Last Updated on 20 July 2026 by Colette
This year, the 2026 August bank holiday falls on Monday 31st August – which feels super late! The August bank holiday weekend typically signifies the end of the summer holidays and a return to normal for families. It’s the last bank holiday of the year before Christmas and one which we hope will be sunshine filled!
There’s loads going on for families in Manchester over the August bank holiday weekend so I thought I’d pull together a bit of a list of things to do so you can make plans! I’ll keep adding to this post as I find new August bank holiday events so do save it to come back to, and if you know of something I’ve missed, bob me a message and I’ll add it in!
Some of the things on the list are specific to the August bank holiday weekend and I’ve included those first, others are events which are happening through summer that also happen to be on over the bank holiday weekend and I’ve left those to the bottom of the list.
What’s on in Manchester this August bank holiday weekend?
Bolton Food and Drink Festival, Bolton Market – Friday 28th / Saturday 29th / Sunday 30th / Monday 31st August 2026
Leading local and regional chefs, cooking demos from culinary experts, artisanal market traders, live music and family entertainment are all on the bill for Bolton Food and Drink Festival 2026, taking place in Bolton Market and across local venues over the August bank holiday.
The UK’s biggest food and drink festival, now in its 21st year, takes over Bolton from Friday 28th to Monday 31st August and is completely FREE to attend.
Last year’s family programme included activities from s’mores toasting and messy play, to storytelling, arts and crafts and a bubble disco. Young chefs also tried Cook & Dine sessions and chocolate-making workshops, while a Teen Zone catered for older children.
Alongside the family fun, there are over 200 food and drink vendors serving cuisine from around the world, two live music stages featuring the likes of Liberty X and headline chef demos from fan favourite James Martin, with further names to be announced.
Families can make the most of their visit with help from official tourism partner, Visit Bolton – by downloading the free app for maps, event listings and tips to plan the perfect festival family weekend.
Bolton Food and Drink Festival is free to visit (though you’re going to want to make sure you’ve got a bit of money on hand as you won’t be able to resit all the delicious stalls and street food vendors)
You can find more Manchester food and drink festivals here.
Manchester Village Pride Festival, Manchester City Centre – Friday 28th / Saturday 29th / Sunday 30th / Monday 31st August 2026
After the uncertainty of 2025 and Manchester Pride entering a process of voluntary liquidation, Manchester’s LGBTQ+ community stepped up to reclaim Pride and formed the Manchester Village Pride CIC. Run by unpaid volunteers. Owned by the community. Back in the heart of Manchester’s Gay Village where it all began.
You can get all the details of what the Manchester Village Pride event will look like here!
Tickets for Manchester Village Pride are on sale now with various ticket options.
Raver Tots at Freight Island – Monday 31st August 2026
Raver Tots comes to Manchester for the ultimate indoor family dance party playing the best in house, garage and drum & bass.
The headline artists and performers have yet to be announced but you can expect a huge effects show throughout the event with dancers, performers, cold pyro, bubbles, festival sized confetti blasts, multi coloured lasers and lighting, parachute games, giant balloons, licensed bar and face painting!
Raver Tots events typically sell out so if you want in on this one, get it booked sooner rather than later.
Book tickets for Raver Tots priced from £16 per person.
Come to the Beach, Heaton Park – Saturday 18th July to Sunday 30th August 2026
The North West’s biggest beach lands at Heaton Park for summer! Arriving on Saturday 18th July and hanging out until Sunday 30th August, there’s a fun-filled family funfair with a giant beach area, complete with deck chairs, buckets and spades, children’s entertainment and character appearances at the weekend! Entry is free but charges apply to rides and on-site purchases. Keep an eye on Carousel Funfairs Facebook page for more information.
Farm Fest at Reddish Vale Farm – Saturday 1st to Monday 31st August 2026
This summer holidays, Reddish Vale Farm is bringing fairground rides, entertainment, popcorn, candyfloss and even a beach area with deckchairs to add to all the usual Reddish Vale Farm fun including small animal handling, tractor rides and outdoor adventure play. (Make sure you treat yourself to a Grandpa Greene’s ice cream while you are there too!)
Tickets for the Reddish Vale Farm Fest event must be pre-booked are priced at £12.50 for adults and £12.50 for children. In order to reduce the ticket prices and give the best value to families, fairground rides are no longer included in the ticket price. Ride tokens can be purchased on the day.
You can read more about Reddish Vale Farm here:
Reddish Vale Farm – Perfect for Under 5s
Below you’ll find a list of August Bank Holiday events that took place in Manchester last year but which have not yet been confirmed for 2026:
Peppa Pig Family Fun Day at Bury Transport Museum – Thursday 21st / Friday 22nd August 2025
Head down to Bury Transport Museum to meet Peppa Pig this summer – pick a time to suit when you book your tickets!
There will also be three fun fair rides for toddlers, face painting and craft activities included in your ticket price.
Book tickets for Peppa Pig Family Fun Day priced from £20 for adults and £17.50 for children (your ticket includes a ride on any train service on the day of your visit).
Festa Italiana, Cathedral Gardens, Manchester – No event confirmed for August bank holiday 2026
Festa Italiana is a free-to-enter weekend-long festival celebrating Italian food, drink and culture hosted in Cathedral Gardens, Manchester city centre from 12pm to 11pm over the August bank holiday weekend and I know this is high on Dave’s list of things he wants to do over the bank holiday – I’m just crossing my fingers for sunshine!
The Festa draws inspiration from the traditional festivals in Italy and features food and drink, mega movies, amazing art and a stellar selection of authentic live music as well as things for the kids to do too!
