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Family Days Out In Manchester

Garden displays at Dig the City, Manchester

Manchester Urban Gardening Festival by City Co. Photo © markwaugh.Net

This year, with a slew of new galleries, festivals and theatres signalling the start of a cultural renaissance in the city, a pilgrimage to Manchester should be high on your summer itinerary.

And with 11 of Travelodge’s value hotels dotted all around Manchester, including three hotels in the city centre, your weekend needn’t cost you a Damien Hirst diamond skull.

Here’s our pick of Manchester’s unmissable summer programme…

1. HOME

This ‘international centre for contemporary visual arts, theatre and film’ (try saying that three times fast) has followed up its May opening weekend with a packed programme of events, exhibitions and screenings.

Sundance Film Festival-favourite Listen Up Philip, in which Jason Schwartzman plays a misanthropic writer, is currently showing at the cinema.

But our tip would be to set aside a day for the two exhibitions.

Douglas Coupland art installation

Douglas Coupland’s everywhere is anywhere is anything is everything

Group show The heart is deceitful above all things is a mixed media exploration of love, heartbreak and revenge.

While Magda Archer’s #givemeeverythingandnothingbaby is an acid-bright print show that looks at our obsession with social media and self.

You’ll leave feeling very clued-up.

2. Manchester International Festival

This biennial arts and culture festival always makes for a fantastic two weeks.

It’s not just the fact that each of Manchester’s cultural institutions will put on extra special performances and exhibitions, it’s also the buzzy atmosphere as artists and art-lovers descend on the city centre for two weeks of celebration and showmanship.

It’s hard to pick a single must-see, but wonder.land (a musical scored by Damon Albarn and based on Alice in Wonderland) is sure to be brilliant.

Eye with spiral galaxy inside, part of Manchester International Festival

Age of Starlight, visual concept Peter Saville & Hemisphere. Photo © ESO P.D. Barthel

Beyond that, The Age of Starlight is a whole experience written by Professor Brian Cox, which looks at man’s origins and the future of the planet – deep!

3. Dig the City

For this city-wide celebration of plants, animals and fantastic food, Manchester plays host brings out colourful show gardens.

Family under trellis at Dig the City, Manchester

Dig the City. Photo © Phil Tragen

A family day out with a difference, Dig the City has al fresco dining, horticultural talks and workshops, and a whole programme of events to keep kids delighted without television or mobile games. They’ll be running around in search of creepy crawlies or trying their hand at nature art.

With pop-up meadows and allotments turning the city centre into a giant pleasure garden, it’s a great way to get inspiration for your own city plot.

4. Manchester Literature Festival

If you’re all about the books then be sure to keep an eye on the programme of September’s literature festival.

Already confirmed is literary giant Margaret Atwood (The Handmaid’s Tale, Cat’s Eye, The Blind Assassin) who will be discussing her forthcoming novel The Heart Goes Last.

Talks, special readings and workshops form the backbone of the festival, which also features a dedicated kids programme to spark young imaginations.

Come and see how much there is to do in Manchester!