We Invented The Weekend

We Invented the Weekend festival is a massive, free, two-day celebration of all the cool stuff people do in their free time. The first festival will take place at Salford Quays and Media City from 3-4 June 2023. It looks set to be a brilliant new addition to Greater Manchester’s festival calendar.

The name refers to the fact that we did, indeed, invent the weekend here in Greater Manchester. Salford Lyceum director and workers’ rights activist Robert Lowes (also Sir Ian McKellen’s Great Great Grandfather) campaigned to win mill workers the right to leisure time on Saturday afternoons.

The festival will celebrate this big jump forward in quality of life with a weekend of free music, sport, dance, talks, food and drink, craft-making and live performances, with activities, shows and events for all ages.

Look out for events such as CBeebies Bedtime Stories LIVE, a junior art battle, free watersports, musical-themed boat trips, football training with MUFC, DJs, skate workshops, talks, and a lot more.