What's On

Bolton Food and Drink Festival returns for its 20th anniversary this bank holiday weekend

It's one of the biggest events of its kind in the UK.

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 18th August 2025

The award-winning Bolton Food and Drink Festival is returning this bank holiday weekend for its 20th year in the town.

For the last two decades years, Bolton Food and Drink Festival has been taking over the Greater Manchester town for August bank holiday weekend, fusing street food, drinks, music, and entertainment for the whole family to feast on – with the event attracting more than half a million visitors in previous years.

And 2025 is no different… in fact, it’s set to be bigger and better than ever before, as the festival celebrates its 20th anniversary.

This year, iconic TV chef, Marco Pierre White, will make his festival debut, and event favourite James Martin returns for impressive 15th year.

Both will be taking to the stage for live cooking demos and Q&As, while regional chefs from across the North West and beyond will also be serving up free live workshops, sharing their culinary know-how with festival-goers across all four days. 

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The programme is packed with special events, including the return of the ever-popular Faulty Towers Dining Experience and the crowd-pleasing Sheer Luck Holmes murder mystery, plus a gala dinner on the Friday night.

Author, wine expert and presenter Helen McGinn, aka ‘Knackered Mother’, will also be hosting a wine tasting and afternoon tea in the town’s historic Albert Halls.  

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Bolton Food and Drink Festival returns for its 20th anniversary this bank holiday weekend / Credit: Paul Heyes & BFDF

Visitors can experience a global selection of food, drink, and artisan crafts across the festival’s stalls, with outdoor bars and live music from the likes of 90s boy band East 17, and legendary disco and soul group Odyssey.

Families can enjoy free activities from Bolton Library and Museum and The Octagon, while roaming street performers bring added fun and entertainment throughout the town centre. 

“Bolton Food and Drink Festival is the jewel in our cultural crown – a vibrant celebration of our town’s creativity, hospitality and community spirit,” commented Bolton Council’s Executive Member for Culture, Cllr Nadeem Ayub.

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“We look forward to welcoming thousands of visitors to experience everything Bolton has to offer.”

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Bolton Food and Drink Festival is taking over Bolton town centre this bank holiday weekend, starting this Friday 22 August through to Monday 25 August.

Entry is FREE, although you can get tickets special events throughout the weekend online here.

Featured Image – Paul Hayes (via BFDF)

What's On

Manchester Christmas Markets 2026 – prices for beer, mulled wine, bratwurst, and more

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant Food and drink prices at the Manchester Christmas Markets 2026

It’s timeeeeee… Manchester Christmas Markets are officially open for 2026.

Now in their 27th year, Manchester Christmas Markets are known and loved for bringing thousands of people into the city centre each year to fill up on the fantastic festive treats and soak up all the Christmas atmosphere.

This year sees an even bigger return of Albert Square, and there’s also some new locations too for 2026. Lincoln Square has joined in on the action, and there’s also some big changes to St Ann’s Square – with what is being described as a ‘brand new layout’, bringing in a bigger number of market stalls.

There’s a total of 210 stalls spread out across the city centre, but we know there’s one question on everyone’s lips… ‘what’s it gonna cost me?’.

We’ve been running around the markets this morning checking out all the prices on things like beer, mulled wine, bratwurst, and more, so without further ado, here’s everything you need to know.

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Average food and drink prices at Manchester Christmas Markets 2026

  • Mulled wine – £6.50
  • Beer – £7
  • Prosecco – £7
  • Hot chocolate – £5
  • Bratwurst – £8

Albert Square

Bratwurst King on Albert Square
Bratwurst King on Albert Square
The North Pole pub at Albert Square
The North Pole pub at Albert Square

Bratwurst King

  • German bratwurst – £8
  • Smoked sausage – £8
  • Cheese sausage – £8
  • Halal hot dog – £9
  • Currywurst – £9
  • Glühwein – £6
  • Krombacher lager – £6 a pint, £3 a half pint
  • Soft drinks – £2

