Anyone down for a daytime rave and a BBQ food festival?

An Ardwick car park is to turn into a next-level club space featuring some of the biggest performers in music today.

PROGRESS will feature a series of open-air day parties from April until August across three venues in Ardwick – Progress, Square One and Cakebread Street. They will feature the likes of Shy FX, MK, Ross From Friends, Sicaria, East End Dubs, Georgia and Rossi.

Set across a mix of meanwhile-use sites and reinvented car parks, the programme’s organisers said its events will ‘span across electronic music and grassroots culture’ across three stages and with capacity for up to 5,000 people.

On Saturday (April 12), the most recent event will be P-rallel presents NeverMind, including a line-up made up of Oppidan, Ghoulish, Tommy Gold, Mattik, DJ Chaise and, of course, British electronic music producer and DJ P-rallel.

During the May Bank Holiday weekend there will be two ‘mega special’ events. On May 3, Subculture will be hosted by Shy FX and Stamina MC, alongside performances from TSU Takeover, Shadev and Babyface. On May 4, the Animal Crossing x Slapfunk event will take place at Progress and Square One.

Other highlights will include Chaos In The CBD and Friends on May 10 and a Freak Queer Rave on May 17. On July 5 and 6, Progress will also host the Fume Festival, which will feature BBQ cook-outs, live chef demonstrations, food stalls and live music and DJs.

“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,” Olli Ryder, Creative Director of PROGRESS, said.

“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.

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.

“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 ****ing it down.”

The summer calendar of events will also include appearances throughout April and July from the likes of Maceo Plex, Silva Bumpa, Megan Wroe, Fastlove, G33, Call Super, Francesco Del Garda, Joey Jackson, Christian AB, Bakey and Ben Elding. August events are to be announced in the near-future.

The full confirmed line-up and events are below, with tickets available here.

April

5th: Kolter Curates: Kolter – Janeret b2b Voigtmann – Burnski – Lola Palmer – Maclo

The Loft Afters

12th: P-rallel presents NeverMind: P-rallel – Conducta – Oppidan – Ghoulish – Tommy Gold – Mattik – DJ Chaise

18th: Franky Wah b2b Cristoph – Ben Elding

19th: Bubble Love presents: Bubble Love (Ross From Friends) – Sicaria – Bakey – G33 – DJ Perception – Do As You Please

26th: Cirque Du Soul: Dusky – Holl3/ Codes – Tyrer/ Xennex – More tba

May

3rd: Subculture – Shy FX & Stamina MC – TSU Takeover – Shade – Babyface – Shelly – Misschief – Soundscape

4th: Animal Crossing x Slapfunk (Progress & Square One) – Coast2Coast (The Ghost b2b Gene on Earth) – Peach – Dungeon Funk (Samuel Deep b2b Dungeon Meat) – Dr Banana – Ryan Elliott b2b Ogazón – Christian AB – Laidlaw b2b Tristan Da Cunha – Anna Wall

Bunney + The Loft Afters

Samuel Deep b2b DJ Senc – Mella Dee – Josh Tweek – Morgan

2StepBec – Joey Jackson – Motus – Big D _Ballyman

10th: Chaos In The CBD and Friends: Chaos In The CBD – Francesco Del Garda (special guest) – Paramida – Amaliah – Bobby Scallop b2b Sharples

17th: Freak Queer Rave – Call Super – JASSS – Dr. Rubinstein – Fastlove – Bollibubbles

24th: Homegrown (Square One) – Rossi. – Georgia – Phone Traxxx – Live – Pach.

25th: Maceo Plex Open Air: Maceo Plex + Full lineup TBA

31st: Area10 Presents: Marc Kinchen – Harry Collett – Jamie Aramayo – Urbi

Continental GT presents: Steppers Open Air + Full lineup TBA (Square One)

June

7th: Warped x 23 Degrees, Silva Bumpa Curates: Silva Bumpa – Papa Nugs b2b Oldboy – Jeremy Sylvester – Auramatic b2b DRIIA – Milion – Megan Wroe – DAISY – Macarite

July

5th & 6th: Fume Festival

26th: ExtENDed (Cakebread Street)