Christmas

You can ALREADY book tickets for Greater Manchester’s beloved Santa steam trains this Christmas

Yes, we know it's still summer, but the festive season will soon be here.

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 17th August 2026

Greater Manchester’s beloved Santa steam train rides are back for more festive fun this Christmas, and tickets are already on sale… genuinely.

Sure, it’s literally the middle of August, and we’ve still got the rest of summer, and the small matter of a bank holiday weekend, Halloween, and Bonfire Night to get through first, but East Lancashire Railway (ELR) is already looking ahead to the most magical time of year.

The iconic heritage railway has announced that its hugely-popular ‘Santa Specials’ steam trains are back once again from late November.

The famous festive steam trains have become an essential part of Christmas for many families in the North West.

Santa Specials are your chance to hop on board an old-school steam train and travel through the magical Irwell Valley to make ‘enchanted memories’ that last a lifetime.

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You can ALREADY book tickets for Greater Manchester’s beloved Santa steam trains this Christmas / Credit: Darren Robinson Photography (via ELR)

The truly special Christmas day out starts as you make your way through a winter wonderland at Bury Bolton Street Station, and first get to meet some old favourites and new characters – including the magical talking Christmas tree, Mrs Claus, and ELR’s very own Ice Princess – all before before having a singalong with a chorus of musical polar bears. 

The festive fun then continues on the Santa Special steam trains themselves – with an 80-minute ‘enchanting voyage’ through the picturesque Greater Manchester countryside.

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And, of course, you can expect a special visit from Santa while you’re on board.

After you’ve grabbed a selfie or two with the big man himself, the grown-ups can look forward to mince pies and festive tipples, while little Mancs can enjoy a soft drink, some chocolate, and take a festive-themed activity pack home with them.

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East Lancashire Railway’s famous Santa Specials are running on weekends and selected weekdays from Saturday 28 November – Thursday 24 December.

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Tickets now on sale, starting at £29 for adults and £28.50 for children, and you can book here.

Featured Image – ELR

Christmas

Co-op Live appears to tease major Mariah Carey Christmas gig sending fans into a frenzy

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

All we want for Christmas… is Mariah Carey in Manchester.

And maybe, just maybe, our Christmas wish might come true very soon, as Co-op Live has taken to social media today to tease its next gig announcement with its hundreds of thousands of followers, and without jumping to conclusions, it does appear to be hinting at the queen of Christmas herself making an appearance.

Look, we know it’s only July and right in the middle of summer, but even if you think it’s too early to be talking about the festive season, you have to admit that the potential of Mariah Carey coming to Manchester is worth getting excited any time of the year.

The US pop powerhouse last performed in our city nearly a decade ago now when she brought her famous All I Want For Christmas show to the UK for the first time ever, taking to sold-out Manchester Arena stage on 10 December 2017.

Mariah has not performed in Manchester since, but all that could be set to change as Co-op Live has hinted that an announcement is ‘coming soon’.

Taking to its official social media platforms today, Co-op Live posted a very festive-themed AI video of snow falling on the arena as the camera zoomed in and the instrumental of Mariah’s absolutely iconic hit ‘All I Want For Christmas Is You’ playing in the background, and the caption hinting at the song’s title too.

Of course, we could be wrong, it might not be Mariah at all, but if the 300+ comments from fans in a frenzy thinking the same as us are anything to go by, it’s looking like we might be right.

“The countdown to Christmas is on,” Co-op Live said in its video, before letting fans know that they would be getting some form of confirmation soon.

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So, is it Mariah then? What do you think? Only time will tell, so stay tuned.

Featured Image – Picryl

Christmas

Bewitching Christmas light trail Northern Lights will return to Heaton Park this year

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson Bewitching Christmas light trail Northern Lights will return to Heaton Park this year

The festive light trail that proved to be a smash hit last winter will make a return to Manchester this year.

Northern Lights has just announced a major return to Heaton Park, with a brand-new Christmas Time Machine theme.

The dazzling mile-long light trail will transform the park into a wonderland with 14 different installations, plus selfie spots along the route.

And there’ll be a limited Kids Go Free offer on select dates, as well as inclusive evenings with reduced capacity and lower audio levels.

Northern Lights attracted more than 100,000 visitors when it made its Heaton Park debut last winter, and received rave reviews across the board.

This year, A Christmas Time Machine will take place from 19 November all the way through to the end of the year, inviting visitors to step back into their favourite festive memories with a nostalgic collection in installations.

Original soundscapes, spectacular new illuminations, and even a marshmallow zone will bring the fully accessible trail to life.

Northern Lights is returning to Manchester
Northern Lights is returning to Manchester
Northern Lights is returning to Manchester. Credit: Supplied

Visitors will walk along Candy Cane Lane, admire a giant neon slinky, and ogle at shimmering nutcrackers.

There’ll also be vintage fairground rides, cosy festive pit stops, and an expanded Christmas Village with artisan food and drink producers from across the region.

Demand is expected to be high for this year’s festivities, with Early Bird tickets just released to get you the best value prices of the year.

Emma St.Croix, Senior Marketing Manager at From The Fields, said: “The response to Northern Lights Manchester last year exceeded all of our expectations.

“The warmth and enthusiasm from visitors made it incredibly special for our team, and we’re delighted to be returning to Heaton Park with something completely new.

“Since January, we’ve been reimagining every part of the experience. A Christmas Time Machine takes visitors on a journey through the festive moments that stay with us long after the decorations come down. Nodding to the traditions we return to year after year, the nostalgia of Christmases gone by, and the excitement of creating new memories together.

“We can’t wait to welcome visitors back and share this next chapter of Northern Lights with families, friends and loved ones from across the region.”

Northern Lights will also host dedicated inclusive evenings on Wednesday 2 and Wednesday 9 December. Visitor numbers will be reduced by 75%, with lower audio levels throughout the trail to create a calmer environment that may be preferable for some neurodivergent visitors and those who benefit from a more relaxed experience.

Northern Lights Manchester tickets

  • Kids Go Free offer – available on selected Off-Peak Early Bird dates until 31 August (or until allocation is exhausted. Use code KIDSLIGHTS before selecting tickets to unlock.
  • Early Bird Pricing
    • Peak tickets – from £17.25 including transaction fee
    • Off-peak tickets – from £13.75 including transaction fee

Book your tickets HERE.

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Featured image: Supplied

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