Manchester Christmas Markets 2023 dates and opening times
It’s that time of year again – the Manchester Christmas Markets 2023 are on the way, with dates and opening times confirmed.
It’s one of the biggest events in the city’s calendar, drawing in thousands of visitors every year eager to sip on mulled wine and scoff down bratwursts.
Things are about to get pretty festive in Manchester, as the return date for the city’s legendary Christmas Markets this year has been announced to spread some cheer right across the city centre.
Manchester City Council has confirmed the date for the annual event’s return, as well as all the locations around town.
So if you’re wondering what date the Manchester Christmas Markets will return, you’ll be pleased to know there’s not long left to wait.
When do the Manchester Christmas Markets 2023 start?
The Manchester Christmas Markets 2023 will make their grand return on Friday 10 November.
This means that the city centre’s main hubs and streets, including Exchange Square, St Ann’s Square, King Street, and Market Street, will be lined with wooden huts right selling festive food, handmade gifts, and so much more before we know it.
Cathedral Gardens is once again playing host to the iconic Ice Rink, with a range of food and drink stalls alongside it, and that’s already open for business. That Christmas Markets site started on Thursday 26 October.
How long are the Manchester Christmas Markets 2023 on for and what date do they close?
The Manchester Christmas Markets will be open for six weeks this year, between 10 November and 21 December.
But the Cathedral Gardens site, which is home to the ice rink, will remain open right through to Sunday 31 December.
That’s plenty of time to get to grips with all 225 stalls across nine sites.
What are the opening and closing times for the Manchester Christmas Markets 2023?
These are the opening and closing times for each of the Manchester Christmas Markets sites:
- Piccadilly Gardens, aka The Winter Gardens – Open daily from 10am to 9pm (street food stalls open until 6pm, craft stalls open until 8pm)
- King Street – Open daily 10am to 9pm (Craft stall open until 8pm)
- St Ann’s Square – Open daily 10am to 8pm
- New Cathedral Street – Open daily 10am to 8pm
- Exchange Square and Corn Exchange – Open daily 10am to 9pm (Craft stalls open until 8pm)
- Market Street – Open Monday to Saturday 10am to 8pm. Open until 6pm on Sundays
- Cathedral Gardens – Open daily 10am to 9pm (Craft stalls open until 8pm)
Confirming the Christmas Markets’ return, Councillor Pat Karney, who is Manchester City Council’s Christmas spokesperson, told the MEN: “With the last rays of summer sun now fading fast, it’s time to track down the tinsel and get ready for Manchester’s favourite time of the year.
“And with only 8 weeks to go until the opening of Manchester’s world-famous Christmas markets it will be glühwein and bratwurst time before we know it.
“Mark it on your calendars with 10 November – Christmas starts here.”
Cllr Karney had already previously confirmed that the Christmas Parade will also be back this year after it proved to be such a smash-hit success during its inaugural year in 2022. You can expect to see runaway Christmas presents, Jack Frost, Snow Queens, and of course, Santa, make their way through the city centre’s streets once again.
Dates for this free family-friendly event are yet to be confirmed, with the Council telling residents to keep their eyes peeled for more announcements in the coming weeks.
Read more:
- Tickets for Greater Manchester’s beloved Santa steam train rides this Christmas are ALREADY on sale
- A TV channel playing Christmas films 24/7 is now back on air in the UK
- Singalong ‘carol-oke’ Alpine winter huts are coming back to Manchester for Christmas
Featured Image – Manchester City Council