City Centre
Snappy Runners
AJ Handley-Rowe -
16th June 2022
AJ Handley-Rowe -
16th June 2022 City Centre
Manchester’s largest outdoor ice rink confirmed for a return this festive season with tickets NOW on sale
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 2026 is set to be absolutely no different.
Families, friends, and festive fun seekers will be able to enjoy the sights and sounds of Christmas whatever the weather has in store, as although the rink will be outdoors in the heart of Cathedral Gardens, the ice is fully covered.
Off the back of a hugely successful 2025 season, there will be a specially curated programme of events this year too, including themed nights, competitions, and inclusive skate sessions designed for an accessible and enjoyable experience for as many people as possible.
And if you’re not too confident on the ice, the rink will also offer a variety of skate sessions that are tailored to meet the needs of all visitors too.
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This includes dedicated quiet and toddler sessions to create a more relaxed skating environment.
Discounted tickets and weekly events will also be on offer too, meaning students can skate for just £10 on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings, families can enjoy dedicated Parents & Mini Skater sessions in the same period, and group discounts will also be available for larger bookings.
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There will also be £5 Community and school sessions, free skating for children on selected Tuesdays, accessible SEND sessions, and 20% off for Blue Light workers.
“Skate Manchester has established itself as the highest Google-rated rink in the UK, located in the heart of Manchester next to the world-renowned Christmas Markets – it’s the perfect way to enjoy a Mancunian Christmas,” commented Rob Derry, who is the Director at Tamarisk Events – the coordinator of Skate Manchester.
Skate Manchester will open to the public from Friday 6 November 2026 until Sunday 3 January 2027, excluding Christmas Day.
Read more:
- Manchester Christmas Markets 2026 opening date announced – including new spots
- You can ALREADY book tickets for Greater Manchester’s beloved Santa steam trains this Christmas
- Chester Zoo’s light trail returns this winter with a new route and new animals for 2026
From 6 November to 6 December, the rink will be open daily from 11am to 9pm, and then from 7 January onwards, opening hours will extend from 10am to 9pm – with all skating sessions lasting 45 minutes.
Featured Image – Supplied
City Centre
Manchester Art Fair returns this autumn with more than 180 exhibitors under one roof
Emily Sergeant
One of the UK’s largest art fairs is back in Manchester this autumn, bringing more than 180 exhibitors together all under one roof.
Not only is it one of the UK’s largest and one of the most significant art fairs, but it’s by far one of the most celebrated cultural events in Greater Manchester‘s social calendar too.
Designed for the collector, the curator, and those who are just simply curious, the event draws in tens of thousands of visitors, and will feature lots of new and returning galleries and artists this year – all of whom will be showing new works.
2026’s edition will be its biggest yet too, as the event is returning to Manchester Central for four days this year instead of the usual three.
Returning from Thursday 19 to Sunday 22 November, the fair will have more than 600 artists there for an exceptional showcase of modern and contemporary art, with thousands of works available to discover and buy from both world-renowned names and some of the most exciting emerging creative talent.
In a significant move, the fair’s highly anticipated Preview Night will move to Thursday evening, opening
an expanded programme of art, talks, workshops, and new experiences across the four days that follow.
Leading the lineup of new features are Manchester Art Fair’s Art Masterclasses, which have been created for developing artists looking to advance their creative practice.
These new experiences will sit alongside a rich programme of artist talks, panel discussions, Q&As, live
demonstrations, and other hands-on creative workshops.
Manchester Art Fair 2026 will first open at Manchester Central with an exclusive preview night on Thursday 19 November, before it then continues on Friday 20, Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 November – with tockets now on sale.
Tickets are priced at £15 for a day ticket or £25 for a preview night ticket, including access throughout the weekend, all with booking fees applying.
Read more:
- Council announces return of FREE firework displays in Manchester parks
- Manchester Christmas Markets 2026 opening date announced – including new spots
- Bewitching Christmas light trail Northern Lights will return to Heaton Park this year
You can get your hands on tickets from the Manchester Art Fair website HERE, and find out more information on this year’s event HERE.
Featured Image – Supplied
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