Manchester's Christmas lights will be bringing festive cheer to the city centre when they twinkle back to life later this week.
But there will be NO big Christmas lights switch-on event again this year.
Before Covid, a huge free music and entertainment event with lots of famous faces would always kick start the festive period in Manchester with the formal Christmas lights switch on party.
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This was unable to happen last year due to lockdown restrictions, and the council has taken the decision not to hold a large scale switch-on event this year either.
Instead the lights will be turned on across the city to tie in with the formal launch and return of the Manchester Christmas Markets, which will open to the public on Friday morning, November 12, across the city centre.
The main "hub" of the Christmas Markets will this year be on Piccadilly Gardens, where there will also be the start of the Christmas lights trail - a series of spectacular festive light-up sculptures for all the family to enjoy.
It includes a huge MCR sign with light-up santa hat, giant bauble and two huge starry light arches that will greet shoppers on their way in and out of the Winter Gardens hub.
It also boasts a huge "Merry Christmas" sign to get shoppers into the festive spirit.
Meanwhile the giant light-up santa sculpture, with large moustache, will be found at the location he was moved to last year, outside Manchester Central Library on St Peter's Square.
However the giant Santa will not start being built until after the Remembrance Day event which takes place on Sunday, November 14.
Manchester Council is still to confirm when Santa will be complete and ready to wave his large festive green hand at visitors, but it is thought it will be fully built by Wednesday next week (November 17th).
A large Christmas tree will also be set up with Santa on St Peter's Square, while the traditional nativity scene will be back on St Ann's Square this year.
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