Manchester comes together to honour Arena attack victims eight years on

This Thursday, 22nd of May 2025, the city of Manchester will pause, not just to reflect, but to remember.

Eight years have passed since that heartbreaking night at the Manchester Arena, when 22 lives were stolen in an act of terror that shook the very heart of the city.

It was a night that left deep scars. Scars etched not just in the memories of those who were there, but across the entire community.

Children, parents, friends, gone, but never forgotten.

And as the city has done every year since, Manchester will once again come together in quiet strength and unshakable solidarity to honour those who were lost.

Remembering the victims of the Manchester Arena terror attack

This year’s commemorations are centred around the Glade of Light Memorial, a space carved out of the city’s centre for peaceful remembrance.

Located near Manchester Cathedral, the garden’s circular stone holds the names of each of the 22 victims, delicately engraved in white marble. Memory capsules,  deeply personal tributes created by their loved ones, rest within its core.

Throughout Thursday, the memorial will become a place for quiet reflection, where anyone is welcome to lay flowers, light a candle, or simply be present.

A place where silence speaks louder than words ever could.

Manchester Cathedral memorial service

Manchester Cathedral will open its doors all day to those seeking solace.

At three key moments: 9 am Morning Prayers, 1.10 pm Holy Communion, and 5.30 pm Choral Evensong, the names of those who lost their lives will be read aloud, one by one.

It’s a moment that brings together grieving families, survivors, and a community that continues to wrap its arms around them.

The Lord Mayor of Manchester, Cllr Carmine Grimshaw, Council Leader Bev Craig, and Chief Executive Tom Stannard will lay floral tributes on behalf of the city — small but significant gestures in a day filled with emotion.

At 12 noon, and again at 22:31, the exact time the attack took place, Manchester Victoria Station will fall silent.

Council Leader Bev Craig

For Council Leader Bev Craig, the anniversary is both a time of sorrow and a reminder of Manchester’s fierce resilience. “The 22nd of May 2017 attack was one of the darkest days in Manchester’s history,” she said.

“But its aftermath also showed the city’s remarkable solidarity and Mancunians’ refusal to give in to those who would seek to divide us. We will never forget those who were lost that day, their loved ones, those who were injured and everyone who was affected.”

Out of unimaginable grief has grown something beautiful, not closure, because grief doesn’t allow that, but connection, kindness, and a shared vow: to never let hate win.

So on this eighth anniversary, whether you visit the memorial, attend a service, pause at your desk, or light a candle at home — Manchester invites you to remember those lost to this tragedy.

To remember. To reflect. And to continue the quiet defiance that has come to define this extraordinary city.

We remember them. Always.