The Super Duper Family Festival: THE ULTIMATE PLAY-CATION IS COMING TO MANCHESTER!

The Super Duper Family Festival
Manchester City Centre
15th – 18th February 2024
Instagram @superduperfamilyfestival
FREE
Website

THE ULTIMATE PLAY-CATION IS COMING TO MANCHESTER!

GET READY FOR THE SUPER DUPER FAMILY FESTIVAL AS MANCHESTER TRANSFORMS INTO A CITY-WIDE PLAY ZONE THIS FEBRUARY HALF TERM

Manchester is turning up the fun-o-meter this February with the launch of The Super Duper Family Festival- a brand-new four-day celebration filled with imagination, creation and free family-friendly activities that will transform the city into a giant, interactive playground. 

Taking place from Saturday 15th – Tuesday 18th February 2025, families can explore unique play zones scattered across Manchester’s most iconic spaces, each bursting with everything from giant mazes and steam-powered carousels to retro video games and family raves. With all zones completely free to experience, families will be able to escape the winter blues at a magical wonderland of play with no hassle, and pure playtime.

Supported by the city’s hoteliers, Manchester Accommodation BID, the festival has been created in partnership with Manchester City Centre Business Improvement District, Manchester City Council, Marketing Manchester, Aviva Studios (home of Factory International), Great Northern Warehouse and Printworks, aiming to show off some of the best locations in the city whilst sparking imaginations and creating incredible memories for families.

The family festival will feature six key zones across the city: 

The Garden

Where nature meets play! Featuring an 18m x 18m real hedge maze reaching a towering two metres, Exchange Square is the perfect place to get lost in play! Inspired by nature, this play zone will offer everything from street art by the mastermind behind the iconic MCR Monsters at Manchester’s Halloween in the City, Filthy Luker, to roaming performers like The Hedgemen, who will spring to life for the perfect photo snap! With garden games like “Find the Gnome”, exciting workshops by Clocktower Florist and stunning flower stalls, this garden is an urban oasis where nature and fun come together. 

Exchange Square, outside Selfridges

The Carnival

Step right up! The carnival is in town as St Ann’s Square transforms into a steampunk spectacle of old-school carnival games and modern-day madness. Complete with a traditional Victorian Carousel, side-show stalls with a mind-bending Hall of Mirrors, Test of Strength stand and maddening brain games by the Museum of Illusions, this play zone is filled with whimsical fun and industrial inventions! Don’t miss the Big Mob – a trio of giant, slinky tubes that you’ll have to see to believe (Sat and Sun only), plus enjoy circus skill workshops and games by Urban Playground for free family fun.

St Ann’s Square

The Playground with Waterloo Road

Hop, skip and jump into the ultimate school playground experience with BBC’s Waterloo Road, where popular schoolyard games come to life, bigger and better than ever before! Relive the joy of classic schoolyard fun with games like hopscotch, tig, giant chess, and giant snakes and ladders, or take part in a mini Sports Day featuring egg-and-spoon races and more.

Created and developed by play experts, Playful Anywhere, New Cathedral Street will be transformed with giant, colourful shipping containers, where families can experience the magic of Waterloo Road. Snap a photo in front of the iconic yellow lockers in the dressing-up area, where you can try on school blazers and ties from the show, or join the Waterloo Road Art Class for creative activities like designing your own locker or colouring your very own Waterloo Road stained glass.

Don’t miss the mini school disco and show off your talents in the schoolyard talent show. Whether you’re crafting, playing games, or showing off your moves on the dancefloor, this is one school day you’ll never want to end!

New Cathedral Street

The Arcade

Get ready to level-up your family day out because it’s GAME ON under Europe’s largest digital ceiling at Manchester’s Printworks! Families can step into the future and relive the past at this electrifying digital playground, featuring everything from retro arcade machines like The World’s Largest Pac-Man and the fast-paced Batak, to modern gaming on the giant screen using your phone in the chill-out zone. Whether you’re a 90s gaming champion or a first-time player, this play zone is a game changer!

