We Invented The Weekend Festival: A Mother And Son Day Out At MediaCity
- Jun 13
- 7 min read
We Invented The Weekend Festival
On Sunday, Leo and I enjoyed a day out at the We Invented The Weekend Festival at MediaCity and Salford Quays.
We first discovered the festival last year completely by accident. We had been to the Quay House Beefeater for a Father's Day meal and happened to stumble across some of the activities as the event was coming to an end. Although we only managed to fit in one of the free boat rides around the Quays, it was enough to make me want to return properly this year.
The festival took place across Saturday 6th and Sunday 7th June, but we already had plans on the Saturday. Alice was also feeling tired after a busy day out with me the day before, so she decided to stay at home. Leo was excited about having some one-on-one time together, so on Sunday afternoon we set off for MediaCity.
Getting there is easy for us by tram, although it does involve changing at Cornbrook. We arrived at around 12:30pm and immediately found ourselves surrounded by stalls, activities and entertainment. There was so much happening that I think Leo felt a little overwhelmed at first, so we headed somewhere familiar – The Lowry.
Exploring Play Street
One of the first areas we came across was Play Street, which was a huge space dedicated to creative play and imagination.
There were all sorts of activities taking place including double dutch skipping, skateboarding, chalk drawing and building challenges. Leo was immediately drawn to the U-Build area, where children could help create and explore giant wooden structures. The impressive construction featured climbing sections, hanging rings, tunnels and building stations where children could use mallets to hammer pegs into place. It was lovely seeing children of all ages working together, testing things out and using their imagination.
He also spent a long time exploring the Scrap Street Challenge. This creative play space was filled with loose parts, recycled materials, balancing stones, giant gears, hoops and chalk activities, encouraging children to create their own games and challenges. Leo happily moved between the different activities, examining unusual objects, experimenting with the giant gear tracks and tackling the balancing challenges. Because there was no set way to play, children were free to follow their own interests, and it was wonderful watching him become completely absorbed in exploring and discovering things for himself.
What I particularly liked about Play Street was how open-ended everything felt. Rather than being told exactly what to do, children were encouraged to explore, experiment and create in their own way. It was easy to see why so many families spent such a long time in this area.
After a while, Leo sat down for some snacks while I took the opportunity to watch part of Lowry Presents: (North) West End Live on the nearby plaza stage.
North West End Live
One of the highlights of the day for me was being able to watch some of the performances from North West End Live.
I was lucky enough to catch Liberty Stottor, best known for playing Jane Seymour in SIX, performing Heart of Stone. I also enjoyed watching Sam Buttery perform When You're Good to Mama from Chicago, Home from The Wiz and Don't Rain on My Parade from Funny Girl.
I would have loved to stay longer to watch more of the performances, including appearances from the cast of Disney's High School Musical, but by this point both Leo and I were getting hungry.
Lunch At The Lowry
At around 1:15pm we headed inside The Lowry to grab some lunch.
I had seen that children's meals had been available for £1 on Saturday and hoped the offer might still be running on Sunday, but unfortunately they had returned to their usual £5 price.
Luckily, both Leo and I spotted something we liked on the menu. We are both fairly fussy eaters, so finding something we both enjoy can sometimes be a challenge. We ended up choosing hot dogs and chips, which were very nice and exactly what we needed before continuing our afternoon.
Going Behind The Scenes At The Lowry
After lunch we joined one of The Lowry's free backstage tours, which turned out to be one of our favourite parts of the entire day.
The tour gave visitors the opportunity to explore parts of the building that audiences don't normally get to see. Staff and volunteers were stationed around different areas explaining how everything works behind the scenes.
One of the most interesting things I learned was that the Lyric Theatre stage backs directly onto the Quays Theatre stage, meaning it's possible to walk from one stage to the other.
Leo particularly enjoyed learning about the lighting equipment in the Quays Theatre. He was also given the chance to sing into a microphone that had been set up on stage and happily performed Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.
We even got to visit one of the dressing rooms, which was fascinating to see.
By the end of the tour, both Leo and I agreed it had been one of the best experiences of the day.
Watching Pirate Taxi
The tour finished just in time for us to head outside and watch Pirate Taxi.
Created by Pirates of the Carabina, the show combined live music, aerial circus skills, storytelling and comedy around a traditional London taxi.
The performers were incredibly talented, using aerial hoops, ladders and other circus equipment to create a truly memorable outdoor performance. It was one of those shows that immediately draws a crowd because people simply can't help stopping to watch.
