MHF 2026 | Guided Tours | Thurs 4–Sat 6 June
About this Event
Please note: each event listed is ticketed seperately, giving you the flexibility to book one or several sessions.
**Thursday 4 June, 11.30am–12.30pm: Wade in the Water: A Journey of Healing and Hope
This decolonial guided walk explores Manchester’s waterways and railways, uncovering their powerful connections to the city’s role in the transatlantic slave trade. Inspired by Robert Macfarlane’s Is a River Alive?, it invites new ways of seeing the landscape around us.
Wheelchair accessible (some cobbles).
📍Meeting Point: Barberelli Square, The Bridgewater Hall, Lower Mosley St, Manchester M2 3WS
**This event was previously listed in error to take place on Saturday 6 June, from 1.30 pm. Existing tickets will remain valid for the updated time and date. We apologise for any inconvenience.
Friday 5 June, 1.00pm–3.00pm: The Windrush Generation with Linford Sweeney
This powerful walking tour through Moss Side and Hulme uncovers the deep and often hidden connections between the Windrush generation, the cotton industry, and the transatlantic slave trade.
📍Meeting Point: Hulme Garden Centre, 28 Old Birley Street, Manchester M15 5RG
Saturday 6 June, at 12.00pm & 2.00pm: Behind the Scenes
Step behind the scenes of Manchester Central Library for a rare opportunity to explore hidden spaces usually closed to the public. Wheelchair accessible.
📍Meeting Point: Main entrance, Manchester Central Library.
Saturday 6 June, 13.30pm–15.30pm: Heritage in Action
Join us for a lively discussion accompanied by delicious Mancunian food*. Keisha Thompson (Legacies of Enslavement Programme, The Guardian) and Yussuf M’Rabty (This Is Us – Manchester Histories) will host a series of dynamic mini-panel conversations with heritage tour guides, artists, and historians.
📍Performance Space, Manchester Central Library.
Looking for the Civic Pride Guided Tour? Book
Looking for the Angel Meadow Tour? Book
These events are part of Manchester Histories Festival 2026. #MHF2026
Donation
These events are part of many free events programmed at Manchester Histories Festival 2026. As a small charity we truly welcome any contribution you are able to make. Suggested donations of £3–£10 help us continue our work with local communities, create imaginative and inclusive programmes, and sustain the Manchester Histories Festival in celebrating Greater Manchester’s rich and diverse histories and heritage. Every donation, whatever the amount, makes a real difference. Thank you for supporting us.
Accessibility
*Please be aware that refreshments provided for the Heritage in Action talk will be provided by the event host, who is committed to the highest food safety, hygiene, and quality standards. A range of plant-based options will be available, however, these cannot be guaranteed as fully vegan-certified due to preparation alongside other baked goods.
Please ensure that any dietary requirements or amendments are shared with us (contact details below) by Friday 29th May, 5:00pm.
Manchester Central Library is fully accessible. To help us make this event as inclusive as possible, we welcome you to contact us at least two weeks in advance regarding any specific access requirements, including BSL interpretation or other support needs. Thank you.
Email: [email protected]
Call: 0161 306 1982
Data Gathering
We may contact you after the event with an event feedback form. We’d really appreciate it if you could take a couple of minutes to fill it out. Your thoughts will help us improve future events and strengthen the case for more programmes like this.
Complete the feedback form for your chance to win some Manchester Histories merch and a copy of These Isles: A People’s History of England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales by the brilliant author Brian Groom — available to Manchester Histories Festival 2026 attendees only!
Where is it happening?
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
GBP 0.00