Printworks, Withy Grove 

The Sports Hall

Find all your favourite sporting activities under one roof with four areas dedicated to racing, football, hockey, table tennis and more! The Sports Hall is where families can unleash their competitive, gaming spirit, and enjoy everything from funky football games in The Stadium to table tennis in The Ping Hub. But wait—there’s more! Head downstairs to the Alpine Lodge for some curling and air hockey fun or race your way to victory with Scalextric and a racing simulator in the Grand Prix zone. Don’t forget the trophy podium for your family’s winning photo. This place is an all-star, action-packed, sports-lover’s dream.

Great Northern Warehouse, Deansgate

The Party

Dance the day away in Manchester’s coolest venue and get ready for pop-up family parties, every day in the stunning Northern Warehouse of Aviva Studios. With world-class DJs, a pumping sound system, and dazzling lighting, this is the ultimate family rave. Don’t feel like dancing? Chill out in the drop-in lounge with dance-themed films, craft workshops, mini storytelling sessions and performances. It’s the party that keeps on giving, day and night.

Aviva Studios (home of Factory International)

Top attractions across the city centre are stepping up to make The Super Duper Family Festival an even more unforgettable experience with iconic venues like the National Football Museum, Stoller Hall, People’s History Museum and the stunning Castlefield Viaduct set to host their own exciting activities, adding even more magic to the weekend. Families can also dive into the thrilling launch of CBBC’s Operation Ouch: Brains, Bogeys and You at the Science and Industry Museum, promising a mix of hands-on fun and fascinating discoveries.

With so much going on around the city, hotels within Manchester’s Accommodation BID zone are making it easy for families to stay and enjoy a half term getaway with exclusive rates and tailored packages being released in the new year. From added perks to unbeatable discounts, families will be able to stay in the heart of the city for the duration of the festival. Plus, Manchester’s vibrant restaurants and shops are joining the celebration with tempting freebies, kids-eat-free deals, and special rewards, ensuring every moment is packed with delight.

Manchester Accommodation BID Chairman, Kumar Mishra said, “This festival is a fantastic opportunity to draw families into the heart of Manchester, showcasing the city’s vibrant culture, creativity, and its status as a world-class destination. With iconic attractions like the National Football Museum, the Science and Industry Museum, and the breathtaking Castlefield Viaduct, Manchester offers an unparalleled mix of history, innovation, and entertainment. By transforming the city into a playground of creative experiences and offering free fun for children of all ages, we’re not only celebrating the best of Manchester, but also inspiring families to explore, stay, and create lasting memories in one of the UK’s most dynamic and exciting cities.”

For further updates on this new event, visit the Instagram or Facebook page or website https://www.visitmanchester.com/super-duper-family-festival. 

ENDS

About the Manchester Accommodation BID

The Manchester Accommodation BID is a ground-breaking initiative led by the city’s hotel and serviced apartment providers to helping to create new events and additional activities that will attract more people to visit and stay in Manchester and Salford.

At its core, the Manchester Accommodation BID aims to deliver better visitor experiences and additional activity to drive more staying visitors. It allows Manchester to better compete in a global market and grow overnight visits at a time when an unprecedented level of supply is set to join Greater Manchester’s accommodation market, with an additional 6,000 confirmed new bedrooms incoming across the city-region in the coming years.

Manchester Accommodation BID activities are funded by the City Visitor Charge; a supplementary £1 Charge per room/unit per night for guests, added to final accommodation bills. The Charge is collected from all paid accommodation establishments that fall into the Manchester ABID zone.

Funds are used to: amplify marketing campaigns that drive overnight stays; help secure large-scale events, conferences, and festivals in low-season months; improve guest welcome and street cleanliness; and provide opportunities to futureproof the city’s growing accommodation sector and wider visitor economy.