Macaroons and Loaded Chocolate

  • Coconut macaroons (+ chocolate / caramel drizzle) – £2.50
  • Loaded hot chocolates (original and various flavours) – £5
  • Hot drinks – from £3-£4.50

North Pole Pub

  • Prosecco – £7
  • Wine – £6 small, £8 medium, £9.50 large
  • Mulled wine – £7
  • Caramel rum – £8.50
  • Toffee cider – £8.50
  • Spiced apple & cinnamon – £8.50
  • Lager – £4 half pint, £7 pint, £14 stein
  • Cider – £4 half pint, £6.50 pint, £13 stein
  • Guinness – £4.50 half pint, £7.50 pint, £15 stein (£5.50 – Guinness 0%)
  • Cocktails – £11.50

The Wine Barrel Bar

  • Hot cocktails – £9-£9.50
  • Cocktails – £6-£9
  • Traditional glühwein – £7.50 (£10 for added spirits)
  • Wine and prosecco – £7.50
  • Beer – £4 half pint, £7 pint

The Falala Bar

  • Cocktails – £11
  • Prosecco – £7
  • Mulled wine (various flavours) – £7 small, £8.50 large
  • Hot liqueur – £9.50
  • Mocktails – £6-£6.50
  • Soft drinks – £2.50-£3

Float Bar

  • Cocktails – £10
  • Prosecco – £6.50-£8.50
  • Seasonal spiced wines – £6.50
  • Spirit & mixer – £6.50 single, £8.50 double
  • Hot drinks – £4.50
  • Boozy hot chocolates – £7.50

Apres Ski Bar

  • Prices TBC

Lincoln Square

Old Saint Nick’s Christmas Bar

  • Prices TBC

St Ann’s Square

Manchester Christmas Markets 2026 has a Guinness bar on St Ann's Square
Manchester Christmas Markets 2026 has a Guinness bar on St Ann’s Square

Guinness Bar

  • Guinness – £4.75 half pint, £7.75 pint, £15.50 stein (£5.50 – Guinness 0%)
  • Baby Guinness shot – £5
  • Beer – £4.50 half pint, £7 pint, £14 stein
  • Cider – £4 half pint, £6.50 pint, £13 stein
  • Hot liqueurs – £8.50
  • Spirit & mixers – £8-£10
  • Soft drinks – £3.50 small, £4.40 large

Der Grill

  • Extra large grilled sausage – £8 (+ £1 onion)
  • Winter cocktails (various) – £7.50-£9.50

Main Bar

  • Glühwein – £7.50
  • Glühwein specials – £10.50
  • Lager & pilsner – £4 half pint, £7 pints
  • Hot chocolate – £4

Loaded Roasties

  • Spiced rum – £7
  • Mulled wine – £6
  • Soft drinks – £2.50

Cirque de Noel

  • Prices TBC

Exchange Square

The Mill Exchange

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  • Homemade mulled wine (various flavours) – £7 small, £8.50 large
  • Cocktails – £11
  • Prosecco – £7
  • Kir Royale and Cointreau Royale – £8
  • Sparkling sangria and Negroni spritz – £10
  • Boozy hot chocolates – £8.50
  • Hot chocolate – £4.50 (deluxe flavours £5.50)
  • Tea – £2.50
  • Soft drinks – £3

Mamma Mia

  • Fine Italian wines – £7
  • Aperol spritz – £8
  • Beer – £3.50 half pint, £6.50 pint

Bratwurst King

  • German bratwurst – £8
  • Smoked sausage – £8
  • Cheese sausage – £8
  • Glühwein – £6
  • Krombacher lager – £6 a pint, £3.50 a half pint
  • Soft drinks – £2

