Manchester Events — What's On

Manchester's events calendar punches well above its weight for a city of its size — a reflection of a cultural infrastructure that includes some of the UK's finest venues, a world-class music heritage, and two Premier League football clubs that generate events and atmosphere on a scale few cities can match. Live music in Manchester means the Manchester Arena (one of Europe's largest indoor venues), the Bridgewater Hall for classical concerts, Albert Hall and Band on the Wall for everything from jazz to electronic music. Theatre is centred on the Royal Exchange — one of the UK's great theatre buildings — and the Lowry at Salford Quays. Manchester International Festival, held every two years, commissions new work from some of the world's most ambitious artists. Football, of course, gives Manchester's calendar its unique rhythm: Premier League matchdays transform the city, with pre- and post-match atmosphere that's hard to find anywhere else.