The biennial arts event returns to Manchester in July – with a free animal parade, footballer art exhibition and giant bubble show among the highlights for families
The Herds is heading to Manchester for the MIF Festival on July 3, then on to Rochdale and Wigan(Image: Getty Images)
Manchester International Festival returns in July with a host of arts and cultural events across the city and wider Greater Manchester region.
And the good news for families is there are a host of events taking place that are suitable for younger audiences – and many of them are free to attend.
The big opening event at the biennial festival is set to be an epic moment in the city centre – as a herd of life-sized animal puppets will take to the streets.
The Herds will see a parade of animals, which have been journeying across Africa and Europe to make their arrival in the UK, stalk the city on Thursday July 3.
It will then head on to Heywood the following day July 4, and Pennington Flash on July 5.
Also taking place as part of MIF 2025 will be a huge new exhibition where international football stars have collaborated with acclaimed artists.
The Football City, Art United event has seen the likes of Manchester United star Eric Cantona team up with artist Ryan Gander, and fellow former Red Shinji Kagawa collaborate with artist Chikyuu no Osakana Ponchan on a new Japanese Manga cartoon images.
There will also be the return of Festival Square at Aviva Studios, an outdoor space with food and drink stalls as well as a series of free arts and music events taking place across the festival from July 3 – July 20.
Here’s a full breakdown of the events suitable for families at this year’s MIF.
The Herds
Thurs 3 Jul, 6pm – Manchester city centreFri 4 Jul, 7pm – HeywoodSat 5 July, 1pm – Pennington FlashFree to attend
Life-sized animal puppets are heading to Manchester(Image: Getty Images)
Transforming Greater Manchester into a breathtaking untamed spectacle to vividly dramatise the climate crisis, the hugely ambitious new public artwork The Herds will see life-sized animal puppets travel through the city region from 3 – 5 July.
The animals visit Manchester as part of an epic journey that began on 9 April in Kinshasa, and has travelled across Africa and Europe. It arrived in the UK this week, to stroll through London before heading north.
As the animals cross continents they have grown in numbers and species and by Manchester will include elephants, giraffes, antelope and lions, with some local species joining along the route.
For the opening event of Manchester International Festival 2025, on Thursday 3 July the displaced herd arrives in Manchester City Centre, set on interrupting an orchestral performance by Manchester Camerata.
Encounter The Herds as they scatter through the city, sweeping the music into their frenzy. Find yourself between Cathedral Gardens and Market Street, and you might just stumble upon them.
After opening MIF25 with a dramatic arrival in Manchester City Centre, The Herds abandons the bustling city for the residential streets of Heywood, Rochdale. Encounter the animals in the industrial shadow of Mutual Mills before they move to Queen’s Park in search of nature. Can they find a tranquil moment away from the city?
For the final stop on their Greater Manchester journey, The Herds find a fleeting refuge in the wild beauty of Pennington Flash Country Park. Visitors are invited to explore the park’s winding trails, pause in bird hides, and quietly observe as 70 lifesized puppets appear amid the trees and wetlands.
Football City, Art United
4 July – 24 August – Aviva StudiosFree entry for under 16s attending with an adult
One of the footballer art installations at Aviva Studios, from Stefano Boeri and Eduardo Terrazas x Sandro Mazzola(Image: Stefano Boeri Architetti)
From interactive play arenas and sound installations to manga and sculpture, Football City, Art United features newly-created artworks by 11 pairings of internationally renowned artists and footballers.
Together, they step into each other’s creative fields to explore what art and football can learn from each other.
The exhibition expands the worlds of art and football and the cultural contributions both make to our daily lives.
A wall of vertical video screens will showcase the journeys that the artists and footballers have been on to create the work, offering audiences a behind-the-scenes look into the making of the exhibition.
The starting 11 is:
Alvaro Barrington and Raí
Stefano Boeri, Sandro Mazzola and Eduardo Terrazas
Ryan Gander and Eric Cantona
Keiken and Ella Toone
Suzanne Lacy, Vivianne Miedema and AIi Riley
Jill Mulleady, inspired by Diego Maradona
Chikyuu no Osakana Ponchan and Shinji Kagawa
Philippe Parreno, Marco Perego and Carlo Ancelotti
Paul Pfeiffer and Edgar Davids
Bárbara Sánchez-Kane and Jorge Campos
Rose Wylie and Lotte Wubben-Moy
An Inheritance
4 July – 2 November – Manchester Art GalleryFree to attend
Manchester Art Gallery will host The Inheritance(Image: Manchester Art Gallery)
500 Year 5 schoolchildren from across Greater Manchester have worked together to present An Inheritance at Manchester Art Gallery (4 July – 2 November 2025).
The exhibition features a collection of objects, advice and knowledge as a gift for the children of Manchester 2125, and is an invitation to think about the legacy we leave behind and what it means to be a good ancestor.
Offering insight into what young people feel about the world we live in, the space also offers visitors the opportunity to add their own advice to the collection.
The project has been led by artists Andy Field, Beckie Darlington and Rosabel Tan, who spent over 18 months visiting schools in every borough of Greater Manchester to deliver a series of workshops to pupils.
Each school has contributed advice from the pupils and an item from the world we live in today for the children of the future, including a football, pot of honey and set of Uno cards. Across the schools, the children have also penned a letter to the young people of Manchester 2125.
Festival Square
Opens from July 4 – July 20 for MIF
Festival Square will be outside Aviva Studios for Manchester International Festival(Image: Mark Waugh Manchester Press Photography Ltd)
Weekend mornings on Festival Square are all about families, and as always Festival Square events and activities are completely free. Here’s the lineup of family events.
Sunday 6 July
Carlton Club presents: Manchester’s Little Artists, The Undercroft, 10am-12pm
Enjoy free and messy art workshops for early years with Manchester Little Artists.
Semi Peppered Sports Day, The Undercroft, 12.30pm – 1.30pm
Semi Peppered & Building: Bridges present a family-friendly Sports Day. Expect Egg & Spoon, Sack Race and the infamous 3-Legged Race – all set to some pumping tunes!
Saturday 12 July, 10am – 2pm, The Undercroft
Born to be Wild Child – Space Edition
Kick off Saturday morning right with a space themed party for all the family. Expect a rock n roll disco, arts and crafts, balloons, bubbles, parachute fun and games – all put together by Born To Be Wild Child.
Sunday 13 July, 10am – 12noon, The Undercroft
Our Kids Social
Join a free silent disco for the whole family with a live DJ, dance challenges, games and more
Join Our Kids Social for a silent disco that will keep the whole family entertained from start to finish.
With our headsets you get two channels of music to listen to: kids’ pop vs adults’ guilty pleasures. We guarantee there will be something to get you dancing and singing at the top of your voices!
Saturday 19 July, 10.30am – 12.30pm, The Undercroft
Playhouse Project
Billes as a unique daytime clubbing experience for the whole family, The Playhouse Project is for parents who miss their dancing days as well as the next generation of music lovers in our city.
Expect a soundtrack by La Presidenta – the Puerto Rican Princess and her 12-year-old son, DJ and broadcaster Dr. Cookie. Bringing tropical, Latin & Afro hip-shaking flavours, La Familia will get the whole family dancing.
Sunday 20 July, 10am – 12pm
Ray Bubbles: The Giant Bubble Show
An immersive and magical Giant Bubble Show for the whole family – blending science, art and storytelling
Billed as a captivating live performance by Guiness World Record holder and immersive soap bubble artist Ray Bubbles.