Manchester's PROGRESS has announce its summer party series.
The team behind the open air dancefloor, has grown from repurposed cut-through between two warehouses into a prominent fixture on the North West dance scene, are also expanding with two new spaces: Cakebread Street and Square One.
Utilising reinvented car parks and what the team describe as "meanwhile use sites" in Ardwick, the outdoor venues overlook the city centre and will host high profile and grassroots electronic artists alike. Maceo Plex, Ross From Friends as Bubble Love, Conducta, Call Super, Amaliah, Dr Rubinstein, and Sicaria are among the artists confirmed.
Events begin this Saturday 5th April with Kolter curating a daytime party at PROGRESS. Further into the calendar, Franky Wah brings Ibiza progressive house institution SHÉN ahead of its White Island season at Chinois, and drum & bass session Subculture stops by with Shy FX and Stamina MC, TSU Takeover and more.
Elsewhere, highlights include a huge May Bank Holiday Block Party collaboration between Manchester's Animal Crossing and Dutch crew SlapFunk on Sunday 4th May. Coast2Coast (The Ghost b2b Gene on Earth) Peach, Dungeon Funk (Samuel Deep b2b Dungeon Meat), Dr Banana, and Ryan Elliott b2b Ogazón are among those set to play.
Chaos In the CBD will also host a launch party for their album, 'A Deeper Life', and Rossi brings Homegrown, with MK, Continental GT, and East End Dubs all confirmed for dates between now and July.
“In a time where nightlife is under real pressure from all sides — rising costs, closures, and cultural dilution — we’re standing firm with pride and purpose, reimagining what club culture can be. There’s a raw energy back in the air, something DIY, rough and ready, but with a renewed focus on sound, experience and quality. It feels like we’re reconnecting with the very roots the scene was built on," said Creative Director Olli Ryder.
"We’re proud to be part of the story Manchester is telling right now: one of resilience, creativity and community. Through bold, expansive programming, and working with artists and promoters on every level — local, national and international — we’re building something that feels both accessible and ambitious," he continued. "The kind of open-air magic that used to mean a plane ticket now happens right here, in the heart of the city. The summer is yours. Even if it’s pissing it down."
Last week, a new multipurpose indoor venue opened in central Manchester, renae, incorporating a record store, studio spaces, upstairs club and pop up book shop. In 2024, DJ Mag visited local heavyweight Finn to check out his studio and learn more about his story.