What’s on in October?
29 Sep 2025
Welcome to October’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
The Cultural Welcome: Explore the vibrant arts scene along Oxford Road Corridor
This special week of exclusive events offers a unique opportunity to discover museums, theatres, music venues, and galleries, all opening their doors.
- Book various events Monday, 6 to Sunday, 12 October at venues on Oxford Road
80 Years of Excellence: Celebrating Occupational Health at Manchester
Join an afternoon and evening of panel sessions and Q&A to celebrate the impact and future of Occupational Health at Manchester.
- Book your place on Wednesday, 1 October 1pm to 8pm at Hyatt Regency Manchester
Dreams of Peace and Freedom
Join the Manchester Quakers to celebrate the 75th Anniversary of the European Convention on Human Rights with a performance and creator Q&A.
- Book your place on Sunday, 5 October 2pm to 4pm at Friends’ Meeting House, Manchester
Sustainability events
The Environmental Sustainability team are hosting a series of interactive workshops teaching sustainability skills, approaches and decision-making.
- Book various free workshops in October
Digital Futures events
- Digital Trust and Security Seminar Series: Dr Chester & Dr Lane on Friday, 3 October 4pm to 5pm Online
- AI in Healthcare: Transforming the Future with Large Language Models on Monday, 6 October 1pm to 4pm at Christabel Pankhurst Building [Join waiting list]
- Lunch and Learn with Jennifer Cearns on Wednesday, 15 October 1pm to 1.30pm Online
- AI and Sustainability PHD workshop on Thursday, 30 October 1pm to 3.30pm at Nancy Rothwell Building
Our cultural institutions
Manchester Museum
All October: Anindilyakwa Arts: Stories from our Country
All October: Silent Skies
Wednesday, 1 October (1.15pm to 1.45pm): Collection Bites: The Weird and Wonderful Anatomy of Birds
Wednesday, 1, 6 and 15 October (12pm to 12.50pm): Introductory tai chi qigong sessions
Museum Meeple: Family board games
- Saturday, 4 October (2pm to 4pm)
- Saturday, 18 October (2pm to 4pm)
Wednesday, 8 October (6pm to 8pm): JAM (Jashn, Aashor, Mehfil) – A Celebration of Brown Solidarity
Tuesday, 14 October (12.30pm to 2pm): Collecting and Displaying China at the Oriental Museum
Wednesday, 22 October (6pm to 8.30pm): Remembering the Bengal Famine of 1943
Thursday, 23 October (7pm to 9pm): Manchester Literature Festival: Monica Feria-Tinta
From Saturday, 25 October: Triceratops: Eat, Roam, Repeat
Tuesday, 28 to Friday, 31 October: Create, fold and pop - your Triceratops awaits!
Wednesday, 29 October (4am to 9pm): Manchester Museum Celebrates Diwali
Whitworth Art Gallery
All October: Santiago Yahuarcani: The Beginning of Knowledge
Thursday, 2 October (6pm to 8.30pm): Yuki Kihara - Darwin in Paradise Camp Preview and Artist Talk
Sunday, 12 October (3pm to 3.45pm): Friends of the Whitworth
Sunday Concerts
Wednesday, 15 October (6pm to 7.45pm): The Wave of Light for Baby Loss Awareness Week
Sunday, 19 October (10.30am to 4pm): World Menopause Day 2025 - Visible and Vocal
Tuesday, 28 to Thursday, 30 October (1pm to 4pm): Afrocats x the Whitworth – Half Term
John Rylands Research Institute and Library
Friday, 3 October (2.10pm to 3.40pm): Collection Encounter: The Secret Public
Thursday, 9 October (5.30pm to 8pm): Community Playlist Live
Thursday, 23 October (7pm to 7.15pm): Mimi Khalvati: Rylands Poetry Reading
Our community
Religious celebrations and traditions
Dussehera (Hinduism) Wednesday, 1 October
Yom Kippur (Judaism) Wednesday 1 to Thursday, 2 October
Sukkot (Judaism) Monday, 6 to Monday 13 October
Simchat Torah (Judaism) Tuesday, 14 to Wednesday, 15 October
Dhan Teras (Hinduism) Sunday, 19 October
Chhoti Diwali/Narak Chaturdashi (Hinduism) Monday, 20 October
Diwali (Hinduism) Tuesday, 21 October
Govardhan Pooja (Hinduism) Wednesday, 22 October
Bhai Dooj (Hinduism) Thursday, 23 October
Samhain (Wheel of the Year) Friday, 31 October
Awareness days
International Quaker Day – Thursday, 2 October
World Mental Health Day – Friday, 10 October
Groups and societies
Book club
This month’s book is The Square of Sevens by Laura Shepherd-Robinson. We will also recap Unsheltered by Barbara Kingsolver.
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, 31 October 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 November’s ‘What’s on?’ is 25 October. Any questions, just drop us an email!