The Manchester Christmas Markets have finally returned to the city centre, filling streets with wooden huts and festive cheer.
It’s one of the biggest events in Manchester’s cultural calendar and attracts thousands to our city every year.
The 2021 Manchester Christmas market celebrations have moved to a new location, with a central hub at Piccadilly Gardens for the first time.
This corner of the city centre will become the Winter Gardens, featuring market stalls, bars, a live music stage and street food stands, taking the reigns from the usual hub at Albert Square.
But the festivities won’t end there, with six other sites, including at St Ann’s Square, King Street and Market Street.
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Here’s everything you need to know about the Manchester Christmas Markets.
When are the 2021 Manchester Christmas Markets?
The old hub at Albert Square. The Markets are now centred around Piccadilly Gardens. Credit: Flickr (Andrew Stawarz)
This year’s celebrations are officially underway, after weeks of wooden sheds beginning to appear across the city centre.
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The 2021 markets are open from Friday November 12, and will run until Wednesday December 22.
The one exception will be the Winter Gardens at Piccadilly Gardens, which are open right through until January 3.
The Christmas Markets are open from 10am every day, though some sites and stalls will close earlier than others.
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Where are the Manchester Christmas Markets sites in 2021?
The new hub at Piccadilly Gardens. Credit: The Manc
There’s loads to explore at this year’s Christmas Markets in Manchester, from family-friendly sites with ice skating to the main festive hub with live music and loads of bars.
Here’s a rough breakdown of what you can find and where.
Piccadilly Gardens/Winter Gardens – This will be the heart of the Manchester Christmas Markets for this winter, with a live music stage, covered marquee seating, and dozens of bars and food stalls.
St Ann’s Square – As well as the traditional nativity scene (part of the festive light trail), St Ann’s Square will have a campervan photo booth, food from local favourites Yard & Coop, and lots more market stalls.
Market Street – Manchester’s main shopping street will have a slightly scaled-down offering for 2021 to give people more room to move around.
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Catherdral Gardens – This will be the family-friendly hive of activity at this year’s event, featuring an ice rink and live entertainment, plus food and drink huts.
King Street – A haven for all things Alpine, most of the huts along King Street will be serving up French and Italian produce – including a hot gin bar.
Exchange Square – Someone sound the Yorkshire pudding wrap alarm, for Exchange Square will be home to Porky Pig this year, alongside the familiar Mill Exchange bar with its massive chimney.
New Cathedral Street – This small section of markets is home to a giant sausage sculpture with the Witchouse food stall, joined by loads of market stalls selling gifts and clothes.
How much is beer and wine at the Christmas Markets?
The Witch House at New Cathedral Street. Credit: The Manc
Piccadilly Gardens Hot Roast Pork Rolls – £4.50 mulled wine or cider Off Piste Bar – £5 piste lager, £5.50 Alpine ale or Weissebier, £5 wine, £4.50 mulled wine or plum cider, £5 spirit and mixer
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Cathedral Gardens Well Spruce bar – £5 mulled wine or spiced cider
Exchange Square Elsie May’s Cookie Dough – £5.50 boozy hot chocolates, £5 wine, £6 prosecco (extra 50p for shimmering prosecco) The Mill Exchange – £5 warm drinks, including caramel cider, and mulled wine flavours of raspberry, strawberry and amaretto, and blackberry and apple
New Cathedral Street Witch House – £5.50 lager, £10 Bavarian Maß, £5.50 hot boozy drinks, £5.50 with hot chocolate with alcohol,
St Ann’s Square Mamma Mia! – £5 pint Peroni, £6 prosecco, £4.50 wine or mulled wine Munchen Bar – £5 gluhwein (£7 for special gluhwein), £3.50 hot chocolate (£5 with alcohol), £6 pint of lager or wheat beer
King Street Bistrot Le Petit Paris – £4 mulled wine (£5 with brandy or amaretto), £5 sparkling wine, £10 champagne, £4.50 pint lager, £4.50 wine. Best Sausage – £4.50 pint of lager.
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What about Covid?
This year’s Christmas Markets in Manchester. Credit: The Manc
Manchester City Council has said that there’ll be measures in place at the Christmas markets this year to limit the possible spread of Covid-19.
That includes a one-way system and limited visitor numbers at the main hub at Piccadilly Gardens.
Cllr Pat Karney, Manchester’s Christmas spokesperson, said: “We’re making up for lost time this year and I can’t wait to see the transformation in the city centre into the festive wonderland we know and love.
“Of course, all of our attractions have public health at their heart and the safety of our visitors will be paramount.
“Covid remains a real concern and we will have strict maximum numbers in some areas like the Winter Gardens to make sure people can maintain their distance – and security will be helping us manage crowds.”
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Where’s the Giant Santa this year?
Manchester’s new Giant Santa, who has replaced the much-loved Zippy. Credit: Manchester City Council
Sadly there’ll be no sightings of Zippy, Manchester’s famous blue-eyed festive mascot, this year, as he headed into retirement in 2019.
A new (less heavy) model was unveiled that same year, and he’ll be back to keep an eye over the festivities this year.
The newer Santa, complete with his twirly moustache and giant present perch, won’t be at the Christmas Markets themselves, but will instead be built in St Peter’s Square.
