24 February - 4 March 2012

On Saturday March 21st 2009, 4000 people came to the first Manchester Histories Festival (MHF) in Manchester Town Hall demonstrating an enthusiasm and interest showing the possibilities of this kind of collective event and of the wide popular appeal of discovering and celebrating our histories. All in all, about 1500 people helped make MHF and its educational projects, as well as those who came and enjoyed it.

We are delighted to announce that the second Festival will be held in 2012 from 24 February to 4 March. Further details and a new website will be launched towards the end of 2011.

To find out more information about MHF and how to get involved please use the contact page

Great Talks... Headlining the Festival was a packed program of inspiring talks on Manchester's past, from top historians, including broadcasters Michael Wood and Tristram Hunt, Haçienda DJ Dave Haslam, academic Sheila Rowbotham, football journalist David Meek, Manchester Confidential's Jonathan Schofield and many others. Between them they covered everything from city life to science, and from football to factories.
Exhibitions... Centrepiece of the Festival were the exhibition spaces in the rich architectural surroundings of Manchester Town Hall, which were packed with dozens of enticing displays on Manchester's past from 70 local museums, galleries, cultural institutions, historical societies and community groups, not to mention 40 Manchester schools and the city's universities.
Guided Walks... For many people, the best way to appreciate all that happened in Manchester is by exploring it for themselves. The Histories Festival featured a series of guided walks covering everything and everyone from John Dalton to Joy Division, with expeditions to uncover hidden stories in familiar locations across the city centre, shorter walks around the curiosities in and around the Town Hall and tours of the Ford Maddox Brown murals in the Great Hall.
And so much more! And that's not to mention archive films from the Northwest Film Archive, a brass band, ask an expert sessions, handling collections, costumed performers, folk music, a great big family sing along, family history sessions, The Portable Antiquities Scheme, a vintage bus and activities for all the family... And if there is a next time, we'll have even more!
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