The Manchester Christmas Markets are the stuff of legend, drawing thousands to the city every winter – but for those of us who live here 365 days a year, they can be A Bit Much.
Despite being crowned the best festive markets in the UK, a lot of us (especially those of us who work in the city centre and have to run the Market Street gauntlet every day) will be looking for some alternatives.
There are loads of smaller Christmas markets taking place around the region over the coming weeks, offering a much less stressful alternative to the main event.
While the Manchester Christmas Markets have had a big push to include more local indies in its line-up – just look at all this brilliant food and drink – the following spots are packed to the brim with independent businesses and nothing else.
Time to get your Christmas shopping on.
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The best alternative Christmas markets in Manchester
Merry Kampus at Kampus
Manchester’s leafy little canal-side apartment neighbourhood near Piccadilly has got a ‘one-stop-Christmas-shop’ running through to the weekend just before Christmas.
The plan is to showcase the best Manc-made presents, with a cosy festive den in The Bungalow operated by the Flat Baker and Ancoats Pop-Up selling gifts and baked treats.
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The shop will sell candles and melts, jewellery and ceramics, prints and calendars, vintage clothes and locally brewed beer
The takeover will also include a schedule of weekly workshops and masterclasses, including upcycling, cocktail making, macrame, and embroidery.
The shop will be open 8am-4pm on Thursdays and Fridays, and 10am-4pm on Saturdays and Sundays until 18 December – find out more about Merry Kampus here.
Another alternative Christmas Market, again from Ancoats Pop Up, has taken shape in Canton House on Princess Street, right on the edge of Chinatown.
It’s the biggest (and indeed only) indoor Christmas market with more than 50 independent bakers, makers and artists involved.
There’ll be local creatives selling their goodies, a children’s play area, entertainment and a cafe, spread across two floors.
You can find it in the Yang Sing site, open 11am-4pm on 3, 4, 10, 17 and 18 December.
YES
You know what makes Christmas shopping more bearable? Doing it with a pint and a slice of pizza in your hand.
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There’ll be a carefully curated selection of Manchester’s coolest indie makers taking over the Pink Room for a one-day mini market.
All the businesses involved are female-owned – you’ll find prop maker and artist Mariel Osborn, clothing brand Grey Milk, sustainable jewellery from SKEN Studios, and floral design studio POWERPLANT, who will sell their Christmas wreaths as well as hosting a couple of workshops).
It’s taking place on Sunday 4 December between 12pm and 6pm.
Open Kitchen
It doesn’t get much more wholesome than this one – Open Kitchen are throwing a ‘Very Merry Open Christmas’ featuring performances from the Halle Ancoats Community Choir, festive food and drink, and a fully ethical, sustainable, independent Christmas market.
You’ll be able to pick up ethically-sourced presents like plants, wreaths, ceramics, jewellery and food items under one roof, while knocking back one of four festive drinks and listening to the beautiful carols.
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Traders involved include BreadFlower, Plant Shop, Tracey Birchwood Jewellery, Stephanie Mann Jewellery, Sue MC Ceramics, Dew Drop Jewellery, the People’s History Museum, and Charlotte Verity Jewellery.
You’ll find all this goodness in Open Kitchen’s cafe space at the People’s History Museum on Tuesday 6 December from 6pm, with performances at 6.30pm and 8pm.
Horse & Jockey Artisan Markets on the Green
Chorlton Green will get a big dose of the festivities this year thanks to the Horse & Jockey pub, which is bringing together more than 50 artisan stall holders on the green outside for a Christmas market alternative.
It’s been four years since the event was able to take place, but it’ll be back with everything from pies and pasties to home furnishings to local gin.
It’s part-run by the Joseph Holt pub in conjunction with the organisation Independent Street.
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Carol singers and local brass bands will provide the soundtrack and the event’s even promising a visit from Dancer and Blitzen.
It will take place on Saturday 10 December between 1pm and 7pm.
Winter Market, Wythenshawe
35 of the best makers Manchester has to offer will be popped under one roof for a Winter Market this weekend.
Running from 10am to 3pm on Saturday 3 December, the event will feature stalls selling everything from candles to hand-crafted bottle openers to personalised baubles.
You can find it all at the Message Enterprise Centre in Sharston and find out more by following Winter Market on Instagram.
The Makers Markets that spring up around Greater Manchester are always an impressive sight, and never more so than at Christmas.
Pulling together hundreds of traders selling all sorts of products, this year’s festive markets include a Victorian Christmas Market Day in Cheadle, plus a huge ongoing market at Quayside in Salford Quays.
You’ll be spoilt for choice.
GRUB’s Sustainable Indie Christmas Market
The lovely folks at GRUB are used to pulling together local food and drink traders, but this weekend they’re boosting the usual offering with other small businesses.
18 stalls will be selling a variety of sustainable gifts, there’ll be a wreath making workshop, plus vegan food from Jeyda’s Turkish Kitchen, Marley’s Pizza, Nina’s Taco Truck and Dohlightful.
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Oh, and mulled wine and boozy hot drinks, naturally.
Featured image: The Manc Group
Christmas
Everything you need to know about Manchester Christmas Markets 2026 – dates, locations, and more
Emily Sergeant
Manchester Christmas Markets will be taking over the city centre this festive season, with hundreds of little wooden huts lining the streets.
