Guides
What's on
Where to go
See all

Guides
What's on
Where to go
See all

Manchester Medieval Quarter Festival at Chetham’s

Shekina Rose, Families Editor

Book now

Medieval Manchester Festival

23-24 September 2023

Always double check opening hours with the venue before making a special visit.

From ££3
Medieval Manchester Festival at Chethams
Book now

This September enjoy a special family-friendly festival in Manchester’s historic medieval quarter. Celebrate Manchester’s unique history and explore the fascinating story of Chetham’s Medieval Buildings, home to Chetham’s School of Music, Chetham’s Library and The Stoller Hall, which date back to 1421.

Organised by The University of Manchester and Chetham’s Foundation, this year’s Manchester Medieval Quarter Festival is set to be bigger and better than ever, with activities for people of all ages, including fascinating history tours, live music, film screenings, workshops, food and drink, and medieval entertainment. Prepare to be mesmerised by the jesters and stilt-walkers and the stunning sounds of Cathedral Choristers and a Manchester Baroque performance.

Be appalled and disgusted at the fantastically gruesome and wonderfully hilarious Horrible Histories performances taking place in the Stoller Hall and get involved with creative storytelling, puppetry and falconry. We also advise you prepare and plan for battle, as there will be a variety of competitive medieval games for the whole family to get involved with.

And did you know, the magnificent Chetham’s Library is the oldest public library in the English speaking world? Guided tours of the stunning library will take place throughout the weekend.

Book your tickets today for the Manchester Medieval Quarter Festival and experience a fun and different day out in Manchester, where the medieval meets the modern!

Accessibility

  • Relaxed

Where to go near Manchester Medieval Quarter Festival at Chetham’s

Manchester
Restaurant
Sampa

Sampa’s underground space is the perfect place to learn about both her new mind-expanding dishes and vintage sherries, reimagined for the late 2020s.

Northern Quarter
Restaurant
Sicilian NQ

Busy backstreet Sicilian restaurant in the Northern Quarter, serving up traditional dishes with well-executed vegan versions that more than match up.

Manchester
Restaurant
Maki & Ramen

Japanese sushi and ramen restaurant on High Street, Northern Quarter, founded by Teddy Lee. House-made noodles, eight-hour broths, plus sushi, donburi and vegan options.

Restaurant Orme
Manchester
Restaurant
Restaurant Örme

A hidden gem in the suburbs of Greater Manchester, serving high-level British small plates to a soundtrack of indie rock and roll.

The Abbey
Manchester
Restaurant
The Abbey

Historic Hulme pub with a very good live gig space, brought to you by the very capable team behind YES, Gorilla, Now Wave and Manchester Psych Fest.

Manchester
Bar or Pub
Pigeon Beer Wanderer

Pigeon Beer Wanderer brings wine-level ceremony to Manchester’s new “Beermuda Triangle”, courtesy of Joshua Lightfoot and his crack team of booze experts.

Image courtesy of Unitom.
Castlefield
Gallery
UNITOM Projects

The exhibition arm of Manchester indie bookshop UNITOM is a dedicated space for contemporary visual culture in the St John’s neighbourhood.

City Centre
Restaurant
Portfolio

Portfolio is a Champagne boutique on Manchester’s Bridge Street, offering a set menu of fine-dining small bites.

See all places

What's on: Families

Encounter Festival 2026
FestivalsLancashire
Encounter Festival in Preston

Preston comes alive with outdoor theatre, live music, dance and family-friendly creativity in one of the North West’s most joyful festivals.

Free entry

Culture Guides

Matt Spratt.
Music

Aphex Twin-endorsed electronica, an eight-hour organ marathon and the most exciting band in Ireland's current folk revival all feature this month.

Food and Drink in the North

Squeeze the most out of these final weeks of summer thanks to our mid-August guide to food and drink in Manchester and the North.

Theatre in Manchester and the North
Theatre

From intimate dramas to spectacular outdoor festivals, discover the North West performances worth adding to your diary.

Exhibitions

Summer isn’t usually a high point in the exhibitions calendar, but Greater Manchester’s small galleries seem to have made a pact to change that this year.

Emily Lloyd-Saini as Grace in Space and Harrie Hayes as Lieutenant Strong in Horrible Science
Family things to do in the North

Whether you’re after storybook theatre, museum wanderings or illusion-bending play spaces, there’s plenty to keep curiosity ticking through winter and beyond.

A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night
Cinema in the North

There's no shortage of great films out at the moment, whether you're looking for the latest blockbuster, that hot arthouse flick fresh from Cannes or a cosy classic.

See all guides