10 fantastic things to do in Greater Manchester this autumn

Autumn is well and truly upon us now. The nights are drawing in, the weather is getting rather chilly and the trees are putting on their annual colourful displays.

While you may be thinking it’s time to snuggle up on the sofa and watch the latest episode of Strictly Come Dancing, there’s plenty of things to do across Greater Manchester this month, so don’t hibernate just yet. The evenings may be darker but that doesn’t mean you have to stay inside, instead grab a ticket for one of the many gigs taking place at venues throughout the city.

Or, pretend it’s summer again and head to Neighbourhood Festival on Oxford Road. For those who want to let their hair down and party, stop by the Oktoberfest celebrations in the city centre, which is celebrating its tenth anniversary.

READ MORE: Manchester Christmas Markets dates, times and locations confirmed for 2024 festive return

We can’t mention autumn and not talk about Halloween, and there’s no shortage of things to do this spooky season. Check out the inflatable monster trail in the heart of the city, or venture to the Trafford Centre for its ‘spooktacular’ light trail. Read on for more things to do this autumn.

Go to a gig

It’s a busy month ahead for the Manchester music scene, especially for the Co-op Live, which is hosting some big names. Pop-icon Janet Jackson will be taking to the stage at the start of the month, followed by antipodean rock band Crowded House. Ms Lauryn Hill and The Fugees are also playing a date at the venue, while Sum 41 will bring the angsty vibes to round off the month. For more details and to buy tickets, click here.

Over at AO you can catch gigs by Chris Stapleton, Alice Cooper and Becky Hill. Or, venture to one of the city’s smaller venues such as the Albert Hall, Victoria Warehouse and the Apollo.

Have an electrifyin’ time at the theatre

It’s one of the world’s most famous musicals with hits including Summer Nights, Greased Lightnin’ and You’re the One That I Want. Now you can immerse yourself in the world of the Pink Ladies and Burger Palace Boys at the Palace Theatre.

Grease is running from October 8 until October 19, promising a production which “brings energy, vitality and passion” to this iconic musical. A review from the Times praised it for having “glamour and grit” so expect a fresh take on the much-loved classic. Click here to buy tickets.

Head out on an autumn walk

Make the most of the colourful displays nature puts on at this time of year with a crisp autumn walk. There are so many places to go across Greater Manchester where you can see the changing leaves, from city-centre parks to quiet woodlands.

In the heart of the city, Castlefield always has stunning autumnal displays, while Sackville Gardens is another great spot to visit. For a magical woodland walk, head to Tandle Hill Country Park in Oldham, or take in the autumn views at Heaton Park.

Venue-hop at Neighbourhood Festival

Thought festivals were just for summer? Think again. On Saturday October 5 Neighbourhood Festival is taking place, hosted by 16 venues across the Oxford Road area.

Dozens of acts will be performing at the likes of the O2 Ritz, YES, the Albert Hall and Manchester Academy. Pales Waves, ADMT, Antony Szmierek, Bellah Mae and Brooke Combe are among this year’s headliners. There are still some tickets available, which you can get here.

Experience Planet Earth III live in concert

Give yourself goosebumps at the Planet Earth III Live in Concert at AO Arena on October 6, where you can watch breathtaking scenes from nature unfold before your eyes, alongside a soundtrack performed by a live orchestra. Footage from the latest series produced by the multi-award-winning BBC Studios Natural History Unit will be shown in 4K ultra high definition on a gigantic LED screen, transporting you across the globe.

This will be accompanied by a concert featuring a remarkable music score by Oscar winner Hans Zimmer, Jacob Shea and Sara Barone for Bleeding Fingers Music, performed by the City of Prague Philharmonic orchestra. Hans Zimmer and his team also worked in collaboration with Brit-winning and Grammy-nominated band Bastille for the music score and Mercury Prize Award nominated singer-songwriter RAYE. For more information and tickets, click here.

Party at Oktoberfest

Don your best Lederhosen or Dirndl and prepare to say ‘proust!’ as Oktoberfest returns to the city centre from October 10 - 12. This year it’s celebrating its tenth anniversary, so expect a proper party atmosphere.

Sackville Street will be transformed into a corner of Bavaria, with lots of tasty traditional food and steins upon steins full of Bavarian beer. Of course there will be live music, too. Tickets start from £10 and can be bought here.

Visit Manchester’s newest museum

From football to policing, Manchester is full of museums and now the latest edition has just opened its doors - The Museum of Illusions. Described as “one of the world’s most Instagrammable museums”, it has locations across 25 countries but Manchester is its first site in the UK.

It’s taken up residence in the former Sports Direct site on Market Street, although it couldn’t be anymore different. Inside you’ll find exhibits ranging from holograms and optical tricks to full-scale illusion rooms and playful mirror displays.

Dare to enter Manchester’s scariest Halloween experience

If you’re feeling brave enough, head to Diecast for a “truly nightmarish” experience this Halloween. It’s hosting Time to Die, two immersive shows which promise to “take horror to a whole new level” in the city. It will be based inside the Diecast creative neighbourhood, which is on Ducie Street.

Those who dare to step inside can experience The Die Is Cast and The Toymaker. The Die is Cast experience will involve a "Dice Master" who watches everyone's step as they fall deeper into his "gargantuan labyrinth of fear".

Meanwhile The Toymaker follows the "creator of monstrosities" who is after some new "spare parts". It’s worth noting that they both come with a very explicit warning that they are "extreme level scare attractions recommended for adults only, with a minimum age of 14 years and above". The experiences are running from Friday October 4 until Saturday November 2. There’s still chance to buy tickets, which you can get here.

Look out for monsters in the city

October means the spooky season is upon us, and the city is pulling out all of the stops to celebrate. Once again the iconic inflatable monsters will decorate Manchester’s rooftops so keep your eyes peeled for the colourful creatures who’ll be lurking all over the place, from the rooftops of the Arndale to Selfridges and Harvey Nichols. They’ll be installed from October 25 until October 31 and will even glow in the dark when night falls, creating a luminous trail through the city.

Over the weekend of Saturday, October 26 and Sunday, October 27, expected lots of spooky celebrations including a ‘massive monster music festival’, a fancy-dress challenge and a ‘hair-raising’ monster procession. This year it will even feature a brand-new monster: The Leech, stretching eight metres long, which will be seen dancing in St Ann's Square.

Follow a spooky light trail

Twinkling lights and illuminations aren’t just for Christmas as this October a new light trail will be launching at the Trafford Centre in time for Halloween, and it’s set to be ‘spooktacular’. Running from Thursday, 17 October until Sunday, 3 November, the immersive experience promises to 'captivate visitors of all ages this spooky season'.

The new trail will feature over 100,000 lights, and is filled with immersive installations that centre around a Skeleton Village theme. There will be laser beam displays, colourful projections and interactive installations. Tickets can be purchased via the Trafford Centre website.

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