Manchester’s magical Christmas Parade is returning for 2025, and it’s set to be one of the most heartwarming events of the festive season.
Returning this December and now in its fourth year, the annual parade has been a favourite with Mancs since first taking place in the city in December 2022 – and this year, it’s back once again to delight children, families, and anyone young at heart when it makes its way through the city centre‘s main shopping streets.
Organisers are not just spreading the festive cheer this year, they’re also giving community groups across Greater Manchester a chance to join in and be part of the Christmas magic.
That’s right – you can be a part of the parade in 2025.
A call has gone out to community groups of all kinds to come and be part of the parade and play their part in helping fill the event with Mancunian spirit.
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Manchester City Council is hoping to make what is already the UK’s best Christmas Parade even more magical this year.
Manchester Christmas Parade will be making its way through the city centre this festive season / Credit: Manchester City Council
You can expect 2025’s parade day on Sunday 7 December to be filled with music and laughter, as well as the return of Manchester’s very-own Elf Express, complete with VIP passenger Santa hitching a ride on his way to the North Pole, together with his trusty team of elves.
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Not only that, but you can also expect also to see Nutcracker-inspired toy soldiers sweeping their way through the parade on segways whilst happy to stop and pose for saluting selfies, a roaming Christmas tree, a pair of gentle giant-sized reindeer, a stunning arctic fox, and Jack Frost himself.
Brand-new for this year will be the fantastic Festive Fantasy Candyland Castle, which stands over three-meters tall and is truly the stuff of fairytales.
Our iconic Manchester Christmas Parade returns. 🎄✨☃️
On Sunday 7 December, enjoy a free day out in the city centre as our streets are filled with festive characters, spectacular performances and magical sights.
And of course it wouldn’t be the Manchester Christmas Parade without the Snow Queen, right? Everyone’s favourite enchanting visitor will mesmerise crowds as she sits in her giant snow globe sliding her way through the city streets.
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Live bands and orchestras will be playing classic Christmas tunes, and don’t forget to watch out for plenty of pop-up festive fun around the city on the day.
“There’s nowhere that does Christmas quite like Manchester,” commented Cllr Pat Karney.
“Seeing the joy and wonder on the faces of everyone as they watch the Parade would melt even the hardest of hearts, and this year, we’re going all out to put on an unmissable show that makes memories for children and families that last a lifetime.”
Organisers are encouraging local community groups to apply to join in / Credit: Manchester City Council
This year’s Christmas Parade will follow a route that starts and ends at Manchester Cathedral, taking in many of the city centre’s main shopping streets like Deansgate, Cross Street, Market Street, and more along the way.
Exact timings of the parade will be confirmed nearer the parade date, so keep your eyes peeled.
Community groups interested in taking part are asked to make contact with parade organisers here, with the closing date for expressions of interest being Monday 27 October.
You can find more information about Christmas in Manchester here.
Featured Image – Manchester City Council
Christmas
A big Christmas sing-along concert with Alexander Armstrong and Aled Jones is coming to Manchester
Emily Sergeant
We know it’s only April, but brace yourselves… we’re about to talk about Christmas.
You are reading today’s date correctly, but whether you can believe it or not, this isn’t an April Fool, as it’s time to get ready to lift your voices and celebrate the festive season because The Big Christmas Sing-a-Long starring much-loved performers and presenters, Aled Jones and Alexander Armstrong, is heading out on its debut UK tour later this year.
This heartwarming live experience is promising to be an ‘unforgettable’ evening of music, laughter, and Christmas cheer.
Performing in some of the most beautiful cathedrals and venues across the UK, when the concert arrives in Manchester in late November, it’ll be taking over the stunning Manchester Monastery.
On the night, Aled Jones – who is one of the UK’s most iconic voices – will perform some beloved highlights, including his signature rendition of ‘Walking in the Air’, alongside a selection of classic festive carols, and joining him on stage will be Alexander Armstrong, whose rich vocals and natural charm will bring ‘humour, warmth, and festive sparkle’ to every performance.
It may be Aled and Alexander’s show, but audiences are also being told to expect some special surprises along the way too.
As this is a sing-along event, audiences will be invited to put on their favourite Christmas jumper and join in with a joyful mix of traditional Christmas carols and modern festive favourites.
The Big Christmas Sing-a-Long – UK Tour Dates 2026
Tuesday 24 November – Llandudno Venue Cymru Theatre
Sunday 29 November – Manchester Monastery
Tuesday 1 December – Glasgow Royal Concert Hall
Wednesday 2 December – Durham Cathedral
Thursday 3 December – Bath Forum
Friday 4 December – Guildford G Live
Wednesday 9 December – Nottingham Royal Concert Hall
Thursday 10 December – Liverpool Philharmonic Hall
Friday 11 December – York Barbican
Sunday 13 December – Edinburgh Queens Hall
Tuesday 15 December – Birmingham Town Hall
Sunday 20 December – Bexhill De La Warr Pavilion
Monday 21 December – London Union Chapel
The tour kicks off in Llandudno on 24 November and wraps up in London on 21 December – with a stop off here in Manchester on Sunday 29 November.
The Big Christmas Sing-a-Long is coming to Manchester Monastery on Sunday 29 November, and is expected to capture the true spirit of Christmas, offering a magical evening filled of festive cheer and uplifting songs that everyone can join in with.
Tickets go on general sale tomorrow (Thursday 2 April) at 9:30am, and you can get your hands on them when they go live here.
Featured Image – Supplied
Christmas
Massive festive event dubbed the ‘Glastonbury of Christmas’ is returning to the North West
Daisy Jackson
The North West’s most extravagant festive event, with everything from a frozen skating pond to a snow-covered world filled with elves, will return just outside Greater Manchester this winter.
Dubbed the ‘Glastonbury of Christmas’, LaplandUK recreates the home of Father Christmas himself right outside Greater Manchester.
The event was so popular last year, organisers are expecting more than one million people will join the queue for tickets when they go live this week – with tickets expected to sell out in hours.
Families who book tickets for LaplandUK – which range in price from £60 to £195 – will be greeted by hundreds of elves and other performers in a snow-covered landscape.
You’ll be able to visit the Lapland Toy Factory to make a toy for Santa’s sleigh; decorate gingerbead with Mother Christmas in the Lapland Bakery, as well as skating on a frozen pond and travelling through the Whispering Woods.
Every child leaves LaplandUK with a gift from Father Christmas.
The immersive experience takes around four and a half hours from start to finish, but the magic begins way before – ticket-holders are sent personalised invitation boxes (which you can pop in the freezer for extra magic for the kids).
LaplandUK has invested an additional £30m into its Cheshire site, which is the second location after a long-standing residency in Ascot.
Keeping this impressive festive event running are more than 2000 members of staff across the two sites.
It’s drawn in some very high-profile guests, too, with previous visitors including the Prince and Princess of Wales, Sir Elton John, and the Beckhams.
The Lapland experience is based on eight best-selling books, written by founders Mike and Alison Battle.
LaplandUK will run from 7 November to 24 December 2026, with tickets ranging from £60 to £195.
Tickets for LaplandUK Manchester go on sale from 10am on Friday 27 March HERE, with the waiting room open from 9am.
Emily Sergeant -
17th October 2025 
