Christmas

Manchester Christmas Markets 2023 mug design and price revealed

Last year's mugs were so popular the markets literally ran out of them

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson - 2nd November 2023

The design for the Manchester Christmas Markets 2023 mug has been revealed – along with how much it’ll cost you.

There’s a small price hike for the cups this year, with the cost of a mug rising from £3 to £3.50.

When you buy your first hot drink at the Manchester Christmas Markets you’ll be charged a £3.50 deposit for your mug – it’s then up to you whether you keep the mug and lose the deposit, or return it to the bar and get your money back.

The mugs are a popular collectible souvenir every year though, with last year’s demand so great the Christmas Markets actually ran out of them and had to resort to using retro mugs from previous years.

This year’s design features festive Nutcracker artwork with a Scandi feel, and comes from Manchester City Council’s in-house design studio.

As always, there are two different mug designs and sizes to collect – a large white mug for hot chocolates, and a smaller navy one for mulled wine and other warming boozy beverages.

They’ll be available at all of the city centre Manchester Christmas Markets locations from 10 November, while stocks last.

The council is urging people not to leave their visit until the last minute for fear of mugs selling out again, saying that in 2022 us festive lot got through a whopping 140,000 specially produced mugs.

Extra Christmas Market mugs have been ordered for 2023 though, with 170,000 speeding their way to Manchester’s cosy wooden huts as we speak.

The Manchester Christmas Markets mug design for 2023
The Manchester Christmas Markets mug design for 2023
The Manchester Christmas Markets mug design for 2023
The Manchester Christmas Markets mug design for 2023. Credit: Supplied

A few mugs are already in circulation at the ice rink in Cathedral Gardens, where a few festive market stalls have already opened.

Councillor Pat Karney, Manchester City Council’s Christmas spokesperson, said: “Our iconic Christmas mugs are the must-have accessory of the festive season and absolutely no social media feed should be without one!

“With different designs every year the collectible mugs are highly sought after and even have Santa’s seal of approval. Don’t leave it too late to come and get yours!

“No-one does Christmas quite like Manchester and we can’t wait to welcome everyone to Santa’s favourite city and to our world-beating Christmas Markets again this year!”

Manchester’s Christmas markets open on Friday 10 November and close on Thursday 21 December.

They will be open daily at the following times:

  • All craft stalls 10 am – 8 pm
  • All bars and food stalls 11 am – 9 pm

Read more

Featured image: Manchester City Council

Christmas

Manchester’s largest outdoor ice rink is returning to the city centre this festive season

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

Manchester’s massive outdoor ice rink has been confirmed for a return to Cathedral Gardens once again this festive season.

Skate Manchester has always been a festive staple of our city centre, and there’s also a flurry of other frozen events and activities planned for 2025 too – including the return of the Scare Skate for Halloween.

Following success in previous years, Scare Skate returns this spooky season, and families, friends, and festive fun seekers visiting the rink this season can expect Halloween-themed music, lighting, and themed props to ignite the fright factor. 

After Halloween, the magic continues as the rink transforms into a festive wonderland.

Manchester’s largest outdoor ice rink is returning to the city centre this festive season / Credit: Supplied

Skaters can expect to glide across a gleaming ice path and spin around a dazzling seven-metre Christmas tree taking centre stage in the middle of the rink.

You’ll be able to enjoy the sights and sounds of Christmas whatever the weather has in store for our city this year too, as although the rink will be outdoors in the heart of Cathedral Gardens, the ice is fully covered.

The rink will also offer a variety of skate sessions tailored to meet the needs of all visitors, which includes dedicated quiet and toddler sessions designed for a more relaxed environment, along with discounted tickets and weekly events for students. 

New this year is the Skate on and Skate off ‘Pit Lane’ available during skating for those needing a break and a hot chocolate or mulled wine, plus a VIP ticket option allowing for a fast-track entry into the rink. 

Super early bird tickets are now available to buy / Credit: Supplied

Skate Manchester is also one of the most sustainable events in the UK, thanks to being partially powered by the grid.

“We’re proud to bring one of the top five largest ice rinks in the UK to Manchester once more, as part of our mission to create magical and sustainable winter events that will set the standard for winter attractions globally,” commented Rob Derry, who is the Director at Tamarisk Events, the company that coordinates the event.

“By being partially powered by the grid, Skate Manchester is one of the more environmentally responsible attractions of its kind, allowing visitors to enjoy the magic of skating with a lighter footprint.”

Read more:

Skate Manchester will be returning to the city on Saturday 25 October and running right up until Sunday 4 January 2026, with super early bird tickets now available to get your hands on, and discounted family tickets and student night tickets also available.

You can find more information and to book tickets here.

Featured Image – Supplied

Christmas

Manchester Christmas Markets 2025 opening date announced – including Albert Square return

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

Manchester Christmas Markets are merely months away, and the opening date and important details for 2025’s return have been announced.

It’s official… holidays are coming, and the countdown is on.

Just as we do every year, the Greater Manchester public has been eagerly awaiting news of when the city’s iconic Christmas Markets would be making a comeback for the 2025 festive season.

But now, Manchester City Council has announced that the famous wooden huts will be lining Manchester‘s streets once again from the first week in November, and for the first time in six years, Markets will also be returning to Albert Square.

Where to find the cheapest drinks at the Manchester Christmas Markets, from beer to mulled wine
2022 Manchester Christmas Markets
The Manchester Christmas Markets 2025 return date has officially been confirmed / Credit: The Manc Group | Flickr

Now in their 27th year, Manchester Christmas Markets are known and loved for bring thousands of people into the city centre each year to fill up on the fantastic festive treats and to soak up all the Christmas atmosphere.

While restoration work has been carried out on the city’s Grade I-listed Town Hall building, markets have been spread all across the city centre in recent years, instead of the central hub being in Albert Square – but this year, some of the festivities will return to where they belong.

More than 200 stalls will also be spread across nine other sites throughout the city centre.

Markets will take over 10 major locations across the city centre / Credit: Manchester City Council

Promising to be plenty on offer for seasonal shoppers of all ages, 2025 will see the iconic wooden ski chalet market stalls take over King Street, St Ann’s Square, Exchange Street, New Cathedral Street, Exchange Square, Corn Exchange, and Cathedral Gardens, as well as Market Street and Piccadilly Gardens as usual.

Dominating a twinkling seasonal skyline on Albert Square will be an enormous 50-metre-high ferris wheel, as well as an enchanting vintage carousel for children, and other Christmas fairground-style attractions. 

The new ‘A Taste of Christmas’ event will be open on Albert Square until Sunday 4 January 2026, bringing the space back into the heart of the city’s countdown to Christmas festivities and staying open throughout the festive season for families to enjoy into the new year.  

2022 Manchester Christmas Markets Guide
Councillors are going all out to make Manchester the world’s number one Christmas city / Credit: Manchester City Council

“We’re going all out this year to make sure that Manchester is the number one city for Christmas – not just in the UK, but in the world,” commented Councillor Pat Karney, who is the Christmas spokesperson for Manchester City Council.

Cllr Karney also teased that there are a few other ‘Santa surprises’ to come that we can expect to be announced in the coming weeks.

He concluded: “In the meantime, dust off your baubles, un-twirl your tinsel, and get ready – Albert’s back.”

Read more:

Manchester Christmas Markets 2025 will officially open across the city on Friday 7 November and close on Monday 22 December.

That is except for A Taste of Christmas on Albert Square, and the stalls at Cathedral Gardens – which will remain open throughout the Christmas period until 4 January 2026.  

Featured Image – Flickr

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