You can find out more about this free event here or follow Festa Italiana on instagram.
Find out more about Festa Italiana here:
Festa Italiana – What you need to know
Wacky Wellness Festival – Yoga Social Club and Louby Lou at Kargo MKT – Sunday 24th / Monday 25th August 2025
Join the team at Kargo MKT for The Wacky Wellness Festival hosted by Yoga Social Club & Louby Lou this August bank holiday weekend.
This event is free to attend but you must pre-book your space
The Halal Food Festival, Trafford Centre | No event 2026
The Halal Food Festival showcases Halal cuisines from all across the globe, including Asia, Africa, the Middle East and from the Western region too. Expect street food vendors, special guest chefs, influencers, your favourite Halal brands, live cooking demonstrations and entertainment for all ages.
Book tickets for The Halal Food Festival
The Greatest Showman at Tatton Park – Monday 25th August 2025
This August bank holiday, Outdoor Cinema bring The Greatest Showman to the stunning parkland of Tatton Park.
You are welcome to pack a picnic for your Outdoor Cinema experience however only alcohol purchased on site is permitted so don’t be trying to sneak any wine into your picnic basket!
Book tickets for The Greatest Showman at Tatton Park.
Jemima Puddle Duck at Ordsall Hall – Sunday 25th August 2024
Quantum Theatre return this summer with a brand new adaptation of the much-loved Beatrix Potter Tale, The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck.
“Prevented from hatching her eggs at the farm, foolish Jemima goes in search of a nesting place in the forest and soon she meets a charming ‘whiskered gentleman’ who offers her the perfect nesting place in his wood-shed.
But why is his wood-shed full of feathers and why is he asking her to collect the herbs for roast duck? Kip the farm dog fears the worst…”
Book tickets for Jemima Puddle Duck priced at £16 for adults and £11 for children. Family tickets are also available.
You can find more outdoor theatre taking place in Manchester this summer here!
Summer Country Fayre at the Farm, Tatton Park Farm – Saturday 24th / Sunday 25th / Monday 26th August 2024
Enjoy a weekend of traditional English fayre and fun at Tatton Park Farm this August bank holiday weekend. Expect a whole range of traditional country crafts, food and drink plus demonstrations and a daily programme of activities to take part in.
Book tickets for the Tatton Park Farm Summer Country Fayre
From Here to There: a trail for children at Dunham Massey – Thursday 4th July to Sunday 3rd November 2024
This year, including over the August bank holiday weekend, children are invited to take a journey through the historic house at Dunham Massey, accompanied by Speechly the Pineapple.
Pick up your Pineapple Passport from the entrance of the house, spot the suitcase stacks, and collect a stamp for your passport.
The trail is free to take part with no booking required. Standard National Trust admission charges apply.
Summer holiday fun at RHS Bridgewater – Saturday 20th July to Sunday 1st September 2024
There is so much to do at RHS Garden Bridgewater this summer with the new Great Garden Adventure with Shaun the Sheep.
Check out the full timetable of activities at RHS Garden Bridgewater here to find out exactly what is going on over the August bank holiday weekend! Most activities are included with garden admission (though some attract a small fee and need pre-booking) Garden admission is free to RHS members and children under 5.
Bright Lights, Big Fun at Trafford Centre – Friday 26th July to Sunday 1st September 2024
This summer, Bright Lights, Big Fun (previously known as Summer Daze) returns to the Trafford Centre outside the Great Hall with a 600 square metre beach and two splash parks!
Entry to this summer event costs £2.50 per person (if booked in advance) or £3.50 on the door (which is actually slightly less than last year!) Ride tokens are purchased separately and have the potential to change this from a very cheap day out in Manchester to quite an expensive one so if you’re on a tight budget, you’re going to need to stand firm on not adding extra rides or food.
King Pins, Trafford Palazzo – August bank holiday weekend
This August bank holiday weekend, with the weather set to be decidedly suspect King Pins offers you plenty of indoor entertainment with a state-of-the-art bowling and gaming experience.
King Pins is designed for all ages with a variety of activities on offer including 15 lanes of Ten Pin bowling, 4 lanes of Duck Pin bowling (a smaller version of ten-pin, with shorter, lighter pins), shuffleboard, ice free curling, batting cage, karaoke and arcade games galore, ensuring zero chance of bank holiday boredom.
To keep you fed and watered, King Pins’ full-service bar serves a huge selection of bottled and draught beers including beer from local Salford brewery, Seven Bro7hers, alongside a large variety of cocktails, alcohol-free options and homemade slushies as well as two independent food concessions – PLY, the iconic Manchester pizza pros, and Asian street food favourites Little Bao Boy, as well as its very own dessert kiosk, Royal Treats.
Book your King Pins experience. Ten Pin Bowling starts from £10 per adult and £8 per child (15 or under), Duck Pin Bowling starts from £8 per adult and £6 per child. Karaoke, the batting cage and ice free curling start from £16 and shuffleboard from £8 per 30 minutes.
What can I do with the kids in Manchester this August bank holiday weekend?
Hopefully this list has given you an idea or two but if you know of events I’ve missed, shout up and share the joy – leave a comment with some info and I’ll add it in!
For more stuff to do in Manchester, have a look at these posts next:
What’s on in Manchester for kids this summer holidays?
Free or cheap things to do in Manchester this summer
Where to go go karting in Manchester
Mini golf courses in Manchester
Where to go roller skating in Manchester
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Really useful round-up of Manchester family-friendly fun, Colette! Thank you for sharing. Gutted to haved missed the Peppa Pig Family Fun Day, my son would have loved that!