Now in their 27th year, Manchester Christmas Markets are known and loved for bringing thousands of people into the city centre each year to fill up on fantastic festive treats and soak up all the Christmas atmosphere.
This year will see a bigger return of Albert Square, after the headline-grabbing partial return at last year’s event – with the big wheel also set to make a comeback.
There’s also set to be some new locations too for 2026, with Lincoln Square joining in on the action, as well as big changes to St Ann’s Square with what is being described as a ‘brand new layout’ bringing in a bigger number of market stalls.
There will be a total of 210 stalls spread out across the city centre.
When are the Manchester Christmas Markets 2026?
This year’s Manchester Christmas Markets will take place between Friday 6 November and Monday 22 December, across 10 different city centre locations.
Some sites will remain open even longer though – there’ll be festivities continuing at both Albert Square and Cathedral Gardens (which is home to the Skate Manchester ice rink) until Sunday 3 January 2027.
Another date for your diary is the Manchester Christmas Parade, which will see floats and performers filling the city on Sunday 6 December.
Manchester Christmas Markets locations
Manchester Christmas Markets
There are some brand-new spots to check out this year as the markets officially leave Piccadilly Gardens and return to their spiritual home around Albert Square.
Notably, Lincoln Square will be hosting a food and drink-focused market for the first time.
St Ann’s Square will also have a brand-new look, and Albert Square will again be home to a helter-skelter and a big wheel, along with loads of food, drink, and festive retail.
The locations are:
Albert Square
Lincoln Square
King Street
St Ann’s Square
Corn Exchange
Exchange Street
New Cathedral Street
Market Street
Exchange Square
Cathedral Gardens
You can see more about what each location will offer HERE.
Manchester Christmas Markets 2026 opening and closing times
The vast majority of the Manchester Christmas Markets locations will be open from 10am to 9pm daily, through to 22 December.
The only exceptions are as follows:
Albert Square
6 November – 23 December: 10am to 9pm
24 December (Christmas Eve): 10am to 5pm
25 December (Christmas Day): Closed
26 December – 30 January: 10am to 6pm
31 January (New Year’s Eve): 10am to 12.30am
1–3 January: 10am to 6pm
Cathedral Gardens
6 November – 23 December: 10am to 9pm
24 December (Christmas Eve): 10am to 5pm
25 December (Christmas Day): Closed
26 December – 30 January: 10am to 6pm
31 January (New Year’s Eve): 10am to 12.30am
1–3 January: 10am to 6pm
Food and drink highlights at the Manchester Christmas Markets
Great North Pie Co. at the Manchester Christmas Markets. Credit: The Manc GroupHong Kong French Toast at the Manchester Christmas Markets. Credit: The Manc Group
Until the markets are officially open, we’re not sure exactly what this year’s top stalls and must-eats will be – but looking at the trader list, we can give you a good idea.
The always-popular Yorkshire Pudding Wraps from Porky Pig will be back in Exchange Square, along with the iconic Witch House German bratwursts a short distance away on New Cathedral Street.
Other traders we loved in 2025 who’ll be returning this year include Great North Pie, Flat Baker, Hong Kong French Toast, and Oi Dumplings.
Travel advice and how to get to the Manchester Christmas Markets
As usual, passengers are advised to travel with public transport wherever possible, as the city centre will be very busy with both Christmas Markets visitors and shoppers.
There are eight tram stops in the city centre that will put you within walking distance of the festivities, with St Peter’s Square the closest to the main site at Albert Square.
Trains and buses also serve the city centre well, but if you really need to drive, TfGM is advising to make use of the park and ride system rather than risking traffic delays in town.
M&S launches massive recruitment drive in Greater Manchester with hundreds of jobs available
Emily Sergeant
M&S has launched a massive recruitment drive across Greater Manchester.
With the festive season fast approaching, and most British stores having already unveiled their Christmas ranges for 2026, one of the country’s largest brands has launched a massive UK-wide seasonal recruitment drives to gear up for what is always one of the busiest times of the year for the retail industry.
M&S has announced it will recruit more than 300 new colleagues to support its store teams across Greater Manchester this festive season.
As mentioned Christmas is one of the busiest moments of the year for M&S, and seasonal colleagues play a ‘vital’ part in delivering that.
New recruits will be tasked with helping M&S deliver a ‘brilliant’ service for customers.
Stores with vacancies span the whole of Greater Manchester – including Altrincham, Bolton Middlebrook, Bury The Rock, Manchester Market Street, Prestwich, Sale, Stockport, Stretford, Trafford Centre, and Walkden.
M&S has launched a massive recruitment drive in Greater Manchester with hundreds of jobs available / Credit: M&S Manchester | Supplied
M&S says the roles are ‘fast-moving and hands-on’, with colleagues required to work together to make sure customers still get the very best of M&S, even at its busiest.
The roles will pay £13.41 per hour, with successful applicants receiving the training, tools and support needed to get up to speed quickly.
“We can’t wait to welcome over 300 new colleagues to our store teams here in Greater Manchester,” commented Zeba Khan, who is the Regional Manager at M&S.
“As we get ready for our busiest time of year, it’s a great opportunity to join us and help bring a magical M&S Christmas to our customers.
“We have a range of opportunities available, whether joining our city centre flagship or our fresh market-style foodhalls. We’re looking for colleagues who are passionate about delivering great customer service and being part of a team.”
Daisy Jackson -
30th November 2022 
