The Royal Air Force (RAF) will bring a Chinook helicopter to St Peter's Square in Manchester this weekend as part of a free event featuring interactive experiences, demonstrations and family activities. The event marks the finale of the RAF's nationwide Town Show tour.
Chinook display and activities in St Peter's Square
Taking place on Saturday, October 24 and Sunday, October 25, the event will give visitors the opportunity to get up close to an RAF Chinook display, meet serving personnel and discover the people, skills and technology behind the Royal Air Force today.
Military Working Dogs and their handlers will be among the attractions, and visitors will also be able to immerse themselves in operational scenarios through the RAF VR Experience. They can explore the science and innovation behind modern aviation with hands-on STEM activities, and test their teamwork, quick thinking and resourcefulness through a series of problem-solving challenges.
RAF personnel and career opportunities
Squadron Leader Rachael Collier, RAF Town Show spokesperson, said: "Manchester has an incredible aviation heritage, so it's a fantastic place to bring our final Show of the year. It's a city that helped build some of the RAF's most famous aircraft, and we're looking forward to showing people how much aviation and the RAF have evolved since then."
"The Chinook will certainly be hard to miss in St Peter's Square, but there's much more to the RAF than the aircraft. It's the engineers, technicians, intelligence specialists, logistics teams and people working in dozens of other roles who make everything possible. Whether you're interested in a career, passionate about aviation or simply looking for something different to do with the family, come along and say hello."
Throughout the weekend, serving RAF personnel will be available to answer questions about their experiences, training and career pathways. Visitors can explore opportunities across the RAF's Regular and Reserve forces, including roles in engineering, aviation, cyber, intelligence, logistics and other specialisms.
Manchester's aviation heritage and event details
Manchester is a fitting location for the finale of the 2026 Town Show series, having played a significant role in British aviation history. The city was home to pioneering aircraft manufacturer A.V. Roe and Company (Avro), whose most famous aircraft, the Avro Lancaster bomber, made its maiden flight from Manchester's Ringway airfield on 9 January 1941.
More than 80 years later, the aircraft and technology have changed dramatically, but engineering, innovation and teamwork remain fundamental to RAF operations. This weekend, The RAF Chef's Kitchen will showcase another side of life in the Service, with RAF chefs cooking live and offering visitors free samples of the food that helps fuel serving personnel.
The Manchester event marks the conclusion of the RAF's 2026 Town Show programme, which has taken interactive RAF experiences into 15 towns and cities across the UK. The event runs 10am until 4pm on Saturday and 10am until 5pm on Sunday. Admission is free, but visitors can register via Eventbrite.
