With Halloween and Bonfire Night just around the corner, we can officially start planning for the next big festive occasion. While talk of the ‘C’ word might be slightly early for some, many of the big events, shows and Christmas-themed activities are quickly getting booked up, so you might want to get your skates on.
Last month, it was confirmed that Manchester’s Christmas Markets would make a grand return to a number of locations across Manchester City Centre, following disruption to normal proceedings due the pandemic over the last two years. And while there will be no official Christmas Light Switch On , there will be plenty of festive cheers, sausages and gluhwein when the markets open on November 10.
We’ve taken a look at some of the events taking place across Manchester - for all ages - to give you a bit of extra time to secure tickets and plan for the festive season ahead.
Read more: Manchester Christmas Lights switch-on event WON'T go ahead this year
Winter Island at Escape to Freight Island
The UK's largest heated outdoor and indoor winter festival will return to Manchester this November and December with the return of Winter Island at the city's Escape to Freight Island. The venue's massive food hall and festival-inspired outdoor space will both transform into a "magical winter wonderland" launching from November 12.
The winter-themed event will feature a Christmas tree forest, festive traders and a pop-up market, plus, Christmas workshops, and seasonal food and drink from Freight Island’s regular traders including Lucky Foot, Burgerism, Mi & Pho and The Jane Eyre. Visitors can also expect DJs and live performances from Norman Jay MBE and Greg Wilson to DJ Paulette, and Crazy P, plus a special takeover from Flash at Pikes Ibiza.
Booking in advance is recommended to secure preferred dates and times for a table, while walk-ups are available but subject to availability.
Manchester Christmas Markets
The cornerstone of Manchester’s Christmas celebrations will return on November 10. The annual festive extravaganza will pop up at locations across the city and will stay open every day until December 22.
The main hub of the markets last year was at the "Winter Gardens" on Piccadilly Gardens which will return again for 2022. The full list of Christmas Markets zones have not yet been confirmed by the council, but are likely to once again include Market Street, King Street, Exchange Square, St Ann's Square and Cathedral Gardens.
Light events
Greater Manchester had built up quite the reputation for its variety of light shows, from huge sculpture displays at Heaton Park’s Lightopia and Glow at RHS Bridgewater, to the light trail as part of Dunham Massey’s Christmas event, there’s something for everyone and every budget.
As well as festive light spectaculars, there’s also spooky-themed lantern events like BeWILDerwood in Cheshire and the Chester Zoo lanterns for the whole family to enjoy. You can check out our full list of light shows here .
Miracle on Cross Street
Manchester’s ‘most festive bar’, will open its doors once again this festive season, bringing mince pies, mulled wine and cocktails to the city centre. Miracle on Cross Street will be open from November and is located just over from the Christmas Markets.
After three successful years in Liverpool, the pop-up concept landed in Manchester last year and went down a treat with visitors. As well as being decked out with tinsel and a Christmas tree adorned with baubles, Miracle on Cross Street will also feature stockings, snowflakes and candy canes. On arrival, guests will be treated to a mulled wine or Irish cream, plus as many mince pies as you can eat - or just stash away in your bag or stocking.
Miracle on Cross Street will open from Monday, November 14. Tickets cost £15 per person and include a 90 minute time slot.
Skate Manchester
Manchester's Cathedral Gardens will once again play host to a huge ice rink this year, as Skate Manchester brings its largest rink ever to the city. It opens as part of Halloween in the City this month but will be extended throughout the festive season.
Following the Halloween event, Cathedral Gardens will then transform into a 'winter wonderland' - with a 'dazzling' seven-metre tall Christmas tree replacing the Halloween monster installation and taking centre stage in the middle of a custom made ice path, which will hold an additional 30 skaters.
Tickets for Scare Skate are available now, with prices starting at £14.50 for adults and £12.50 for children, with discounted family, group bookings and season tickets also available. Students and key workers will also benefit with a dedicated discount.
Bar Hütte
The cosy wooden karaoke huts that pop up in the city in the lead up to Christmas are back again. Pitching up at Great Northern Square off Deansgate, they’ll arrive on November 9 and will be able to hire for up to eight people.
Slots of one hour and 40 minutes will cost £50 on Mondays and Tuesdays, then will jump to £60 for the rest of the week - including hire of the karaoke machines. The ‘Santa Claus Club’, meanwhile, is aimed at families, with a karaoke machine for one hour, free hot chocolate and colouring for the kids, and selfie opportunities with Santa himself, with bookings now open and ranging from £25 for two people up to eight in all.
Cockfields Christmas Experience
There’s plenty of family friendly activities and events taking place in Manchester this Christmas, one being the ‘authentic Christmas experience’ promised at Cockfields Farm. The place will be transformed into the 'North Pole' with children given the chance to explore the Elf Village, snuggle animals in Santa's cuddle corner and enjoy a private family visit to meet the big man himself.
They can visit the Reindeer Stables to meet Prancer and Dancer, listen to a Christmas story from the reindeer keeper and build their own reindeer. The event is running from November 26 and tickets, from £15 for adults and £35 for children, (£8 for under ones) can be booked online.
Festive Winter Fair at Victoria Baths
Browse the best makers from Manchester and beyond in the wonderful surroundings of Victoria Baths this November. For one weekend only, fifty specially selected stalls will be taking up residence in the building, offering a variety of handmade arts and crafts including artworks, jewellery, ceramics and edibles.
Meanwhile, the tearoom volunteers will be serving up sandwiches, cakes and hot and cold drinks - plus mulled wine and mince pies to keep things festive. If you’re interested in learning a bit about the building while you crack on with your Christmas shopping, there will also be a chance to join one of their guided tours.
The Festive Winter Fair at Victoria Baths takes place on 12-13 November. Prices include optional £1 donation towards the work of Victoria Baths Trust. Standard prices without donation are Entry £4/Entry & Guided Tour £9.
Backyard Cinema at Depot Mayfield
Manchester’s new immersive cinema experience will be showing a host of Christmas classics this winter, as it makes its debut in the city. The season of movies will kick off on November 16 at Backyard Cinema, the immersive cinema experience that is setting up shop on the roof of Depot Mayfield, its first residency outside London.
Among them will be yuletide favourites like Elf, Home Alone, Love Actually, The Holiday, The Nightmare Before Christmas, The Muppet Christmas Carol and Miracle on 34th Street. And to make the whole experience more immersive, guests will enter through magic doors and tunnels of trees constructed within ‘movie-grade’ sets.
Tickets cost £20 for adults and £10 for children 14 and under. It’s open from Wednesday to Sunday, from October 21 until December 4, and from Monday to Sunday, from December 5 until January 2, though it’s closed Christmas Day, Boxing Day, 27th December, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.
Read next:
- Exciting things to do in Greater Manchester this Autumn
- The festive lights events you can book now across Greater Manchester and Cheshire
- One of Manchester's oldest halls has reopened - six years after devastating attack
- UK's biggest outdoor and indoor heated Winter Festival returning to Manchester
- First look as Jason Manford transforms for Manchester panto debut
