The Manchester Flower Festival: Plan your Visit

• Saturday 23^rd – Monday 25^th May 2026, Bank Holiday Weekend

• Saturday 23^rd and Sunday 24^th May, 10am-7pm
• Monday 25^th May, 10am-5pm

The Manchester Flower Festival is the city’s annual floral celebration, transforming the city with fabulous floral displays, outdoor dining, talks, tours, workshops and family fun.

Event Highlights: 

• The Manchester Flower Festival Floral Trail, Exchange Street, St Ann’s Square and King Street - five professionally designed headline floral displays
• Ginnel Gardens, Exchange Street - a series of small, quirky gardens inspired by Manchester’s creative urban gardening
• The Conker Crew’s Urban Nature Play Stations, St Ann’s Square – children’s nature-based sensory mud kitchen 
• Talks, Tours and Workshops, across the city centre – a programme of talks, tours and workshops taking place across the Flower Festival (book via mcrflowerfest.com)
• Selfridges Exchange Square at The Manchester Flower Festival, Exchange Square – floral display, in-store DJ, pop-up florist, al fresco food and drink and family treasure hunt

• Festival Zone: Exchange Street, St Ann’s Square, King Street
• Selfridges at The Manchester Flower Festival: Exchange Square
• The Makers Market: Market Street

Click here to view the event map.

Make your way around the city’s shopping streets to discover the most beautiful and inspirational gardens and floral displays. There are five professionally designed installations to explore, all themed around Green Manchester - celebrating the city as a forward-thinking, sustainable and green destination.

1. FUTURE GREEN MANCHESTER

Inspired by: Piccadilly Gardens Redevelopment

Designer: Groundwork Greater Manchester

Location: Exchange Street

2. EXCHANGE IN BLOOM

Inspired by: The Beehives of The Royal Exchange

Designer: Adi Thomas, Verdure Floral Design

In Partnership with: The Royal Exchange Manchester

Location: St Ann’s Square

3. THE URBAN POLLINATOR GARDEN

Inspired by: People, Place and Nature

Designer: PLANT CIC

Location: St Ann’s Square

4. THE SKY GARDEN

Inspired by: National Trust’s Sky Gardening Challenge

Designer: Jason Williams, Cloud Gardener UK

Location: King Street

5. NATURE UNLOCKED

Inspired by: Castlefield Viaduct

Designer: David Jayet-Laraffe, Frog Flowers

Location: King Street

Click here to view the event map.

The Manchester Flower Festival is completely free and unticketed, just come along and enjoy.         

Some workshops and tours have associated costs and require booking, please visit mcrflowerfest.com for more information.

You can explore the event at your own pace. It typically takes around 2–3 hours to experience everything at The Manchester Flower Festival, you can visit as little or as much as you like.

Following public feedback, this year's festival has been thoughtfully redesigned around five headline displays, with a focused footprint across Exchange Street, St Ann's Square and King Street. By concentrating budget and resource into a smaller area, we're able to deliver large-scale, visually ambitious floral and horticultural installations.

The event is aimed at all ages.

The Conker Crew’s Urban Play Stations and Kids’ Bee Hunt are most suitable for children up to the age of 10.

There’s plenty for little ones to enjoy - colourful floral displays, The Conker Crew's Urban Nature Play Stations, a Family Bee Hunt and Free Family Gardening Workshop with PLANT CIC (Monday 25th May).

All areas of the event are wheelchair accessible with step free access. Paths are wide and accessible, but some crowded areas may require extra care.  

The event spans Exchange Square, Exchange Street, St Ann’s Square and Market Street. Streets feature a mix of paved and cobbled surfaces. There are no grassed areas within the event site.

Public seating is available on Exchange Square and St Ann’s Square.

Please keep in mind this event will be busy and in certain areas of the event there will be higher than average levels of noise.  

Accessible toilets are available in Manchester Arndale and M&S.   

Blue Badge parking spaces are available in the Manchester Arndale car park on High Street and Printworks car park on Hanover Street as well as designated on street parking bays .

Accessible toilets, changing places and baby changing facilities:  

• Manchester Arndale, Lower Ground Floor. Click here for more information. 

Accessible toilets and baby changing facilities: 

• M&S, Market Street, First Floor

All outdoor areas are dog friendly.

Yes, all areas of the event are pram friendly. Paths are wide and accessible, but some crowded areas may require extra care.

Yes, there are multiple food and drink vendors across the city centre, including cafés and restaurants on St Ann’s Square and King Street. 

Yes, picnics are allowed in public areas, but some indoor venues may not permit outside food. 

The Manchester Flower Festival is mostly outdoors, so bring suitable clothing.  

Yes, trained first-aid staff will be available at St Ann’s Square. 

The Information and Lost Child Point is located in the purple tent, on Exchange Street opposite The Royal Exchange Manchester’s reception.

Yes, photography and filming for personal use are welcome. Please be mindful of other visitors. 

• By Bus: Use TfGM’s journey planner.

• By Car: Parking is available at many locations across the city; the closest is Manchester Arndale. 

• By Metrolink: Nearest stops: Exchange Square, Market Street, and Shudehill.

• By Train: Information on train travel to and from Manchester.