The University of Manchester celebrates 200 years with four-day Universally Manchester festival

The University of Manchester has announced it will be hosting Universally Manchester, a four-day festival to mark the institution’s 200th year.

60,000 people are expected to attend the university’s Oxford Road campus from Thu 6 Jun – Sun 9 Jun, where festivalgoers will be able to curate their own varied programme.

From behind-the-scenes tours to salon discussions, music, theatre, comedy, art, science poetry, wellbeing and more, organisers promise something for all ages and interests.

The festival will offer a different focus each day, with more than 150 events taking place in unexpected places across campus, including labs, concert theatres, outdoor spaces and the university’s award-winning culture hotspots Whitworth Art Gallery and Manchester Museum.

Universally Manchester will celebrate the University’s global impact; the world firsts, the life-changing discoveries, the music, art, science and creativity, all sparked in Manchester.

Several well-known figures from the University’s past, present and future will feature, with renowned physicist, award-winning podcaster and proud Mancunian Professor Brian Cox, and BAFTA-winning broadcaster, writer and historian Professor David Olusoga, the first to be announced.

It will also celebrate the here and now, creating a platform for current students and graduates to showcase their creativity and ideas.

Saturday will provide family-friendly fun with the return of the ever-popular Community Festival, with a lineup of insightful performances, have-a-go activities and an engaging experience for all.

On Sunday, Whitworth Art Gallery presents ‘The Carnival’, a one-day programme of live art performances – inside the gallery and in its gardens – with free activities for all ages, music and street food vendors. The Whitworth’s sculpture terrace will be transformed into a carnivalesque experience for one day only.

Sunday also includes a range of exciting events led by festival partners Manchester Histories Festival, offering a unique opportunity to explore the richness and diversity of Manchester’s heritage.