He’s expected to arrive next week.
Don’t miss out on any of Manchester’s Christmas celebrations! Keep up with what’s on here.
Featured image – Flickr
What's On
Legendary funk and soul act Kool and the Gang are finally coming back to Manchester
Danny Jones
In case you hadn’t heard already, iconic funk, soul, and R’n’B artist Kool and the Gang are finally coming back to Manchester after far too long away from our musical city for a massive arena gig later this year.
Coming back to 0161 ‘For One Night Only’, the award-winning US supergroup and industry giants are set to make their first appearance here in over 15 years.
With a rich back catalogue and a career spanning six decades, not to mention multiple genres including funk, soul, disco, jazz (how they first began as an ensemble) and more, it’s only fitting they be given the top billing at the one and only AO Arena.
After Manc fans have had to wait for long, this is sure to be a night of ‘Summertime Madness’.
Though they need no real introduction if you know your music history, specifically African-American and Black music culture, Kool and the Gang are arguably one of the most influential acts to ever make it.
Having performed together longer than other R’n’B outfit on the planet, stood as one of the most sampled artists of all time and released a staggering 34 studio albums to date, they’re nothing short of foundational.
While, sadly, there is only founding member Robert ‘Kool’ Bell left from the original lineup formed back in 1964, the various iterations of the surviving live band have captured that same effortless cool, charisma, and effortless control of a crowd on the road that made the OG Gang such a toue de force.
As well as touring with everyone from Elton John and the Dave Matthews Band to The Roots and even a 50-city tour alongside equally legendary rock group, Van Halen, they have no shortage of accolades to their name.
How does two Grammys, seven American Music Awards (AMAs), a BET Soul Train Lifetime Achievement Award; a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and a place in the 2024 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame; 25 Top Ten R&B hits, nine top ten hits in the pop charts, as well as 31 gold and platinum albums, strike you?
— Melodies & Masterpieces (@SVG__Collection) May 27, 2025
Best known for beloved tracks like ‘Celebration’, ‘Get Down On It’, ‘Cherish’ and ‘Jungle Boogie’, just to name a very small few (again, their discography is huge), you’ve most likely heard their songs or at least one of their serially sampled beats more times than its possible to count.
Yep, if there’s anyone that deserves the ‘icon’ moniker, it’s these lot.
Kool and the Gang come to the AO Arena in Manchester next month on Friday, 11 July and will have fellow British soul counterparts, The Real Thing, who looked to mirror their success throughout the ’70s, along for the ride.
General admission tickets are already on sale as we speak – you can grab yours HERE.
Viral cosmetics brand P. Louise to bring exclusive pop-up to Trafford Centre this Christmas
Thomas Melia
Huge cosmetics and beauty brand P.Louise has announced an exclusive pop-up set to take place in Trafford Centre this Christmas.
Greater Manchester makeup artist turned business woman, Paige Louise, gained lots of traction online for her baby pink-packaged makeup products, branded after her nickname, P.Louise, and now the company has announced its bringing an exclusive pop-up to Manchester’s Trafford Centre just in time for Christmas.
After such a success last year, the pop-up event, aptly-titled ‘Pinkmas’, will be returning to Manchester, and its bringing P.Louise’s much-loved makeup brand to life through an interactive display at the Trafford Centre.
Visitors can expect to explore the magical world of ‘Pinkmas’ through three different immersive winter zones.
P.Louise Pinkmas is coming to the Trafford Centre this festive season / Credit: Publicity Picture (via Supplied)
Much like her P.Louise Empire site over in Stockport, Pinkmas elevates this experience by sprinkling a little bit of Christmas magic over the baby pink brand and its festive-themed makeup products.
Each of the interactive zones will serve their own purpose, encouraging you to get stuck in with a variety of activities all relating to the festive season.
You can enjoy decorating your own gingerbread treats in Mrs Claus’ Kitchen, personalising and making a keepsake of best-selling product ‘Bad B*tch’, all before writing a letter to Santa at the ‘Post Me Pretty Room’.
Each person who attends can expect to spend up to three hours travelling through each pretty pink zone, guided by the P.Louise elves on a story-led tour.
After all that wonderland wonderfulness, there’s only one thing missing from this festive extravaganza, and what screams Christmas more than a pantomime? A P.Louise Pantomime though, of course, with a guest appearance from Santa himself.
As you venture through the Pinkmas pop-up, there’ll be moments for you to get your hands on some P.Louise goodies and gift sets, as well as sampling the tasty treats from the food and drink stalls.
Get ready to deck the halls with blush, gloss and glamour this festive season, as P.Louise Pinkmas is residing in Trafford Centre for the entire Christmas period.
Visitors can expect to step into a world of glitz and glam when P.Louise Pinkmas visits Trafford Centre / Credit: Publicity Picture (via Supplied)
“I wanted to create the memories I never had, and above all else, give others the chance to make those magical moments,” commented Paige Williams, who is the dynamic founder and CEO of P.Louise.
Simon Layton, Centre Director at Trafford Centre, added: “We’re thrilled to welcome Paige Williams, a brilliant local success story, and her hugely popular brand for a festive experience that’s full of sparkle and surprises.”
Daisy Jackson -
11th November 2021 
