From behind-the-scenes tours at the Science and Industry Museum and cult cinema screenings at HOME to Odyssey-inspired reading clubs at The Portico and daring aerial cirucs at Lowry, here’s our rundown of the best things to do around Manchester this week.
Still obsessing over The Odyssey? Head to The Portico Library this Tuesday for a special edition of the team’s popular Slow Reading Clubs, in which guests are invited to explore Tennyson’s Ulysses and The Lotus-Eaters in a laid-back, casual setting, guided by The Portico’s Creative Producer and cultural historian, Dr Debbie Challis.
As part of Manchester Fashion Week, which lands in the city from Wednesday, Castlefield Gallery will be hosting the free-to-enter exhibition, Interwoven: Threads & Futures Connected.
A collaboration between the British Textile Biennial, Manchester Fashion Week, Castlefield Gallery and artists Pippa Eason and Nick Booton, the exhibition traces the journey from fibre to garment and includes a collaborative work made by more than 270 young people from schools across Manchester and Salford.
A daring new circus show rooted in the art form’s vital elements of trust and communication heads to Lowry in the latter half of the week.
Told through virtuosic acrobatics and intricate choreography, the show weaves together moments of confusion, hilarity, romance, fear and friendship, mimicking the everyday relationships we have as human beings.
The Dresden Dolls return to Manchester for a night of piano-led punk, cabaret theatrics and a generous helping of typically flamboyant disorder, taking over Albert Hall with a performance of their hit album, Yes, Virginia (Tailor’s Version).
Kicking off a week-long programme of city-wide events this Thursday, the first-of-its-kind Manchester Jewellery Week spans exhibitions, talks, walks, workshops and evening socials. See the full list of upcoming events below.
After selling out the first, Reuben Solo has added a second show at Fairfield Social Club on Fri 11 Sep. The show is a brand-new version of his last tour, Someone in this crowd will betray me, in which the anarchist comic plays with the very idea of crowd work to make something deviant and magical all at once.
This Friday, André Rieu heads to Co-op Live with his Johann Strauss Orchestra for an evening of romance, old-school showmanship and all the usual, lavish orchestral spectacle of his globally renowned live shows.
Sicilian NQ will be giving diners the chance to win an array of prizes throughout autumn, with one lucky winner bagging a three-night stay in Sicily.
Anyone dining and ordering a main at the restaurant throughout September will be given a scratchcard. They can then return to Sicilian NQ in October to scratch their card and reveal a guaranteed prize. Alongside the top prize of a holiday to Sicily, diners could win a round of drinks on the house, money off their meal, or even their entire bill for free.
The Science and Industry Museum is inviting visitors to uncover Manchester’s remarkable past as it celebrates this year’s Heritage Open Days with a weekend of free special events, offering behind-the-scenes access, rarely seen archive material and transport-themed arts and crafts.
The programme is inspired by this year’s Heritage Open Days theme of ‘Everyday Histories’, shining a light on the people, places, companies and innovations that helped shape Manchester and changed the world.
Forming part of the Royal Exchange’s Exchanging Stories series, join award-winning stage and screen actor David Threlfall and award-winning director Matthew Dunster for a special conversation about their longstanding connections with the iconic theatre and their collaboration on the upcoming production of King Lear, which arrives this October.
- Words:
- Bradley Lengden
- Published on:
- Mon 7 Sep 2026
Throughout autumn, in partnership with BFI, HOME hosts Rip It Up, a film season that explores the changing face of youth rebellion, culture, and expression. As part of the programme, the venue hosts a screening of the British avant-garde cult classic, Nightshift.
Nightshift was shot on a low budget over five nights at the Portobello Hotel in West London, where filmmaker Robina Rose frequently worked. Punk rock icon Jordan is a captivating presence as the hotel receptionist, while prominent figures from London’s countercultural underground appear as the hotel’s eccentric guests and the soundtrack comes courtesy of Simon Jeffes of the Penguin Cafe Orchestra.