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A ‘skate in the sky’ ice rink experience is coming to Manchester

Skaters can glide over the ice whilst looking down at live entertainment, ranging from an orchestra playing Christmas songs to screenings of festive film favourites

Georgina Pellant Georgina Pellant - 2nd November 2021

It appears that Manchester is to be blessed with not one but two Christmas ice skating rink experiences this festive season.

During the build-up to Christmas, revellers will be able to “float on ice in the sky” thanks to Escape To Freight Island, which is bringing its own ‘skate in the sky’ ice rink experience to Manchester.

By hoisting an ice rink up onto the mezzanine floor at The Ticket Hall inside Depot Mayfield, the venue promises to give skaters “remarkable views” as they look down on all the entertainment taking part on its inside stage this festive season.

It will sit on a brand-new mezzanine floor made by concretene – a newly developed graphene-enhanced concrete created at the University of Manchester.

Skaters will be able to soak up Christmas entertainment from below – gliding across the ice to the sounds of Christmas covers from The Untold Orchestra, or to the soundtrack of some all-time festive Christmas movie favourites.

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Image: Escape to Freight Island

The ice rink will be part of the venue’s winter village festivities, which will also see Escape To Freight Island welcome in festive traders, a Christmas tree forest, a hog roast grill, mulled wine and hot cider huts, and more.

Transformed into a winter wonderland from Friday, 5 November, the Winter Island experience will combine a traditional Christmas market with an immersive series of live events.

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The ‘skate in the sky’ ice rink, however, will not open to the public until Friday, 12 November.

The ice rink opening hours are Monday to Thursday from 4 pm until 11 pm, and Friday to Sunday from 10 am until 11 pm. Tickets are priced at £13 / £10 for adults (peak / off-peak times); £11 / £8 for children (peak / off-peak times); and £10 for students.

General sale is on Wednesday, 3 November at 9 am – but you can sign up now to get access to pre-sale bookings.

Feature image – Piqsels

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‘Glittering winter adventure’ set to take over Tatton Park this Christmas

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

The magnificent grounds of Tatton Park will be transformed into a ‘glittering winter adventure’ this festive season.

With spooky season now a thing of the past, and Christmas merely a few weeks away, families will soon be whisked away into a world of folklore, enchantment, and enthralling performances as they enter the gardens of the stunning Tatton Park in Cheshire for an immersive, festival-like experience known as Yuletide.

Organisers say the captivating event promises to be a “truly magical experience” where folklore stories come to life through storytelling and live music.

A ‘glittering winter adventure’ is set to take over Tatton Park this Christmas / Credit: Supplied

All set to transport visitors right into the heart of Yuletide tales, the exciting new event – which opens next weekend, and runs through until late December – is produced by Wild Rumpus, who you may know for other magical local events such as ‘The Lanterns’ at Chester Zoo (2018-2022) and Just So Festival.

The highlight of this new event has to be The Glittering Trail, where beautifully-illuminated puppets and performers bring legendary stories of Yuletide to life as visitors wander through the park’s popular Japanese Gardens and make the most of the stunning winter landscape.

Families can gather around an open fire to toast marshmallows, all while they watch live performances that add even more magic to the evening.

Yuletide will be running at Tatton Park on selected dates from Saturday 16 November through to Monday 23 December, and tickets are on sale now – with adult tickets costing £20, children paying just £12 each, and free personal assistant passes are also available.

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Find out more and book your tickets here.

Featured Image – Supplied

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Why Big Santa WON’T be in Manchester when the Christmas Markets open this week

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson Why Big Santa WON'T be in Manchester when the Christmas Markets open this week

The sheds have taken over the city centre already, with the huge Christmas Markets officially opening on Friday 8 November.

A big character during the festive season in Manchester is, of course, our light-up Big Santa.

He’s taken on a few different forms over the years, from the huge inflatable character who used to scale the Manchester Town Hall to the piercing gaze of the city’s legendary ‘Zippy’.

The newest Big Santa is a large fella sitting on a big present, sporting a white handlebar moustache and holding a Manchester bee in his hand.

Over the years, this festive figure has been joined by several other glowing installations, like twinkling baubles you can walk through and huge stars.

And when the markets were held at Albert Square, they normally opened with Big Santa proudly already in position.

But this year the arrival of the Manchester Christmas Markets doesn’t mean the start of the festive light trail, or the return of Big Santa – so don’t go looking for him on Friday.

That’s because he won’t be installed on his perch at St Peter’s Square until after Remembrance Sunday, with a poignant service being held at the Cenotaph in the square next weekend.

Manchester Christmas Markets 2024 - dates, locations, times and stalls confirmed
Big Santa won’t be there when the Manchester Christmas Markets open on Friday. Credit: The Manc Group

Father Christmas will be installed at St Peter’s Square in the days after Remembrance Sunday.

Speaking of the Manchester Christmas Markets, councillor Pat Karney said: “Nowhere does Christmas quite like Manchester and with more than a quarter of a century of our world-famous legendary Christmas markets under our belts, we reckon we’ve got everyone’s Christmas wrapped.

“The number of people who’ve visited our markets over the years must be well over the fifty million mark by now and twenty-six years on from our first-ever Christmas Market in 1998 we regularly attract visitors from around the globe.

“We can’t wait to welcome everyone back again to Santa’s favourite city to enjoy the markets and share in all the festive fun. Grab some tinsel, find a friend or round up the family, and come and join us!”

The Manchester Christmas Markets open on Friday 8 November and close on Sunday 22 December, with Big Santa arriving in mid-November.

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Featured image: The Manc Group

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