An alternative Christmas market is coming to Manchester’s stunning water palace, Victoria Baths.
Bringing together mince pies and mulled wine in the Tea Room, alongside plenty of stalls and a brand new Manchester-made gin inspired by the historic building, if you needed a sign to start your Christmas shopping in earnest then let this be it.
Taking place across Saturday, 13 and Sunday, 14 November 2021, organisers promise the alternative market’s stalls will be bursting with creative gift ideas for both family and friends. Guided tours will also be taking place throughout the weekend.
The two pool halls will be filled with a whole host of different stalls including various foodie gifts, ceramics, pet products, jewellery, prints, decorations and items for the home.
Look out for hand-poured candles from Old Man and Magpie, bobble hats from Urban Bear, handcrafted ceramics, jewellery and more from Elizabeth Emmaus-Wilson, hand-knitted products inspired by the Pennines from Bracken and Moss design, plus colourful homeware gifts from designer Lydia Meiying.
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The weekend will also give local gin lovers the chance to get their hands on the first bottles of the new Victoria Baths gin, which has been created especially for the venue in collaboration with Cheshire-based distillery Winding River.
Image: Supplied
Combining kaffir lime leaves with liquorice root and coriander seeds, the gin is pried at £40 a bottle and will make a welcome addition to any local gin-lover’s collection.
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The distillery has been part of the Festive Winter Fair for many years and was “so excited” to work on the creation of the new gin with the Victoria Baths’ team.
Matthew Fox, the co-founder of Winding River, said: “We are so excited to be working with Victoria Baths on their first-ever gin; we’ve been part of their Festive Winter Fair for many years and love this building and the community behind it.”
Tickets to the Festive Winter Fair at Victoria Baths are priced at £5 (including a £1 optional donation), free for Friends and Under 16s.
Premier League Darts is returning to Manchester’s AO Arena in 2027
Lydia Mastrolonardo
Premier League Darts is confirmed to be returning to Manchester next year.
Now’s your chance to see the youngest world champion in darts history, AKA Warrington’s very-own Luke ‘The Nuke’ Littler, show us how it’s done, as next year’s BetMGM Premier League Darts lineup has just been announced this week – with various dates confirmed across 17 different cities in the UK and Europe.
And Manchester is one of those cities, as the AO Arena has shared that they are set to host an evening next April, and we couldn’t be more excited about it.
This means that we will be lucky enough to witness the biggest names in world darts all under one roof, including headliners Gian van Veen and Luke Humphries, as well as Littler.
Manchester is the only northern city to get the pleasure of hosting the event next year, as Liverpool is also on the lineup, as is Leeds, Sheffield, and Newcastle, while elsewhere in the UK, the stars will travel to Glasgow, Birmingham, London, and several other major locations.
BetMGM Premier League Darts is to be held on Thursday 8 April at the AO Arena in Manchester, and to avoid being disappointed, fans are advised to register for presale ticket access.
Following a successful season of events in 2026, tickets are expected to be like gold-dust, so don’t say you haven’t been warned.
To access the first wave of tickets, fans must become an active PDCTV Annual Member before 23:59pm on Friday 9 October. Alternatively, general sale is on Thursday 22 October 2026, but make sure not to hang about.
Featured Image – Sandro Halank (via Wikimedia Commons)
What's On
Massive student night returns to Trafford Centre next month with up to 50% off on big brands
Emily Sergeant
Students can get themselves up to 50% off on food, activities, and loads of big-name brands at the Trafford Centre next month.
With thousands of new and returning students starting to arrive for the new academic year at Greater Manchester‘s universities, one of the region’s biggest student nights will be making a long-awaited comeback for one night only next month – and there’ll be loads of exclusive offers and free entertainment to make the most of across the evening.
Taking over the Trafford Centre in early October, the popular one-off student night is happening in partnership with Student Beans, and gives cash-strapped students the chance to shop a variety of incredible discounts all under one roof.
Just some of the big brands offering big discounts include 25% off at Levi’s and Boux Avenue, 20% off at Gymshark, Hollister and Abercrombie & Fitch, and 15% off at KIKO, Rituals, and Sephora.
It’s not just retail brands you’ll be able to save some pennies on either, as many of the Trafford Centre’s restaurants and cafes will also be offering discounts and freebies on the night too.
Alongside the offers, students can expect plenty of live entertainment and in-store experiences throughout the evening, including a DJ set and drinks at Calvin Klein, in-store fitness challenges and at Gymshark, an exclusive piercing event at Lovisa, and a Beauty Hub takeover at Sephora.
There’ll also be ‘spin-to-win’ opportunities at places like schuh, River Island, and YO! Sushi.
Massive student night returns to Trafford Centre next month with up to 50% off on big brands / Credit: Supplied
“Student Night is one of the highlights of our autumn calendar, and we’re excited to welcome students for an evening of brilliant offers and feel-good experiences,” explained Simon Layton, who is the Centre Director at the Trafford Centre.
“Whether they are updating their wardrobe, stocking up on beauty favourites, grabbing a bite to eat or enjoying the atmosphere with friends, there is plenty to discover across the centre.
“With simple transport links from Manchester city centre and across the region, Trafford Centre is the perfect place for a student night out.”
The Trafford Centre’s Student Night is happening on Thursday 1 October from 6-10pm, and students can now reserve themselves a spot by registering online HERE.
Georgina Pellant -
1st November 2021 
