It has been revealed that Manchester city centre will be getting into the Christmas spirit with a series of festive Sunday events in the city centre. From November 13, there will be six consecutive Sundays of sparkling street performances to delight families in the run up to Christmas.
Commissioned and produced by Manchester Business Improvement District (Manchester BID), on behalf of the city centre’s retailers and hospitality venues, in partnership with Manchester City Council, Festive Sundays will see roaming puppets, supersized penguins and illuminated bands take to the city’s main shopping streets, every Sunday from 13 November through the last weekend before Christmas - December 18.
The events will complement Manchester’s already impressive lineup of seasonal events including the Christmas Markets, which return on November 10, and the ice rink over at Cathedral Gardens. It is hoped the events will also create a fun and festive atmosphere for those doing Christmas shopping or those enjoying Manchester’s bars and restaurants.
Read more: Trafford Centre announce Christmas with Paddington Bear Grotto new for 2022
Jane Sharrocks, Manchester BID Chair and General Manager of Selfridges Exchange Square said: “Our festive roaming performers were a such huge hit with visitors last year, that we’re delighted to be able to build on this for 2022, with six consecutive Sundays of enchanting events."
Councillor Pat Karney, Christmas spokesperson for Manchester City Council, added: “Christmas in Manchester is going to be magical this year with the city’s streets and squares stuffed full of free entertainment and things to see and do to get everyone in the Christmas spirit. We’ve also got an extra special seasonal surprise that we’re keeping under our Christmas hats at the moment but that promises to be a spectacular festive first for Manchester. Watch this space – it’s going to be a cracker!”
The first two Sundays, November 13 and 20, will see an array of themed roaming performances around the city centre’s main shopping areas, including a roaming Snow Globe, Living Lampposts, Mirror Men, Snow Fox Stilt Walkers, Penguins, Crumpet the Elf, Fat Cat Brass Band – and Spark! light-up band, which combines LED lighting with beautiful costumes, choreography, and high impact drumming. The events will take place 1-7pm on Sunday, November 13, and 12-7pm on Sunday, November 20.
On November 27 and December 4, families can enjoy an illuminating early evening, with enchanted Ghost Caribou - a street act with giant creatures, part caribou, part human who tell their story through music, song, and shadow - and the band will also be back. Both events will take place 4-7pm at St Ann’s Square and Deansgate.
The final two Sundays will see Christmas Crackers, Sugar Plum Fairies, Toy Soldiers and a Fairy Mouse taking to the city’s streets, with Sunday 11 December also including an extra special festive first for Manchester. This event will take place at intervals throughout the afternoon at the Arndale, Market Street, St Mary’s Gate, Deansgate, St Ann's and Cross Street.
The news will be welcomed by those who were dismayed to hear that the Manchester Christmas Light Switch On event will no longer go ahead. Many had been hoping the annual event would return after a pandemic-induced hiatus, but council bosses confirmed the news last week saying they could not find a “suitable or safe” location to host the event.
They've blamed the amount of construction work taking place across the city, including at the traditional location for the switch-on outside the Town Hall, which is closed off for construction works until 2024.
For more of today's top stories, click here
Read next:
- The festive lights events you can book now across Greater Manchester and Cheshire
- All the confirmed Christmas events taking place in Manchester for 2022
- Why Manchester Christmas Lights Switch-on event is OFF for 2022
- UK's biggest outdoor and indoor heated Winter Festival returning to Manchester
- Places to go ice skating in Manchester for Christmas 2022
