This year marks 70 years since our Queen was crowned, making her the first British Monarch to ever celebrate a Platinum Jubilee. To mark the occasion, we’ve been given an extra bank holiday on Friday 3 June and the late May bank holiday has been moved to Thursday 2 June, which for many of us means a four-day weekend. To celebrate, there will be many events taking place across the UK and of course, Greater Manchester is no exception.
We’re rounding up some of the best events and activities in the region to help you celebrate Her Majesty the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, and to make the extra-long weekend one to remember.
1. Visit The Manchester Flower Show
Make for a blooming brilliant bank holiday weekend and visit The Manchester Flower Show. The annual event signifies the start of the summer with floral displays across streets, retailers, and businesses. See the city burst into colour with Manchester’s urban take on the traditional British flower show. Follow the floral trail of green installations, enjoy al fresco dining, special cocktails and even indulgent afternoon tea as you snap plenty of moments for your Instagram. The Manchester Flower Show runs from Thursday 2 to Sunday 5 June across the city centre.
2. Enjoy a retro bike ride and picnic with Didsbury Bicycle Hire
What could be more quintessentially British than a bike ride? This jubilee weekend Didsbury Bicycle Hire will deliver a retro Pashley bicycle to your door and will even pack you up a picnic to add to the experience. Soak up the sun and enjoy delicious sandwiches and sweet treats while exploring some of Greater Manchester’s stunning green spaces. When you’re done, they’ll even collect the bikes free of charge.
3. Raise a toast with a cocktail at The Edwardian Hotel
The Edwardian Hotel in Manchester has created two unique and delicious cocktails to celebrate the jubilee, and it would be rude not to try them on a bank holiday weekend! First up, The Library curated by Assouline will be serving up “Her Majesty’s Choice” which pays homage to Queen Elizabeth II. Rumoured to begin her day with a pot of Earl Grey tea, no milk or sugar, Her Majesty is also reported to enjoy an afternoon tipple consisting of two parts Dubonnet and one part gin, served with two ice cubes and a lemon slice.
Or, head to the hotel’s restaurant Peter Street Kitchen to try “The Palace Spritz.” Made using the Queen’s own gin, you can begin your dining experience with a spritz influenced by British summer flavours for the Platinum Jubilee. The Palace Spritz features a floral blend of Buckingham Palace gin, lemon verbena cordial and sweet elderflower liqueur, finished with Gusbourne Brut 2018. Both cocktails are available from Monday 30 May to Sunday 5 June 2022, make sure you don’t miss out.
4. Go back to the 1940s with The East Lancashire Railway
Why not travel back in time this bank holiday weekend? Climb aboard a heritage steam train and East Lancashire Railway and be transported back to 1945. From Friday 3 to Sunday 5 June, you’ll find themed activities, live music, vehicle displays (including a working Spitfire!) and a variety of stalls. Join in with dance classes and watch battle re-enactments throughout the four-day weekend. Plus, there’s the chance to attend a victory party on Saturday 4 June, from 7 pm until late.
5. Enjoy Classic Cocktails at The Hyatt Hotel
It would be rude not to have a tipple to celebrate the Jubilee and the long weekend. Luckily The Manchester Hyatt Regency Hotel have you covered. To celebrate 70 years of the reign of Queen Elizabeth II the hotel’s expert mixologists have created a selection of cocktails that perfectly represent each decade of the Queen's reign. We’re sure they royal family would approve, so make sure you give one a try.
6. Enjoy a Staycation at The Edwardian
There’s no better excuse for a staycation than a four-day weekend. So, why not celebrate the jubilee in style with an overnight stay at The Edwardian Hotel in a room fit for royalty? Use the long weekend to discover an award-winning hotel in Manchester’s vibrant city-centre, with culture, shopping and nightlife on the doorstep. Set in the iconic Grade II*-listed Free Trade Hall, The Edwardian Manchester blends British heritage with modern luxury – the perfect place to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee this summer. The essence of the building exudes through each space, with high ceilings, striking columns and spacious rooms from just £149 per person including VAT.
7. Fit for a Queen Weekend
Head to Sackville Gardens in Manchester City Centre for their Fit For a Queen Weekend celebration. On Saturday 4 June some of the biggest names from the 90s and 00s will be performing including Vengaboys, Cascade, Atomic Kitten and The Cheeky Girls. It’s the perfect excuse to become a dancing queen, show off your best moves and celebrate the jubilee in style. The event is for over 18s only with £1 of every ticket sold to be donated to the Friends of Sackville Gardens Association.
