Charlotte Brontë & Elizabeth Gaskell Tour
Elizabeth Gaskell’s House 4 September 2026Discover the friendship of Elizabeth Gaskell and Charlotte Brontë on an exclusive guided tour with tea and cake included.
Alex Burns
Things to do this September
The weather has started to cool down, but the cultural calendar is heating up as we head into autumn.
September brings us another packed month of exhibitions, music, theatre, literature and live performance. There’s loads to get out and explore across the Corridor.
It’s a particularly special month for The Bridgewater Hall, which celebrates its 30th anniversary with a cracking new season of concerts, alongside new seasons from The Hallé and BBC Philharmonic. Three decades after opening its doors, the Hall remains at the heart of Manchester’s musical life, and September marks the beginning of another exciting chapter.
To mark the anniversary, we’ve also been looking back at the story of this landmark venue. Read Will Fulford Jones’s feature on 30 years of The Bridgewater Hall from our latest zine, exploring the people, performances and moments that have helped make it such an important part of the city.
Here’s what’s happening…
More things to do in September…
Manchester Psych Fest 2026
Multiple venues 5 September 2026With the final lineup now revealed and a record number of tickets already sold, only a very limited number of tickets remain available.
Jersey Boys
Palace Theatre Until 19 September 2026The boys are back as the original Tony®-winning sensation, Jersey Boys returns for its 20th Anniversary Tour.
Ecca Vandal
Manchester Academy 14 September 2026Ecca Vandal heads to Manchester Academy following summer appearances at Lollapalooza and a European tour supporting Deftones.
ShitKid
The Deaf Institute 14 September 2026ShitKid makes her Manchester debut at The Deaf Institute, reviving raw DIY punk cuts from The Essential (Vol 1) this September.
Karishma Jobanputra In Conversation
Blackwell’s Bookshop 16 September 2026Karishma Jobanputra discusses debut short story collection The Body of the Thing at Blackwell’s Manchester.
The Jayhawks
Manchester Academy 17 September 2026The Jayhawks celebrate 40 years of influential Americana with a special anniversary tour date at Manchester Academy this September.
The 5th Chapter
Contact 19 September 2026Celebrate five years of 0161 Studios with a hip hop dance theatre showcase featuring leading UK street dance talent.
Harlan Coben
HOME 21 September 2026Hear bestselling author Harlan Coben discuss his career, creative process and new book Plot Twist in an unmissable evening with Sabine Durrant.
Careering Through Astronomy
Royal Northern College of Music 22 September 2026Hear pioneering astrophysicist Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell discuss her career, discoveries and impact on modern science.
Liana Flores
Gorilla 24 September 2026Liana Flores pairs dream-like vignettes of her world with wistful guitar melodies, drawing on influences from folk and jazz to ’60s bossa nova.
Bull
HOME Until 26 September 2026Bull is a dark, gripping play exploring workplace bullying, power and survival, performed in a striking bilingual BSL and spoken English style.
BBC Philharmonic: Brahms Requiem
The Bridgewater Hall 25 September 2026Anja Bihlmaier conducts Brahms’ German Requiem and Boulanger’s Psalm 24 with choir, soprano and baritone.
The Tubs
The Deaf Institute 26 September 2026Jangly, sharp, and joyfully bleak—The Tubs bring Cotton Crown’s hook-laden indie brilliance to The Deaf Institute this September.
Karl Jenkins conducts The Armed Man
The Bridgewater Hall 26 September 2026Sir Karl Jenkins conducts The Armed Man alongside highlights from Palladio and Adiemus, with orchestra, choir and soloists.
6LACK
Manchester Academy 27 September 20266LACK heads to Manchester Academy this September with his atmospheric alternative R&B and hip hop sound.
Dirty Dancing
Palace Theatre Until 3 October 2026See the hit film come to life before your eyes with this fantastic, emotional and triumphant live stage show.
The Sixteen: Angel of Peace
The Bridgewater Hall 29 September 2026Harry Christophers conducts Angel of Peace, a timeless programme of sacred and contemporary music with works by Pärt, Hildegard, Taverner and Anna Clyne.
Performing Trees
The Whitworth Until 4 April 2027Performing Trees explores the changing role of trees in art, showcasing more than 50 works from the Whitworth’s collection.
Beneath the Great Wave: Hokusai, Hiroshige, and ukiyo-e print
The Whitworth Until 16 November 2026Beneath the Great Wave is the Whitworth’s first exhibition dedicated to Japanese prints in over 100 years.
Michaela Yearwood-Dan
The Whitworth Until 18 October 2026The Whitworth presents the first institutional show in the UK by Michaela Yearwood-Dan, a rising star in contemporary painting.
Elemental
Manchester Poetry Library Until 31 October 2026Jean Sprackland’s exhibition at Manchester Poetry Library explores Goyle, Chert, Mire, poetry, landscape, and language in the Blackdown Hills.
Human Natures
Manchester Museum Until 1 November 2026Explore Human Natures at Manchester Museum, a free exhibition on our relationship with nature, climate impact and sustainable change.
To See and Be Seen by Conor Collins
HOME Until 31 October 2026Inspired by the Queer Up North archive, Conor Collins explores queer identity, visibility and belonging through a powerful new body of work.
Hyundai Translocal Series: Entangled and Woven
The Whitworth Until 3 January 2027A landmark exhibition bringing together the textile traditions and contemporary practices of Korea, India and the UK.
Everyday Art School: Still Care
The Whitworth Until 18 November 2027Still Care is an exhibition developed in partnership with Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust working with bereaved parents.
Outdoor Drinks & Beer Gardens on Oxford Road
There are plenty of terraces and beer gardens to enjoy outdoor drinks in the sunshine around Oxford Road.
Green Spaces
Oxford Road Corridor has a number of historic parks and contemporary green spaces to enjoy.
Food and Drink on Oxford Road
The food and drink in Manchester is some of the best in the UK with many of the finest offerings found here on the Oxford Road Corridor.
Circle Square
Circle Square is an exciting multi-million pound, mixed-use neighbourhood, created on the site of the former BBC building on Oxford Road.
First Street
First Street is a vibrant neighbourhood between Oxford Road and Deansgate, it is home to a number of businesses and is a popular spot for food, drink and culture.
Society Manchester
Society Manchester is a glorious indoor and outdoor space in the very heart of the city, with several street food vendors to choose from and a range of high-quality drinks.
Where to stay
