Manchester is gearing up for its “best-ever Christmas”, as all the locations for this year’s Christmas Markets have now been confirmed.
In case you missed it, Manchester City Council announced the news we had all been waiting for a couple of weeks back by revealing that the city’s iconic Christmas Markets would be returning for 2024 from the first week of November – with well over 200 stalls set to line the streets as the beloved event enters is 26th year.
Manchester Christmas Markets are known and loved for delighting local residents and visiting shoppers alike, bringing millions of people into the city centre each year to fill up on the fantastic festive treats and to soak up all the Christmas atmosphere.
And it’s now only a month to go until the big opening day on Friday 8 November.
The best Christmas Markets in the UK are back in Manchester for another year! 🎊🎄
In just over a month, we'll be bringing our famous festivities to the city centre. 🥂
It had already been revealed that King Street West, St Ann’s Square, Exchange Street, New Cathedral Street, Exchange Square, Corn Exchange, and Cathedral Gardens would all be hosting the festivities this year, as well as Market Street and Piccadilly Gardens as usual, but now, the Council has shared a break-down of what stalls shoppers can find in each location.
Here’s everything you need to know.
Manchester is preparing for its “best-ever Christmas” / Credit: Manchester City Council
Winter Gardens
Piccadilly Gardens will, once again, be transformed into Winter Gardens for 2024, but this year, it’s set to be bigger and better than ever – with two twinkling light-filled marquees providing more undercover space for Christmas shoppers, and all the festive food favourites back for another year, plus bars serving continental and foreign ales.
Live entertainment and music will also be on offer beneath the shelter of marquees each day, making it an ideal place to cosy up with family and friends.
Market Street
Even more stalls than usual are to be expected on Market Street in 2024, so keep head on down there for sellers showcasing a wide range of bespoke crafts, gifts, and produce – with everything from tweed hats, spiced rum and Christmas decorations, to candles, freshly-baked coconut macaroons, jewellery, cheese truckles, and so much more on offer.
Cathedral Gardens
As always, Cathedral Gardens will be home to Skate Manchester’s huge covered ice rink, which will be open daily, but not only that, there’ll also be free live entertainment hosted every Thursday to Sunday all the way up to New Year’s Eve.
Plus, you can even warm up with authentic crepes, gourmet hotdogs, hot chocolate, and much more at the collection of food and drink stalls.
Manchester Christmas Markets return for 2024 on Friday 8 November / Credit: Flickr
New Cathedral Street
Just like it is all year round, New Cathedral Street will be your go-to spot for high-end gifts and foodie favourites this year, so expect a selection of handmade candles, ceramics, local spirits, and thoughtful keepsakes, before you savour a cold beer and currywurst from The Witch House, or a hearty burrito from Wrap Up, once your shopping’s done.
Exchange Square
Exchange Square will be one of the largest market locations in the city in 2024.
Here Christmas shoppers will find a host of seasonal stalls selling everything from clothing and soaps, to boutique babywear, local crafts, and handmade gifts, as well as legendary The Mill Exchange with their Mancunian mulled wine, much-loved Yorkshire pudding wrap experts Porky Pig, and lots of other food traders serving hot curries, mini pancakes, and more.
The Corn Exchange
You’ll find some of the most unique gifts available from crafters at The Corn Exchange this year, so head on down here for homemade pies, Nepalese woollen jumpers, handmade jewellery, Christmas decorations made from recycled wood, artisan chocolates, and loads more.
St Ann’s Square and Exchange Street
If you make your way over to St Ann’s Square and the neighbouring Exchange Street, which were the sites of Manchester’s first-ever Christmas Market, you can cosy up for a drink in the undercover bar and enjoy a selection of authentic German goods from some of the city’s longest-standing traders.
This is where you’ll find Northern Quarter favourites, Yard and Coop.
More than 200 stalls will line the streets / Credit: Manchester City Council
King Street
King Street is a must-visit for foodies and shoppers alike, as you can expect to find authentic Italian deli, Ballaro, serving up fresh cannelloni and arancini, and El Gato Negro bringing some Mediterranean menu flavours to their seating area, as well as a wide range of stalls selling crafts and more.
Here you’ll find the always-popular French soap stall, personalised tree decorations, handmade wooden furniture, and beautifully-illustrated bottles from local distillery, Salford Rum.
Manchester Christmas Markets will return from Friday 8 November.
Stalls will be open daily from 10am – 8pm throughout the six-week run, with food and drink stalls staying open until 9pm, until it all officially wraps up on Sunday 23 December – except for stalls in Cathedral Gardens, which will remain open until New Year’s Eve.
Featured Image – Manchester City Council
Christmas
Manchester’s largest outdoor ice rink is returning to the city centre this festive season
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.”
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
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.
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.
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.”
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.
Emily Sergeant -
7th October 2024 
