Why Big Santa WON’T be in Manchester when the Christmas Markets open this week

The sheds have taken over the city centre already, with the huge Christmas Markets officially opening on Friday 8 November.

A big character during the festive season in Manchester is, of course, our light-up Big Santa.

He’s taken on a few different forms over the years, from the huge inflatable character who used to scale the Manchester Town Hall to the piercing gaze of the city’s legendary ‘Zippy’.

The newest Big Santa is a large fella sitting on a big present, sporting a white handlebar moustache and holding a Manchester bee in his hand.

Over the years, this festive figure has been joined by several other glowing installations, like twinkling baubles you can walk through and huge stars.

And when the markets were held at Albert Square, they normally opened with Big Santa proudly already in position.

But this year the arrival of the Manchester Christmas Markets doesn’t mean the start of the festive light trail, or the return of Big Santa – so don’t go looking for him on Friday.

That’s because he won’t be installed on his perch at St Peter’s Square until after Remembrance Sunday, with a poignant service being held at the Cenotaph in the square next weekend.

Father Christmas will be installed at St Peter’s Square in the days after Remembrance Sunday.

Speaking of the Manchester Christmas Markets, councillor Pat Karney said: “Nowhere does Christmas quite like Manchester and with more than a quarter of a century of our world-famous legendary Christmas markets under our belts, we reckon we’ve got everyone’s Christmas wrapped.

“The number of people who’ve visited our markets over the years must be well over the fifty million mark by now and twenty-six years on from our first-ever Christmas Market in 1998 we regularly attract visitors from around the globe.

“We can’t wait to welcome everyone back again to Santa’s favourite city to enjoy the markets and share in all the festive fun. Grab some tinsel, find a friend or round up the family, and come and join us!”

The Manchester Christmas Markets open on Friday 8 November and close on Sunday 22 December, with Big Santa arriving in mid-November.

Read more

• A history of Manchester’s giant Santas through the years
• Manchester Christmas Markets 2024 – dates, locations, times, map and stalls
• Manchester’s iconic Christmas Markets mug designs revealed for 2024

Featured image: The Manc Group