Whether you’re looking for immersive family-friendly adventures, picturesque Easter train rides or city-wide musical festivals, Manchester’s first bank holiday programme of 2026 provides another diverse series of unmissable events across four days of blissful springtime relaxation.
Here are some of the best things to do over the Easter Bank Holiday Weekend.
Kick off the the first long weekend of the year at the National Football Museum, where a full programme of interactive activities runs across its various galleries.
Visitors can explore the new Head, Shoulders, Knees & Goals exhibition, test their skills in the Yard Ball arena and take on challenges including blind football and Sub Soccer, alongside creative workshops and family trails.
Over in Worsley, the idyllic RHS Garden Bridgewater opens the Easter holiday with an interactive seasonal mystery, set along a detective trail that winds through its beautiful grounds in bloom.
Follow clues scattered throughout the gardens to solve the case of the missing Easter eggs, with a cast of suspicious characters and puzzles to crack along the way. Each participant can pick up a detective pack filled with activities, ciphers and colouring materials, ending in a chocolate reward.
For a celebration of plant-powered food, fashion and lifestyle, head to Sugden Sports Centre this Saturday for the Northern Vegan Festival, bringing together more than 100 stalls under one roof for a full day of ethical eating, drinking and shopping.
Alongside street food favourites and sweet treats, the event features cookery demos, talks on animal welfare and sustainability, and a wide range of independent traders covering everything from skincare to crafts.
Standard entry is £5, with VIP tickets available for added perks including a goody bag.
Hosted across some of the city’s most iconic venues, Manchester Punk Festival is packing a whopping 140 acts into a weekend of anarchic live excitement for 2026.
With starring acts including the likes of Dead to Me and Laura Jane Grace, the festival spreads across spots such as Gorilla, YES, Rebellion and more.
Roll up to the Trafford Centre for another Gandeys big top spectacular set to infectious K-pop this weekend
This year’s K-Pop Dragon Circus blends high-energy choreography with classic circus acts, combining music, acrobatics and theatrical flair in a fast-paced family show, with multiple performances running daily.
All aboard the East Lancashire Railway this Easter weekend, where a family-friendly programme of activities runs alongside heritage rail journeys through the Irwell Valley.
Little ones can meet Peter Rabbit at Bury Transport Museum, with fairground rides, crafts, face painting and a small petting farm set-up throughout Easter,, while tickets also include a scenic return trip on a steam or diesel train.
For more star-hopping weekend wonder, blast off at Jodrell Bank, with another spellbinding schedule of activities, shows and trails for families to enjoy
Visitors can take on the Mission: Explore! trail across the site, get hands-on with creative sessions in Mission: Create!, and join Discover the Dish talks beneath the iconic Lovell Telescope (weather permitting), while the Space Dome hosts immersive screenings including Ted’s Space Adventure and breathtaking interstellar voyages.
- Words:
- Wolf McFarlane
- Published on:
- Fri 3 Apr 2026
Embark on an action-packed weekend of cosmic curiosity at the Science and Industry Museum, with a host of space-themed activities inspired by their new blockbuster exibition.
Families can try astronaut training challenges, design mission patches and explore life in orbit, while the headline Horrible Science: Cosmic Chaos exhibition offers an immersive journey through wormholes, moonquakes and deep space discoveries.
Entry to the museum is free, with exhibition tickets available separately.