Manchester Histories Festival 2026

Manchester Histories Festival returns for its 10th edition from Thursday 4 – Saturday 6 June, taking place in and around Manchester Central Library. The festival brings together artists, communities, academics and local organisations to celebrate the spirit of civic pride and explore the shared story of Manchester’s past, present and future.

This year’s programme is built around collaboration and participation, with a wide range of free events, workshops, talks and performances across the city.

A major highlight is Threads of a City: The Manchester Tapestry Project, a series of free workshops running throughout the festival where participants can contribute to a large-scale 26-panel tapestry capturing the people, places and histories that have shaped Manchester from 1853 to today. The completed work will be displayed at Manchester Town Hall before touring across Greater Manchester.

The festival opens on Thursday 4 June with Histories Slam, hosted by writer and performer Tony Kinsella, featuring 14 short stories from across the region—spanning the funny, unexpected, personal and extraordinary.

Across Friday 5 and Saturday 6 June, audiences can explore a programme of films, talks and guided tours, uncovering hidden histories, global connections and behind-the-scenes stories from some of the city’s most significant buildings.

Saturday’s Celebration Day transforms Manchester Central Library into a hub of heritage activity, with more than 40 stalls from local organisations alongside talks, tours, family activities, pop-up events and a heritage bus experience.

The festival also extends across the city on Saturday 6 June, including events at the John Rylands Library and Research Institute exploring Manchester’s historical narratives, an open day at the Phil Martin Centre in Moss Side and Hulme showcasing the Champs Camp Archive Project, and a special Heritage in Action panel at Central Library featuring voices from journalism and local history projects.