The Great Northern hosts a diverse, delightful summer of free family entertainment

This month, The Great Northern presents a summer of free and endlessly fun family activities for kids of all ages, from indoor table tennis tournaments and drop-in play sessions to mesmerising nature trails and an enormous sandpit in the square.

Running every Wednesday from 12-4pm throughout the rest of August, The Great Northern’s delightful Summer of Play series takes over the sprawling outdoor sandpit for drop-in child-led entertainment led by an onsite Play Specialist, promising the perfect afternoon out for little visitors with over fifty tonnes of sand, wooden longs and buckets and spades for everyone.

Newly revamped for 2024, the child-friendly Creatures of Cottonopolis Nature Trail transforms the city centre into an urban oasis with a vast array of bird-watching opportunities, free-play spaces and even a selection of edible plants to discover. Grab your free trail map and the self-service collection point outside Little Northerners and head into the concrete jungle for a unique school holiday adventure.

Ideal for pre-schoolers but open to all families, the Little Northerners play space welcomes restless visitors for a day of free activities inside the warehouse every Friday from 11am to 3pm.

On Sat 24 Aug, The Great Northern hosts a free and fully inclusive event in celebration of Family Pride. Guests can enjoy a fabulous view of the main parade while taking part in a dazzling variety of all-ages activities, co-curated by Proud 2 B Parents in support of LGBTQ+ parents and carers. This year’s distinctly Mancunian theme, ‘Buzzin’ to be Queer – A Hive of Progress’, recognises the unity and resolve of the local queer community, reflecting on the incredible work of groups around the city and major steps taken to expand and secure inclusivity for all.

Open every day from nine ‘til nine, The Great Northern Ping Hub invites visitors to try their hand at table tennis across four free open-play tables and three larger match courts for seasoned veterans to hone their skills or face off against one another. Click HERE for the full events timetable.

For more information, head to The Great Northern website.