Celebrate women, girls and non-binary people with the first WOW -Women of the World Festival in Manchester.

Fresh from Festivals in Pakistan, Istanbul and Athens, WOW will be taking over Aviva Studios with inspirational activists, speakers and performers. Come and explore the bustling Marketplace, get stuck into a creative Workshop or have your say at our Conversation Station.

WOW is the world’s biggest, most comprehensive festival celebrating women, girls and non-binary people. To date, WOW Festivals have reached five million people in more than 45 locations across the globe on six continents.

The first ever WOW Manchester Festival is your chance to be part of the global movement and see world-class speakers, activists, musicians and comedians, including Australia’s first woman Prime Minister Julia Gillard, actors Maxine Peake, Sophie Willan and Zawe Ashton, author and former hostage Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, Manchester legend DJ Paulette, the Deputy Mayor of Kathmandu Sunita Dangol, broadcaster Gemma Cairney and author Chimene Suleyman. Come together with the people of Greater Manchester and beyond for three days of life-changing conversations, incredible performances and more.

You can also pop by the Social for a range of free events across the weekend open to the public – featuring WOW pop-ups, poetry, workshops and artwork. Listen in to WOW Bites or learn how to make dyes from natural ingredients.

There’s plenty to stumble upon, with a whole range of activity for young people including the famous WOW Bus, fresh from its six month UK tour.

WOW Manchester welcomes people of all ages, genders and backgrounds. Whether you’re a seasoned activist or dipping your toes into ideas about gender equity for the first time, WOW Manchester is for you.

• You need a ticket to access the main WOW Manchester day programme.
• Certain evening events require you to buy a separate ticket for that event, such as Mel B, Jordan Stephens and Sara Pascoe.
• You can still drop by to Aviva Studios that weekend and enjoy ourfree events and activities in the Social area but will need a ticket to access the WOW programme.
• Day tickets are available for Saturday and Sunday. Each day features a different line-up so take your pick, or bag a Weekend Ticket and come along to both.
• Kids under 12 can attend for free across the weekend.

Produced by Factory International and The WOW Foundation.

Please note, WOW events will cover a variety of topics, some that may address sensitive or adult themes. We ask that parents/guardians use their discretion when attending with children under the age of 14.

Supported by The WOW Foundation's Global Founding Partner Bloomberg.