The best things to do in Greater Manchester in June

June is here, which means summer is officially here and there’s no shortage of things to do in Greater Manchester if you’re looking for ways to fill the long, sunny days ahead. Of course, summer is synonymous with festivals, and there are several to choose from this month – and not all of them are music-based.

Naturally, Parklife is the first that springs to mind and this year has some incredible gigs, including Doja Cat, who will be playing her first ever UK festival set. Meanwhile, Salford Quays will host We Invented the Weekend, which includes a range of free events and activities.

For those who prefer their festivals a little quieter, then the Festival of Libraries may be more suitable. This summer will also be huge for sport with the Euros starting this month, so make sure you catch some of the action on the big screen at Diecast or the Lawn Club.

READ MORE: The 12 Greater Manchester summer festivals you can still get tickets for

You can also get up close to some sporting action as the Tour of Britain women’s race passes through Greater Manchester on June 9. Or try out some dance moves at Aviva Studios for its first Street Symphony dance event. Read more for more things to do this month in Greater Manchester.

Attend a free festival

We Invented the Weekend returns to MediaCity and Salford Quays on the weekend of 15 and 16 June. The free festival promises to be “bigger and bolder” with over 200 activities on offer that won’t cost you a penny.

There will be music from funky disco group Secret Night Gang, DJ Paulette and Playhouse Project to name a few. The family-friendly event has plenty of activities for children too, including CBeebies-themed dance workouts hosted by Mr Motivator, while the BBC Philharmonic will transport you through different fairy tales.

Expect food stalls, independent traders including Melanin Markets featuring independent black-owned businesses; and even a cat walk. All events are free and mostly unticketed, although a small number can be reserved. For more details visit the site here.

Discover a new comedy

New arts venue Fairfield Social Club will host its comedy festival A Lovely Weekend from June 7-9. Both weekend passes and individual show tickets are available, and the weekend will open with a gala show on Friday 7 June hosted by Amy Gledhill.

Acts to catch include Edinburgh Comedy Award nominees Phil Ellis (Icklewick FM, BBC Radio 4), Olga Koch (Live at The Apollo, BBC One) Paddy Young (BBC New Comedy Award winner) and Chris Cantrill ( Avoidance, BBC One). Blackpool’s Tom Lawrinson (nominated for Next Up’s biggest comedy award), internet sensations Stevie Martin and Abi Clarke, plus Edinburgh newcomer Hannah Platt.

Single shows are £6, Saturday tickets are £30 and Sunday tickets are £20. A weekend is £45 and includes entry to the gala show (otherwise £10). For more information click here.

Watch a West End hit

West-End hit 2:22 A Ghost Story returns to The Lowry by popular demand from 4th June to Saturday 15th June. The edge-of-your-seat supernatural thriller stars Jay McGuiness (The Wanted, BIG! The Musical). , Rip It Up), Fiona Wade (Emmerdale, Silent Witness), George Rainsford (Call the Wife, Casualty) and Vera Chok (Hollyoaks, Cobra).

It’s fresh from the West End, which featured a number of guest star appearances. The play promises to be a fun and adrenaline filled night full of secrets and maybe a ghost or two.

The play follows Jenny and husband Sam as they host old friend Lauren and her new partner Ben for dinner one night, but something scary is afoot. 2:22 A Ghost Story has been a crowd pleaser, so it’s worth checking out if you can. Tickets available from £18.50, to book click here.

Embrace teenage angst at a concert

As always, Manchester’s music scene is thriving this month, especially now that Co-op Live is up and running. But there is a distinctive theme of teenage angst that runs through some of the concerts.

Rock band The Smashing Pumpkins, backed by Weezer, will be playing Co-op Live on June 13, and tickets are still up for grabs. Next up is James, who will perform a homecoming concert on June 14 at Co-op Live with special guests Razorlight. Tickets are available here.

Then on June 21, Green Day will play Emirates Old Trafford with support from Nothing But Thieves and Maid of Ace. Although sold out, there may be tickets available for resale.

At the other end of the sonic spectrum, pop sensation Troye Sivan will be at the AO Arena on June 22. There are still tickets up for grabs, which you can get here.