The Hot Chocolate Bar

  • Standard hot chocolate – £5.50
  • ‘Hug in a mug’ hot chocolate – £8.0
  • Shots and flavours – extra £1 and £3
  • Signature creations – £9-£10
  • Chocolate shots – £4.95
  • Irish Cream Shot – £8

New Cathedral Street & Cathedral Gardens

The Witch House

  • Bratwurst – £9
  • BBQ hot dog – £9
  • Currywurst & fries – £12.50
  • Vodka, gin & JD – £6.50 single, £8 double
  • Glühwein – £6.50
  • Hot chocolate – £4.50 (£6.50 for boozy)
  • Beer & cider – £3.50 half pint, £6.50 pint
  • Hot Aperol – £6.50
  • Wine – £6
  • Sparkling wine – £6.50
  • Soft drinks – £2.50

C&C – Chocolate & Coffee

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  • Strawberry waffle cone – £10
  • Strawberry & brownie waffle cone – £11
  • Strawberry pot – £10
  • Extra toppings – £2
  • Hot chocolates – £5.95 (+ syrup £1, shot £3)
  • Chocolate shots – £4.95
  • Irish Cream shot – £8

King Street

Bratwurst on King Street at the Manchester Christmas Markets 2026
Bratwurst on King Street at the Manchester Christmas Markets 2026
The Grumpy Moose bar on King Street
The Grumpy Moose bar on King Street

Bratwurst King

  • German bratwurst – £8
  • Smoked sausage – £8
  • Cheese sausage – £8

Float Bar

  • Draught beers & ciders – £6.50-£7
  • Slushy cocktails – £8
  • Seasonal spiced wines – £6.50
  • Wines by the glass £6
  • Spirit & mixer – £7.50 single, £10.50 double

The Grumpy Moose

  • Mulled wine or cider – £6.50, or £9.50 with spirit
  • Prosecco – £7, or £9 with extra liqueur
  • Spritzes – £10
  • Cocktails – £10
  • Spirit and mixer – £7.50
  • Coffees – £4.50
  • Hot chocolate – £5, or £8 with extra booze

Read more:

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Featured Image – Manchester City Council

What's On

Exciting new CGIs released of £500m Therme Manchester wellness resort as construction continues

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

As construction continues on Manchester’s massive wellness resort, some new CGIs have now been released.

In case you need bringing up to speed, construction of the £500 million Therme Manchester wellness resort officially began last September after several years of planning, and now developers have released some exciting new CGIs – with an update on how construction is going, as a new milestone has been reached this week.

Set to open to the public in 2029, Therme Manchester will become one of the largest urban wellbeing resorts in the world.

Visitors can expect to make the most of a 10 pools – both lagoon and wave pools included – thermal bathing, multi-sensory sauna rituals, steam rooms, 18 water slides, affordably-priced luxury spa therapies, and health and fitness experiences.

Exciting new CGIs released of Therme Manchester have been released / Credit: Supplied

At the heart of Therme Manchester will be three distinct zones, each offering a different way to spend time at the resort.

Play will bring together water-based fun and attractions for families and visitors of all ages, and Restore will focus on thermal bathing and restorative experiences designed to help visitors unwind, while Relax will offer spaces for relaxation and wellbeing.

The latest CGIs showcase the design as it develops – including the resort’s extensive indoor and outdoor spaces, and its 53,000sq ft wellbeing garden.

Construction is still underway on the £500m wellness resort / Credit: Supplied

The plans also feature a new public plaza designed to strengthen connections between the resort and the Bridgewater Canal.

Professor David Russell, CEO of Therme UK, said: “We have taken the opportunity to refine the design, improve how traffic and parking are managed and create a more welcoming environment for everyone arriving at the resort.

“We are creating an even better experience for visitors while supporting more efficient and sustainable operations.”

Read more:

Therme Manchester was initially touted as a £250m project that would complete in 2025, but it’s now up to £500m and is scheduled to complete it 2029.

It marks one of the most significant building developments to ever take place in the North.

Featured Image – Supplied

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