A brand new breathtaking light trail is heading to Heaton Park this Christmas, transforming the popular Manchester park into a twinkling winter wonderland.
Visitors will walk through fields of colour-changing orbs of light, and amongst larger-than-life glowing flowers.
Neon strings will reach high into the sky and a laser garden will light up its space with thousands of tiny beams of light.
You can even wander through a giant twinkling tunnel as part of the all-new seasonal light display.
As you explore the full Christmas at Heaton Park light trail, you can take a break and grab some food from one of the hand-picked street food vendors on site.
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There’ll be spiced winter warmers, hot chocolates, and toasted marshmallows.
The huge event has been created by the makers of the world-famous Christmas at Kew, delivered by Raymond Gubbay Ltd, a division of Sony Music UK.
Matthew Findlay, head of UK Trails for Sony Music/Raymond Gubbay Ltd, said: “We’re thrilled to be bringing this beautiful new trail to Manchester for 2023.
“We’re collaborating with the team at Culture Creative, who have a wealth of expertise in designing and delivering light trails.
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“Working sympathetically with the landscape and history of Heaton Park, we have created an unforgettable, immersive experience illuminating the special beauty of the location, suitable for all the family to enjoy this Christmas.”
Tickets are now on sale for the new Sony Music trail Christmas at Heaton Park, which will run between 1 and 31 December (apart for 4, 5, 11, 12 and 25 December).
It will be open between 4.45pm and 10pm, with the last entry at 8pm.
Advanced tickets are priced from £18 for adults, £14 for children (age 3-16), and £69 for families (two adults and two children).
Off-peak advanced tickets are from £15 for adults, £10 for children, and £55 for families.
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Christmas at Heaton Park is also one of the few light trails where dogs are welcome to join the magic… dog-owners rejoice!
Magical Christmas experience in Manchester will bring The Polar Express to life
Daisy Jackson
A magical new Christmas experience is coming to Manchester this winter, bringing The Polar Express to life.
The fully immersive walkthrough experience will invite you on an enchanting journey to the North Pole, as you whizz past beautiful landscapes – all without actually leaving Manchester.
The all-new BELIEVE! THE POLAR EXPRESS Experience brings the beloved story to life, following the Hero Boy and Hero Girl.
Taking place at the O2 Victoria Warehouse, the experience begins in Hero Boy’s bedroom, before you step foot into the iconic The Polar Express carriage as a passenger.
Then you’ll be glued to the windows as you whizz through the Caribou Forest, past icy lakes, and dazzling Northern Lights displays.
Entertaining passengers every step of the way are beloved characters like the Conductor, Hero Boy, Hero Girl, and the mysterious Hobo.
You can get your golden ticket punched, warm up with a complimentary hot chocolate and a cookie, and be swept along by the festive tale.
Passengers will meet beloved characters from The Polar ExpressYou can visit the nice-o-meterAnd meet Santa himself
At the ‘North Pole’, the magic continues, with a Pyjama Party, a Letter Writing Station where you can send a note to Santa, visit the Naughty or Nice Machine, and craft a special Christmas decoration to take home.
You’ll even get the chance to meet Santa Claus himself…
While THE POLAR EXPRESS Train Ride has welcomed over 1.7 million riders in 2024, BELIEVE! THE POLAR EXPRESS™ Experience is a brand-new experience – no moving train, no stations.
Instead, the wonder of the story is brought off the tracks and into a hands-on environment.
The magic of The Polar Express will be brought to lifeFollow Hero Boy on his journey to the North Pole
Photo opportunities are available throughout the experience, and little ones (or grown-ups, we’re not judging) are encouraged to wear pyjamas to fully embrace the story.
BELIEVE! THE POLAR EXPRESS comes from Warner Bros., Discovery Global Experiences, Rail Events Inc., and Plus Live Events.
BELIEVE! THE POLAR EXPRESS takes place between14 November and 31 December at O2 Victoria Warehouse in Manchester, with tickets now available and expected to sell out quickly HERE.
A Relaxed Performance Day for guests with neurodiverse conditions will also be held.
Government launches £442m drive to get rough sleepers off streets before Christmas
Emily Sergeant
Prime Minister Andy Burnham has launched a £442m drive to get rough sleepers off the streets before Christmas.
Learning from ‘innovative’ approaches put into place during the pandemic, the Government has announced that new accommodation will be rolled out across England this winter, as well as offering practical help with housing, health, and other needs to support people to build a more stable life for themselves in the future.
The new commitment to offer everyone a route off the streets this Christmas, along with boosted funding, reflect Andy Burnham‘s national drive to make ‘real change’ and get everyone playing their part in ending rough sleeping.
Not only will these plans change the lives of rough sleepers, but it’s also said they will have huge benefits for the country as a whole.
Research from homelessness charity Crisis suggests that by preventing 40,000 people from becoming homeless for a year, taxpayers could save around £370 million.
The Government has launched a £442m drive to get rough sleepers off the streets before Christmas / Credit: Number 10 Press Office | Jon Tyson (via Unsplash)
As well provisions to get people off the streets, and the intensive ‘wraparound’ support, the newly allocated funding will also help local areas deliver more than 1,000 ‘settled’ homes over the next three years, it has been confirmed.
Areas facing the greatest pressures will receive the largest share of support.
Working alongside councils, Mayors will play a leading role in driving local action to end rough sleeping, and will be tasked with making decisions that are right for their communities to deliver help where it’s needed most.
The Prime Minister says he ‘won’t accept’ rough sleeping any longer. He commented: “No one should have to bed down in a doorway or outside a station, but we’ve seen it for so long that it feels like Westminster has started to accept it.
“That’s why my first instruction as Prime Minister was to end rough sleeping, and it’s why today we’re getting started with a national drive to get everyone in for Christmas. We did it in the pandemic, we can do it again. But it needs all of us.
Daisy Jackson -
14th November 2023 
