What’s on in June?
30 May 2025
Welcome to June’s edition of ‘What’s on?’. Here you will find everything you can get involved in for free each month, ranging from cultural, extracurricular and celebratory events and activities.
Events
Universally Manchester Festival returns!
Join us for a jam-packed day of inspiring Bee Curious talks, hands-on science activities, creative sessions, performances, heritage tours, and the chance to meet with our staff, students and community partners.
- Find out more about the festival on Saturday, 14 June, 11am to 4.30pm
AMBS Festival of Business 2025
Building on the success of its launch last year, Alliance MBS have launched an even bigger and bolder 4-day Festival of Business to mark their 60th anniversary this year.
- Find out more about the festival from Monday, 16 to Thursday, 19 June
Festival of Libraries 2025
Join Creative Manchester’s Festival of Libraries for a series of workshops spanning Writing for Wellbeing, Blackout the Jargon, Crafting Connections and What’s in a Word, What’s in a Dictionary?
- Book your free places Wednesday, 4 to Saturday, 7 June at various locations
Open Research Conference 2025
This year’s conference will showcase the progress we’ve made, alongside contributions from colleagues across the UK, who are leading the way in embedding Open Research into everyday practice.
- Book your free place on Monday, 9 and Tuesday, 10 June
Fertility Awareness Event
As part of World Infertility Awareness Month this June, the Fertility Journeys Staff Network would like to invite you to their inaugural Fertility Awareness Event. Two sessions will cover ‘An Introduction to Fertility’ online and a ‘Meet & Chat’ in person on campus.
- Sign up by Monday, 2 June for the events on Tuesday, 10 June 11am to 1pm
Our cultural institutions
Jodrell Bank
All June: 80 Years of Jodrell Bank: Get Involved At Home!
Saturday, 7 to Sunday, 8 June: Create a Constellation
Manchester Museum
All June: Anindilyakwa Arts: Stories from our Country
All June: Silent Skies
All June: Highlights Tours
Wednesday, 4, 11, 18 and 25 June (12pm to 12.50pm): Introductory tai chi qigong sessions
Wednesday, 4 June (11am to 12.30pm): If Objects Could Speak
Wednesday, 4 June (6pm to 9pm): Khawaab Mahal and Absent Presence
From Thursday, 5 June: New Wild exhibition
Wednesday, 18 June (6pm to 7.30pm): Critical Conversations
Whitworth Art Gallery
All June: Małgorzata Mirga-Tas Exhibition
All June: Turner In Light and Shade Exhibition
Saturday, 21 June (11am to 4pm): Community as a Superpower: Refugee Week and Roma History Month celebrations
Various dates: Still Care project
John Rylands Research Institute and Library
Wednesday, 4 June (3pm to 4.30pm): Contemporary Gothic Reading Group: Susan Barker on her new novel, Old Soul
Thursday, 5 June (3pm to 3.30pm): Curator tour: The Secret Public LGBTQ Pop 1955-1985
Saturday, 7 June (11am to 4pm): Festival of Libraries: 125 Years of The Rylands
Thursday, 12 June (5.15pm to 7.30pm): Murder in Cairo: Solving a Cold War Spy Mystery
Thursday, 19 June (6.30pm to 8.30pm): A Queer History of Pop: Jon Savage in conversation with Emma Warren
Thursday, 26 June (2.30pm to 3.30pm): The Christian Brethren Archive: Chief Men Among the Brethren
Thursday, 26 June (4pm to 4.45pm): Collection Encounter: Christian Brethren Archive
Our community
Religious celebrations and traditions
Shavuot (Judaism) Sunday, 1 to Tuesday, 3 June
Hajj Day (Islam) Wednesday, 4 to Monday, 9 June
Waqf al Arafa (Islam) Thursday, 5 to Friday, 6 June
Eid al-Adha (Islam) Friday, 6 June
Pentecost (Christianity) Sunday, 8 June
Litha (Summer Solstice) (Wheel of the Year) Saturday, 21 June
Muharram New Year (Islam) Thursday, 26 to Friday, 27 June
Jagannatha Rath Yatra (Hinduism) Friday, 27 June
Sacred Heart of Jesus (Christianity – Catholicism) Friday, 27 June
St. Peter & St. Paul (Christianity) Sunday, 29 June
- Read more about religious celebrations our colleagues take part in this June
Awareness days
International Day of Yoga – Saturday, 21 June
Groups and societies
Book club
This month’s book is A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles. We will also recap To Kill a Mocking Bird by Harper Lee.
You don't even need to have finished the book (although there will be spoilers!).
Why not head over to our Viva Engage (yammer) group for more reading inspiration!
- Please contact Fiona.Lynch@manchester.ac.uk for the zoom link for Friday, 27 June 12.30pm to 1.30pm
Want to feature your event next month?
If your event is free and open to all colleagues at the University, you can advertise it here next month!
Submit your suggestion to uninews@manchester.ac.uk by 25 of each month to feature in the following month. Please send us a short description (max 30 words) and any relevant links you may have too.
Please note that we unfortunately cannot guarantee your submission will feature, but we will do our best to feature as many as we can.
The deadline to feature in July’s ‘What’s on?’ is 25 June. Any questions, just drop us an email!