The Manchester Day celebrations return this weekend with a big parade taking place across the city centre. The free family-friendly event will be held on Sunday (July 26) and will feature a theme dedicated to Barcelona, returning the favour after Manchester was chosen as the guest city at last year's La Mercè festival.
Event highlights and locations
The event will feature some of Barcelona's most respected artists and performers, as well as a host of local and independent creatives, musicians, and dancers through a series of events, workshops, parades and stage shows. Manchester Day will take over St Peter's Square, St Ann's Square, Exchange Square, Brazennose Street, Lincoln Square and Albert Square, which takes part in the event for the first time since the restoration of the town hall began in 2018.
Highlights of the festival will include the big Manchester Day Parade featuring damsels in distress, mischievous gnomes, a roaming dragon, and unicycling knights, as well as storybook-themed takeovers at Central Library and pop-up shows on St Ann's Square and a specially-created bike circuit on Brazennose Street.
Road closures on Sunday July 26
Due to the large-scale operation of the parade, a series of road closures will be in place throughout Sunday. Some roads will be closed between 11am and 3pm, and others between 11am and 4pm. Bus lane suspensions will also be in place, which may result in some bus journeys taking a little longer at peak time.
Sunday 26 July, 11am to 3pm:
Peter Street (Hall Street to Deansgate)
Mount Street (Windmill Street to Albert Square)
Deansgate (St Johns Street to Cateaton Street)
Sunday 26 July, 11am to 4pm:
St Mary's Gate (Exchange Street to Deansgate)
Market Street (Cross Street to Exchange Street)
St Ann's Street (Deansgate to Cross Street)
Cross Street (Corporation Street to Princess Street)
Princess Street (Cross Street to George Street)
John Dalton Street (Deansgate to Cross Street)
King Street (Spring Gardens to Cross Street)
Parking suspensions
Suspensions will include all loading bays and accessible parking bays and will be in operation from Saturday (July 25) at 9pm to Sunday (July 26) at 9pm on the following streets: Peter Street (Portland Street to Deansgate), Mount Street (Windmill Street to Albert Square), Deansgate (St Johns Street to Cateaton Street), Central Street (Southmill Street to Mount Street), St Mary's Gate (Exchange Street to Deansgate), Market Street (Cross Street to Exchange Street), St Ann's Street (Deansgate to Cross Street), Cross Street (Corporation Street to Princess Street), Princess Street (Cross Street to George Street), John Dalton Street (Deansgate to Cross Street), Clarence Street (Princess Street to Booth Street), St Mary’s Street (Southgate to Deansgate), Southgate (King Street West to St Mary’s Street), Museum Street (Peter Street to Windmill Street), Southmill Street (Windmill Street to Lloyd Street), Lloyd Street (Southmill Street to Deansgate), Dickenson Street (Portland Street to George Street), George Street (Princess Street to Dickenson Street), Cateaton Street (Exchange Square to Deansgate), St James’ Square (John Dalton Street to End), Booth Street (Cooper Street to Clarence Street), Kennedy Street (Cooper Street to Clarence Street), King Street (Spring Gardens to Cross Street), Queen Street (Deansgate to Lincoln Square).
Bus lane suspensions
In place from 7am to 7pm on Sunday (July 26) on Deansgate (St Mary’s Gate to John Dalton Street) and Princess Street (near junction with Cross Street).
Tram service alterations
A number of tram services are currently out of operation due to essential works. Trams will not run on the Eccles, Altrincham or Trafford Centre lines, whilst the East Didsbury line will only run to and back from Firswood. Tram replacement buses will be in place for those who would get the tram, whilst usual bus and train services, and the remaining Metrolink network, will run as normal.
