University of Manchester to host four day summer festival to celebrate 200th anniversary

The University of Manchester will celebrate its 200th anniversary by holding a four day festival in June this summer, which will be called “Universally Manchester”.

Over 150 immersive events will take place throughout, with talks from guest speakers such as physicist Professor Brian Cox and broadcaster, writer and historian, Professor David Olusoga.

Welcoming up to 60,000 people to its Oxford Road campus, the festival will take place on Thursday 6th June until Sunday, 9th June 2024.

via University of Manchester

Each day will have a different focus, including subjects such as music, medicine, physics and computing, and events will be held in the university’s hotspots, Whitworth Art Gallery and Manchester Museum, as well as in labs, theatres and outdoor spaces.

The three themes will run throughout, as the festival demonstrates the university’s commitment to creating a greener, fairer and healthier world, in support of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.

Universally Manchester seeks to acknowledge how the University of Manchester has a global impact, and how it has discovered world firsts in science and creativity. As well as celebrating the past, it will create a space for current students and graduates to show off their ideas.

Saturday will contain a return of the widely popular Community Festival, where festival goers will have the chance to take part in interactive demonstrations, live experiments, and music and drama performances.

via University of Manchester

On the Sunday, Whitworth Art Gallery will hold “The Carnival”, which is a day celebrating the art, culture and community held in Manchester and which will be held inside the gallery and its gardens.

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The Carnival will contain free activities for all ages and will have music and street food.

Also on the Sunday will be events led by Universally Manchester Partners Manchester Histories Festival, which will boast opportunity to explore the diverse nature of Manchester’s heritage.

Professor David Olusoga commented: “Universally Manchester will open the doors to our institution, shining a light on two centuries of history, and providing a platform to consider our future. I’m delighted to be part of this moment in our history.

“I’ll be taking part in a panel discussion exploring the history of history on television; also on that panel will be the great Michael Wood, himself a professor at the university. Another panel will address the complex, contested history of many of Manchester’s institutions, including the university, and their links to slavery and the Atlantic world. Come along, explore and be inspired.”

The festival is free to attend, and the full event lineup will be announced in April.

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Featured image via University of Manchester