With films, vintage markets, live music, clubbing and more, we've got your bank holiday weekend covered - from the second you clock out on Friday to the moment your weary head hits the pillow on Monday evening. There's certainly a lot going on, but we've got faith in you.
Mr Mendal, First Chop Brewing Arm, Friday 28 August, 10pm – 3am, £8
Whet your bank holiday appetite on Friday, as Better Days brings Amsterdam native and far-ranging selector Mr Mendal to Manchester’s favourite low-key party arches of First Chop.
Vintage Fair, Manchester Cathedral, Friday 28 – Saturday 30 August, 11am, Free
Manchester Cathedral becomes home to a vintage spectacular, reviving the charm of bygone eras through clothing, accessories, furniture, collectables and trinkets from around 40 of the UK’s best vintage traders. You’ll also find live entertainment, a tea room, a fashion show, a beauty parlour and, above all else, a bar.
‘The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness’, HOME, Saturday 29 August, 6pm, £7.50
Concluding their ‘Studio Ghibli Forever and Ever’ series, a season of films from the acclaimed Japanese studio, HOME is showing ‘The Kingdom Of Dreams And Madness’. A rare fly-on-the-wall insight to one of the world’s most successful studios, the documentary follows Studio Ghibli as renowned director Hayao Miyazaki, producer Toshio Suzuki and the elusive ‘other director’ Isao Takahata race to complete two films.
MancsterCon, Salford University, Saturday 29 August, 10am – 5pm, £6
A festival of sequential art, ManchesterCon returns for its third year to celebrate the North West’s thirst for comic books, illustration, cosplay and video gaming. This year welcomes stalls spanning comics, magazines, jewellery and much more, along with talks and demos including a talk from Manchester School of Art’s Dr David Huxley, a cosplay armour workshop, a cosplay catwalk and a panel discussion on breaking into the comic scene. And if you want to carry on into the night, there’s also an after party at Fab Café.
Not So Secret Warehouse Bank Holiday Weekender, Salford, Saturday 29 – Sunday 30 August, £10 per day
Promising two huge parties across the weekend, Not So Secret Warehouse tests your bank holiday endurance with a bumper lineup boasting the widely-loved (and almost a decade old) London DJ collective Horse Meat Disco on Saturday, and ‘disco vigilante’ Late Nite Tuff Guy on Sunday.
Drunk at Vogue Mardi Gras Carnival Fiesta Party, Kraak, Saturday 29 August, 10.30pm – 4am, £6
Following the annual boat party earlier in the day, which is now sold out, you’ll be able to live it up at Kraak for a disco carnival extravaganza, where you’ll also be celebrating Drunk at Vogue’s last outing at Kraak before it closes.
Northern Art Carbooty, 1 Primrose Street, Sunday 30 August, 12 – 5pm, Free
Northern Art Carbooty returns this August bank holiday for another day packed with artists, designers, performances and workshops. Adopting the tried-and-tested car boot set up, Carbooty acts as a great, affordable way for local creatives to showcase their stuff, whilst also providing the people of Manchester with a unique day out.
Eighty Six, The Beagle, Sunday 30 August, 4pm - late, Free
Chorlton pub The Beagle has been living it up all month with their celebration of summer, SummerFest, which culminates at the end of August with a bash from the Eighty Six DJ collective. Along with a chilled-out Balearic soundtrack, expect Pimms, lageritas, seasonal guest beers and maybe, the terrace doors to be swung open to usher in those rays.
Night & All Dayer, Night & Day Café, Sun 30 August, 3pm, £6
Like some live music with your bank holiday? Night & Day’s got it covered in abundance with another of their famed all dayers, with nine live acts and a bunch of DJs playing throughout the day. One the sturdy bill there’s Britpop/shoegaze outfit Sulk, five-piece Hey Sholay and loads more.
Homoelectric Bank Holiday Showdown, Factory, Sunday 30 August, 10pm – 4am, £13.50
Returning for their annual Gay Shame Showdown, Manchester’s favourite cult gay party takes over the three floors of Factory with special guests Prosumer, Mark Seven and Shake Yer Dix, who’ll be going head-to-head with Homoelectric residents including one of the city's favourites, Will Tramp.
‘Weekend’, HOME, Monday 31 August, 6pm, £7.50
A collaborative effort from Sexuality Summer School at the University of Manchester and Manchester Prise, POUTfest is a showcase of LGBTQ films that draws to a close this bank holiday Monday. Luckily, you can still catch ‘Weekend’ before the festival bows out, Andrew Haigh’s 2011 portrayal of a drunken one-night stand that grows into something of much more consequence.
Sufjan Stevens, O2 Apollo, Monday 31 August, 7pm, £25
See out the busy, long weekend with some mellow music from indie-folk stalwart Sufjan Stevens, who heads to Manchester this August in support of his new album, ‘Carrie & Lowell’.
English Country Weekend at the Farm, Tatton Park, Saturday 29 – Monday 31 August, 12 – 5pm, Usual admission prices apply
Escape the fast-paced life of the city as the Tatton Park farm hosts a celebration of English country life. With an egg and spoon race, a tug of war, shire horse displays, sheep racing, sheep dog demos, dry stone walling demos, morris dancing, sweet stalls, ice cream and more, this one promises a slice of traditional English fun for all the family.
Pride, Friday 28 – Monday 31 August
And perhaps the jewel in the bank holiday crown is, of course, Pride, where Manchester gets its chance to show that its LGBTQ scene is absolutely thriving. Held over four days across the city, it’s become one of the biggest events of its kind throughout Europe – you can see our run down of everything that’s on, from the Ian McKellen-led parade to smaller events like poetry readings and cake baking competitions, here.