8. Enjoy a Street Eat in Rochdale
To celebrate the Platinum Jubilee Bank Holiday, Rochdale’s popular Street Eat festival is back and tastier than ever. With dozens of delicious dishes cooked by local restaurant chefs from a range of cuisines all for £4.50, activities and rides for children, a bar and musical entertainment, this is surely the most delicious way to celebrate the bank holiday. Enjoy your favourite Italian, Indian, English, German, American and Mexican dishes amongst others in the heart of Rochdale town centre. It’s the most mouth-watering street party in Greater Manchester. This free event will be held on at The Butts on Friday 3 June from 11am to 7pm.
9. Celebrate in Bolton
Bolton are pulling out all the stops to celebrate the Jubilee, with bunting, banners and of course a lighting display. From Thursday 2 June there will be celebrations across the region including a special Jubilee Concert held at Victoria Square in Bolton on Friday 3 June. This free event will celebrate 7 decades of music from the 1950s right through to the 2010s. Sing along to your favourite hits and be transported through time, celebrating every era of our Queen’s reign. The concert will run from 12 noon to 10 pm which gives you plenty of time to hit the dancefloor.
There will also be a picnic on Victoria Square on Saturday 4 June from noon until 6pm with a classical music concert to keep you entertained. The event will celebrate Bolton’s volunteers and community groups with traditional music from an orchestra and brass band.
10. Picnic in The Park
Friends of Clarence Park will be hosting a 1950’s themed picnic on Sunday 5 June with live music, entertainment and refreshments in Bury. This is a free event, and all are welcome with no need to book. Bring your own picnic lunch or grab a cream tea in the park’s café. Dress in 1950s style or in an outfit fit for a queen (or king!) for a truly royal day out.
11. Afternoon Tea at The Lowry Hotel
Celebrate the jubilee like royalty at Manchester’s luxury five-star The Lowry Hotel. The Lowry’s celebratory afternoon tea in honour of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee is stacked high with treats Buckingham Palace could only dream of. Running from Thursday to Sunday throughout June, except for the Father’s Day weekend, in the hotel’s River Restaurant.
Enjoy sweet treats including Morello cherry mousse with pistachio financier and Grué Nougatine and lemon curd Swiss roll served with Saint Clements jelly, lemon custard and crushed amaretti. Plus, there’ll be a scrumptious savoury sandwich collection and traditional scones to give your afternoon tea a royal seal of approval.
The Lowry Hotel’s Queen’s Jubilee Afternoon Tea is priced at £29.95pp for adults and £13.75pp for children. To book, visit The Lowry Hotel website.
12. Manchester Gin’s Pop Up Cocktail Garden
To celebrate the Jubilee Weekend and Manchester Flower Show, Manchester Gin and The Spirit of Manchester Distillery are taking over New Cathedral Street with a huge pop-up cocktail garden in collaboration with Harvey Nichols. Enjoy a summer-inspired drinks in a flower-filled oasis in the city The pop up garden will feature its own lawn, gorgeous floral displays, deckchairs and tables. So, sit back, soak up the sun and sip on a Summer Garden Spritz or enjoy a shady spot under the pergola with a specially crafted G&T. All drinks will be priced at £8 and the bar will be serving in the sunshine from 10am-7pm from Thursday 2 to Sunday 5 June.
13. Toast with a Cider
This bank holiday, make cider your beverage of choice at the Red Bank Cider Fete on Wednesday 1 and Thursday 2 June. Hosted at Grub Manchester, you can make the most of the extra-long weekend and toast to our Queen while drinking some of the best ciders in the UK curated by Hogan’s Cider. There’ll be a street food market, cocktails, DJs and pop up tasting events so you can truly celebrate in style. You’ll have access to an enormous range of ciders and everyone will receive a branded glass to take home to help you commemorate the special day.
14. Join the ultimate street party
We’re expecting to see a lot of street parties across Greater Manchester to celebrate the jubilee, but none will be quite as exciting as The National Lottery’s Big Jubilee Street Party at the AO arena. On Sunday 12 May, so a little after the long weekend, Jason Manford and Fleur East will bring together some of the biggest names in music including Kaiser Chiefs, Tom Grennan, Steps, Becky Hill, Heather Small, Calum Scott, House Gospel Choir, Nathan Dawe and Ella Henderson. The arena will be transformed into a stunning street party with lights, trestle tables and stunning decorations. Some of the tickets will be reserved for charities and community groups from across the North West.
A Platinum Jubilee isn’t something we get to celebrate every day. With a four-day weekend to fill with celebrations, it’s great that there is so much going on in Greater Manchester for everyone to join in. Hopefully, these suggestions will help you to have a royally good time and a weekend the Queen would approve of.
To view more events in Greater Manchester over the coming weeks, visit our What’s On page.
For more inspiration on things to do in Greater Manchester visit our blog page.