Throw some hip hop shapes

Aviva Studios, home of Factory International, will host its first ever Street Symphony on June 15 with a celebration of Hip Hop featuring dance workshops, competitions, demonstrations and music. Hosted by Groovanometry, a dynamic hip hop collective based in Manchester and led by Anton Phung, it offers free networking, followed by freestyling, music and networking over drinks and slices of pizza.

Groovanomtery will be joined by internationally acclaimed Manchester born Boom Bap and Breaks DJ KhanFu and Brooke – a globally recognized Popping and Locking dancer, artist and champion. The event is free to attend, but you will need to book a ticket to attend the workshops and presentation. The DJ, dance cypher and showcase will take place from 2-6pm, followed by music, social dancing and networking in the evening.

See the biggest names in music at Parklife

It’s the biggest event in Manchester’s music calendar as thousands of revelers descend on Heaton Park for Parklife. Taking place over two days on the 8th and 9th of June, Parklife is the UK’s biggest metropolitan festival, featuring some of the biggest names in the industry.

This year the lineup includes American rapper and singer Doja Cat, who will play her first UK festival set. There will be performances from pop icons Sugababes, Becky Hill and world-conquering DJ Peggy Gou.

You can also expect Four Tet, Anne-Marie and CamelPhat, along with many others in its various stages. Doors open at 11am on Saturdays and noon on Sundays. There are still tickets available, for more details click here.

Follow the top female cyclists

Watch some of the biggest names in women’s cycling pedal through Greater Manchester as the final stage of the Women’s Tour of Britain takes place on June 9. The inaugural race runs from June 6 to June 9, starting in Welshpool, Wales, and ending in Leigh, where the overall winner will be crowned.

Stage 4 – a 99km long – will depart from the National Cycling Center at 11.15am, with cyclists going anti-clockwise across the Ashton Canal and heading north-east to Oldham. It will pass through Shaw, Rochdale, Edenfield, Edgeworth and Horwich before reaching Leigh. The race will finish at Leigh Sports Village and riders will cross the finish line at around 2pm.

Party at a garden centre

For three days throughout the summer, Hulme Garden Center transforms into a funky festival with DJs, live concerts and food vendors. The first Green Island festival takes place on June 15, with further dates on July 27 and September 7.

Offering “a quiet sanctuary from a hectic urban lifestyle”, this year the festival will feature Senegalese acts Def Mama Def, dance music band Afriquoi and multi-instrumentalist David Walters. There will also be a hidden Selector Stage where they will play vinyl records through an elite sound system. Apricot Ballrooms record label is among those hosting ‘secret’ stage takeovers. And Warwick Street will feature a range of food and drink stalls, with traders to be revealed closer to the date.

Side events will be held at YES for late night parties. Tickets have already been snapped up for June, but keep your eyes peeled for any resales, while tickets for the afterparty are still up for grabs, as well as tickets for the festival days later in the summer.

Support the three lions

A summer of sport awaits us this year and it all starts with Euro 2024, which kicks off on June 14th and culminates with the final on July 14th. Gareth Southgate will once again lead England as they hope to bring home a win. for the men’s team for the first time in 57 years after the 1966 World Cup triumph.

This year, the championship is hosted by Germany, with matches taking place in various cities including Berlin, Munich, Frankfurt and Leipzig. England’s first match is scheduled to take place on June 16 at 8 p.m. Of course bars and pubs across Greater Manchester will be showing the games where you can cheer on the three lions.

While Mayfield Depot won’t host a fan park this summer, Diecast on Ducie Street will host a “fully immersive” experience for up to 3,000 fans. There will be multiple screens, light shows, DJs and more to keep you entertained before and after the game, with hospitality packages available. The Lawn Club at Spinningfields will also have its own fan zone, with a huge 13ft screen and capacity for up to 350 people.

Celebrate libraries

It might surprise you to learn that Greater Manchester boasts an impressive 133 libraries, from the tiny ones found in your local community to the magnificent Central Library, housed in one of the city’s most impressive buildings. All will be celebrated during the Festival of Libraries, which takes place between June 12 and 16.

The festival, supported by Arts Council England, will feature workshops, exhibitions, talks and more, held at libraries across the city-region. Highlights include an Inside Reader Services Team at John Rylands Library on 15 June and a creative science poetry workshop at the Portico on 14 June.

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