What’s on in February?
30 Jan 2026
Welcome to February’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
Public engagement community of practice
Are you interested in public engagement? Would you like to hear and share some inspiring ideas and practice? Do you want to network with other like-minded engaging people? Join our community of practice to share, learn and connect around the theme of creative practice.
- Book your place on Wednesday, 4 February 12.30pm to 1.40pm at 2.220 University Place, Oxford Road (in-person)
Sustainability Fair
Meet our sustainable suppliers, bag some free samples and find out how the University is supporting sustainability through its food offerings.
- Find us on Wednesday, 11 February 10am to 2pm at Nancy Rothwell Building
Our Library’s latest collections – and a chance to help shape future platforms
Fascinating materials from the 19th Century Stage, new spotlight features for our subject guides and work with us on Re:Collect.
- Get involved this February
Sustainability toolkit workshop
Discover an accessible, robust way to make sense of sustainability. Leave equipped with practical approaches you can apply immediately.
- Book your place on Wednesday, 11 February 10am to 4.30pm at Whitworth Hall
Research Data Conversations
Join us for a collaborative and conversational session with Zuzanna Zagrodzka on supporting Research and Researchers through the deployment of Digital Notebooks: A framework for implementation and impact.
- Book your place on Wednesday, 25 February 12pm to 1.30pm at Main Library, Ground Floor Seminar Room
Our cultural institutions
Manchester Museum
Sunday, 1 February (11am to 4pm) Choirs at the Museum
Wednesday, 4 February (12pm to 12.50pm) Introductory tai chi qigong sessions
Tuesday, 10 February (12pm to 1pm) Shared Reading
Tuesday, 10 February (12.30pm to 2pm) Islamic China: An Asian History
Friday, 13 February (10.30pm to 3pm) Finds ID
Tuesday, 17 to Friday, 20 February (10.30am to 4pm) Dino Den
Wednesday, 18 February (4pm to 9pm) Manchester Museum Celebrates Lunar New Year
Tuesday, 24 February (12pm to 1pm) Shared Reading
Whitworth Art Gallery
Thursday, 5 February (6pm to 7pm) Yuki Kihara: Darwin in Paradise Camp Curator Tour
Thursday, 5 February (6pm to 8pm) Re-Make/Re-Model: A Recoverist Listening Party
Sunday, 8 February (1.30pm to 4pm) Still Parents - Stretch & Sketch
Thursday, 12 February (6pm to 8pm) Delaine Le Bas: Un-Fair-Ground | Exhibition Preview
Saturday, 14 February (10am to 4pm) Muslim Women's Arts Festival
Wednesday, 18 to Thursday, 19 February (10.30am to 1.30pm) February Half Term Family Activities
Thursday, 19 February (6.30pm to 8.30pm) The Grey Area Writing Group and Book Club
Sunday, 22 February (1pm to 4pm) Still Care - Creative Journalling
Thursday, 26 February (6pm to 7pm) NCHS: Meditation in Nature – Delaine Le Bas
Thursday, 26 February (6pm to 7pm) Recoverist Curator: Curator Tour with Penny
Thursday, 26 February (6pm to 7pm) Performing Trees Exhibition: Curator Tour
Saturday, 28 February (2pm to 2.45pm) Yuki Kihara: Darwin in Paradise Camp Visitor Experience Tour
John Rylands Research Institute and Library
Throughout February: Printing Press Demonstration, Rare Reads and Rylands Discovery Tour
Our community
Religious celebrations and traditions
Imbolc (Wheel of the Year) Sunday, 1 February
Nirvana Day (Mahayana) (Buddhism) Sunday, 15 February
Mahashivaratri (Hinduism) Sunday, 15 February
Shrove Tuesday (Christianity) Tuesday, 17 February
Start of Ramadan (Islam) Tuesday, 17 February
Ash Wednesday (Christianity) Wednesday, 18 February
Start of Lent (Christianity) Wednesday, 18 February
Rohini Vrat (Jain) Wednesday, 25 February
Awareness days
World Cancer Day – Wednesday, 4 February
Time to Talk Day – Friday, 6 February
Lunar New Year – Tuesday, 17 February
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 March’s ‘What’s on?’ is 25 February. Any questions, just drop us an email!