drop-in PlayStation: EA Sports FC 25
Grown-ups and children alike are invited to test their skills for free on PlayStation. Take part in the 1v1 EA Sports FC tournaments at Aviva Studios, with consoles and controllers provided. This is in support of Factory International’s major new exhibition Football City, Art United, of brand-new works made in collaboration between legendary footballers and contemporary artists.
The Great Woodland Adventure
Enjoy the beautiful surroundings of RHS Garden Bridgewater this summer as they welcome all to The Great Woodland Adventure. Taking place until the end of August, visitors are invited to head to their woodland basecamp for hands-on fun and outdoor challenges – from epic den building and forest school workshops to woodland crafts, tree climbing, fire making and much more. There’s also family trails, explorer walks and story time for little adventurers too.
A Squash & A Squeeze
Head to The Lowry for the musical adaptation of best-selling book A Squash and a Squeeze, written by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler. Step into its magical world live on stage, a heartwarming and hilarious adventure, full of beautiful puppets and enchanting songs.
The Addams Family
Following two hugely successful UK tours, and sold-out concerts at The London Palladium last year, everyone’s favourite kooky family returns. The Addams Family will take to the stage at The Lowry with a live orchestra and extraordinary original score.
The Grimwood Museum Adventure: Rock the Vote!
Arriving to the People’s History Museum this summer is The Grimwood Museum Adventure: Rock The Vote. In this adventure, the fifth in the series of books by author-illustrator Nadia Shireen, the crazy characters are electing a new Mayor and it’s visitors’ jobs to design a campaign poster. If you need some design ideas, the museum’s galleries featuring historic posters are there to fuel your creativity. Everyone taking part in The Grimwood Museum Adventure will receive a free Grimwood sticker and chance to enter their poster into a Kids in Museums competition.
Festa Italiana 2025
The much-loved Festa Italiana returns to Manchester city centre for its eighth year this summer, ready to welcome thousands of fans to enjoy a slice of la dolce vita. A passion project of Salvi’s owner Maurizio Cecco, the free-to-enter festival brings together Manchester’s Italian community with a packed programme of chef demos, great music, food and drink. Taking place from Friday 22 to Sunday 24 August, the festival will takeover Cathedral Gardens, transforming the space into a bustling Italian piazza, filled with the sights, sounds and flavours of Italia. Taking centre stage is, of course, the incredible food line-up. Expect show-stopping live cookery shows from some of the best-loved Italian chefs – including Gennaro Contaldo, Francesco Mattana, Giuseppe Dell’Anno, Carmela Hayes and Salvi’s very own Maurizio Cecco, and then try some Italian delicacies yourself at the various pop-ups around the site. Wash down the incredible food offering by heading to the Apertivo Bar and enjoy a refreshing spritz in the (fingers-crossed) sunshine-soaked Limoncello Garden. On top of that, there’s brand-new music from traditional folk to modern Italian pop and party anthems as well as immersive pop-ups and interactive masterclasses.
