A brand-new festive light trail is heading to Greater Manchester this winter, transforming the hidden Wilderspool Woods at the Trafford Centre into a twinkling wonderland.
The 4.5-acre event will fill paths and treetops with festive magic, from giant overhead shooting stars to huge illuminated presents.
There’ll be an impressive selection of festive street food on offer curated by Freight Island, too.
The Christmas Trail comes from the same team behind The Twilight Trail, which took over Mayfield Park last winter.
And it follows in the footsteps of the upcoming The Halloween Trail, which promises to mesmerise rather than terrify its visitors with dazzling light installations.
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Back to the festive version though – The Christmas Trail will be bringing dozens of jaw-dropping light and interactive illuminations to the woods from November all the way through to the new year.
These will include The Moon, a giant glowing sculpture suspended between the trees and surrounded by stars and beams of light, and Father Christmas’s hidden treasures of giant glowing presents hidden among the trees.
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Shooting Stars will see a twinkling four-metre-high star shine up in the treetops, sending dozens of smaller stars shooting across the canopy.
Giant Orbs will glow and pulse with colour, while delicate origami boats float on the water’s edge.
Fallen Stars will cascade down from the branches overhead, with LED stars sparkling in mesmerising patterns and falling snowflakes tumbling down.
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As visitors weave their way around the light trail they’ll be treated to a sound track of holiday classics and upbeat tunes.
The Freight Island-curated food pop-up will feature Flock, serving Southern-fried buttermilk chicken; Mega Gyros with authentic Greek wraps, loaded fries and kids’ meals; Cabin Chocolat (hot chocolate creations and signature boozy hot chocolates); Winter Warmers (mulled wine and other festive beverages); and Soft Boi (donuts and crepes with festive flavours).
Plus, special guest trader Heard, the new burger venture from two Michelin-starred chef Jordan Bailey, will return with mouth-watering seasonal smash burgers made using the finest ingredients from eco-friendly farms.
Dan Morris, co-founder of Trafford Trails, said: “We’re thrilled to transform Wilderspool Woods into a Christmas wonderland this year. It promises to be a magical experience filled with incredible light displays, interactive moments, and delicious food.”
Simon Layton, Centre Director at Trafford Centre, added: “We’re delighted to bring a new festive experience to Trafford this Christmas.
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“Collaborating once again with Freight Island and other fantastic partners, we’ve created an unforgettable celebration of light, joy, and seasonal magic. We can’t wait to see Wilderspool Woods sparkle this Christmas.”
The Christmas Trail will launch on Friday 8 November and will run every day from 4pm until Thursday 2 January 2025.
Tickets are on sale now, with prices starting from £8 for children, £10 for adults, and family tickets from £32.
Free parking is available for all ticket holders, with convenient transport links also available via tram and bus.
For more information and to book tickets, head HERE.
JD and Nike are hiding free pairs of Air Max shoes in InPost lockers at the Trafford Centre
Daisy Jackson
JD are celebrating the return of the Nike Air Max 95 ‘OG Neon’ with a major giveaway, hiding pairs of the limited trainers inside InPost lockers at the Trafford Centre.
There’ll be a chance for Mancs to unlock exclusive prizes, including those iconic shoes, plus Air Max 95 jackets, pants, and t-shirts.
JD started teasing the drop of the Neons last week, with a video of a stock room filled with Air Max boxes and a crew packing.
Then details started dropping too, with Liverpool grime star Kasst 8 revealing himself as the sender.
In the campaign, the unapologetically Northern artist appears stationed on JD x Nike Air Max branded lockers, firing off texts reading ‘I’ll be there soon’, ‘SHIPPED OUT’, and ‘Check your InPost’.
And now JD has revealed its major competition with Nike, giving you the chance to bag a pair of Air Max 95 OG Neons.
Special Air Max branded InPost lockers will be stationed in-store at JD at the Trafford Centre (and at Liverpool One), each one stuffed with Air Max shoes and apparel.
To be in with a chance of unlocking a locker, you just need to submit your details HERE.
Then select winners will be chosen from a random draw and sent a unique code, which you can take to your chosen locker and reveal what you’ve won.
The Air Max 95 OG Neons are an iconic shoe designed by Sergio Lozano, with a human anatomy-inspired design that includes ribcage laces and vibrant neon accents against grey gradients.
JD have been teasing the launch of this campaign, with the Air Max 90 and 95 Neons dropping in-store and online on Thursday 5 March.
If you missed last year’s Air Max OG Neon drop, JD’s throwing you a lifeline.
Enter before 9am on Tuesday 3 March HERE for your chance to unlock – winners will be picked at random and contacted this week to collect at JD Manchester Trafford Centre.
Manchester’s new aesthetics clinic with a budget-friendly tiered pricing model
The Manc
There’s a new medically–led aesthetics clinic in the heart of Manchester, which offers a tiered pricing model that will get you the right treatment at a price that suits your budget.
The Academy Clinic has opened up on Quay Street, specialising in natural, balanced results with a massive range of injectable and cosmetic dermatology treatments
The clinic was founded by Dr Tristan Mehta, Dr Emily Mehta, and Dr Marcus Mehta, who want to raise the standards of injectable and cosmetic dermatology treatments across the UK.
It’s part of Harley Academy, the UK’s leading provider of postgraduate training in aesthetic medicine.
And that’s what sets it apart from a lot of other clinics in the UK, and makes it a stand-out in an industry that is largely unregulated – at The Academy Clinic you won’t ever be treated by non-medics or anyone without formal medical training.
It means that you are always in the hands of a registered medical professional – whether it be practitioner or trainee, and doctor, nurse, dentist or clinical pharmacist – who would be able to manage complications, so you can feel confident you’re in the best hands.
The Academy Clinic in Manchester. Credit: Supplied
And the tiered treatment model really does suit every patient’s budget and preferences – you can take a more affordable treatment option, where qualified medical professionals are learning and being upskilled with expert supervision during your treatment; or you can opt for a fully private experience with a senior practitioner and no training elements involved.
There’s a wide range of treatments available, including popular injectable skin treatments such as Profhilo® and Profhilo Structura®, polynucleotides, dermal fillers, microneedling, HydraFacial and more, all designed to deliver natural-looking, confidence-boosting results.
Beyond patient care, The Academy Clinic’s clinical team also trains and mentors medical professionals through its GMC-registered aesthetics training academy, Harley Academy.
Dr Tristan Mehta, Founder & CEO of The Academy Clinic and Harley Academy, said: “Our mission has always been to raise standards in aesthetics. By combining education with patient care, we can ensure treatments are delivered safely, ethically, and with natural results.
Treatments include HydraFacials
“Bringing The Academy Clinic to Manchester means more people can access medically-led aesthetics with confidence.”
The Academy Clinic is now open at St John’s Court on Quay Street in Manchester, having acquired SkinViva last October.
To keep up to date with the latest news and promotions, you can follow The Academy Clinic on Instagram @theacademyclinic. For bookings or enquiries, call 0161 865 1141, visit theacademyclinic.co.uk or email [email protected].
Exclusive offer for The Manc readers: Use code MANC25 at the time of booking or when in clinic for 25% off any treatments excluding wrinkle reduction treatments.
Daisy Jackson -
18th October 2024 
