If you’re yet to sort weekend plans, look no further. From flea markets in Ancoats to groovy Sunday Sessions in Piccadilly, here are some of the best free things to do in Manchester this weekend…
Calling all fans of Fleetwood Mac, Carly Simon, The Beatles, Carole King, 70s Folk/Rock, 90s Pop, 60s soul – this one’s for you.
Helen Bytheway, front woman and pianist from The Retrosettes, The Horse Puppets and The Bytheways (all who play at M&Ps regularly) will be playing solo for the early acoustic set at Matt and Phred’s this Saturday.
Expect an eclectic mix of classic pop songs from the 50s-present day, all played in Helen’s chilled out and rootsy style.
Take a walk from Ancoats’ Cutting Room Square this Sunday for a mooch round ReMarket’s FleaMarket.
This is the perfect place to peruse the stalls of second-hand clothing, vintage homewares and everything else in between.
End the week with a lovely, laidback Sunday session with the Freakout Collective at Piccadilly Central.
Whether you stay for an hour or for the whole duration, this is a proper good way to round off the week with a high.
- Words:
- Rhiannon Ingle
- Published on:
- Fri 6 Feb 2026
Head to Factory International this Saturday for the latest event in the Artists in Times of Upheaval series.
Attendees can watch a staged reading of Antonina – a play by award-winning Ukrainian playwright Tetiana Kytsenko. Antonina reflects on how war reshapes identity and transforms those who live through it.