Back To Play Street
After Pirate Taxi, Leo wanted to return to the U-Build area and spend some more time exploring.
He particularly enjoyed crawling through the tunnels built into the structure and using the mallets to help add pieces to the giant construction.
This ended up being one of his favourite activity areas at the festival and he happily played there for quite some time.
Missing The Bedtime Story But Meeting Bluey Instead
At around 3:15pm we headed back into The Lowry hoping to attend the final CBeebies Bedtime Story session of the day.
Unfortunately, we discovered that the session had already started earlier than advertised. We were told this was because the queue had become so long, although I never found out if that was definitely the reason.
Leo was understandably disappointed as he had been looking forward to it.
Thankfully, I was able to cheer him up by reminding him that Bluey would be appearing later.
When we headed outside, an announcement informed everyone that Bluey would no longer be appearing on stage and would instead be meeting visitors near the CBeebies sign by The Lowry entrance.
A very large queue quickly formed.
Luckily, we managed to join near the front. Leo was finding the wait a little difficult, but he was determined to meet Bluey.
When his turn finally arrived, he was absolutely thrilled. Afterwards he told me it had been his favourite part of the entire day.
Crafts At The Lookout
After meeting Bluey, we headed up to The Lookout where there were free craft activities taking place.
Leo coloured in an owl picture and created a rainbow craft using a paper plate, streamers and colouring pens.
It was a much quieter environment than some of the busier festival areas and gave us a chance to slow down before heading home.
What Else Was On At The Festival?
Although Leo and I managed to fit a lot into our afternoon, there was so much more happening across MediaCity and Salford Quays that we simply didn't have time to see everything.
Across the weekend, the festival featured live music, sports activities, talks, art workshops, creative sessions, wellbeing activities, boat rides, food stalls, markets and family entertainment. There were also performances and activities from organisations including The Lowry, BBC, IWM North, RHS, English National Opera, Walk the Plank and many local community groups.
Looking back, I think we could easily have spent the entire day there and still not experienced everything on offer. The programme was packed with activities across MediaCity and Salford Quays, giving families plenty of opportunities to create their own unique day out based on their interests.
That is one of the things that makes We Invented The Weekend Festival such a fantastic event. No two visits are likely to be exactly the same, and with so much happening throughout the weekend, there really is something for everyone.
Would We Visit The We Invented The Weekend Festival Again?
Absolutely.
What I enjoyed most about the We Invented The Weekend Festival was the variety of activities on offer. Within a single afternoon we were able to watch live musical theatre performances, explore backstage at The Lowry, enjoy outdoor circus entertainment, take part in creative activities and meet Bluey.
Most importantly, Leo had a fantastic day.
The festival manages to combine arts, culture, family entertainment and community activities in a way that feels welcoming and accessible for everyone.
We finally left at around 4:50pm to catch the tram home, tired but happy after a wonderful day out together.
If the We Invented The Weekend Festival returns next year, we will definitely be planning another visit.
At a Glance
📍 Location: MediaCity and Salford Quays, Greater Manchester
🎟️ Cost: Free entry
👨👩👧👦 Best For: Families, children, community groups and anyone looking for a fun weekend out
🍔 Food & Drink: Food stalls and cafés are available across the festival site. There are also plenty of restaurants, cafés and family-friendly dining options around MediaCity and Quayside.
🚋 Public Transport: Easily accessible via the Metrolink, with MediaCity and Harbour City tram stops both within walking distance. The festival is also well served by local bus routes.
🚗 Parking: Nearby parking is available at Quayside MediaCityUK and other car parks around Salford Quays.
♿ Accessibility: The festival site is largely step-free and designed to be accessible for a wide range of visitors.
⏰ How Long To Allow: Half a day to a full day, depending on how many activities you want to experience.
🌐 More Information: Visit the official We Invented The Weekend website for future festival announcements and programme details.
⭐ Our Favourite Activity: The Lowry backstage tour.
👍 Would We Recommend It? Yes – a fantastic free festival with something for all ages.
More Information
We Invented The Weekend is a free annual festival held across MediaCity and Salford Quays, bringing together live entertainment, family activities, workshops, creative experiences and community events.
If you're looking for a fun family day out in Greater Manchester, it's definitely worth keeping an eye on future festival announcements. With so many activities taking place across the site, it's easy to spend anything from a few hours to a full day exploring everything on offer.
From creative play spaces and live performances to backstage tours and character appearances, there really was something for all ages to enjoy during our visit.
You can watch the official festival trailer below and visit the We Invented The Weekend website for the latest news and information about future events.
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