Chester Zoo has announced that its dazzling Christmas light trail will be returning this winter with some new installations.
Still think it’s a bit too early to mention the ‘C’ word? Well you’ll have to start getting used to it soon, because Chester Zoo‘s massively-popular Christmas lights trail is set to return very soon and organisers are promising this year’s trail will be its ‘brightest ever’ – with a whole raft of new additions.
The zoo has, once again, teamed up with entertainment giants Sony Music to deliver this year’s Lanterns and Light spectacle.
Over the past couple of years, Lanterns and Light has proved to be such a success that it’s developed into one of the North West’s biggest and longest-running festive light trails, and all profits from the event support the zoo’s charitable mission to prevent wildlife extinction.
A dazzling Christmas light trail will be returning to Chester Zoo with new installations this winter / Credit: Chester Zoo
All profits from the event, which will run on selected nights from 14 November 2025 until 3 January 2026, will support the zoo’s charitable mission to prevent wildlife extinction.
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This year’s trail will see the zoo transform into a spectacular winter wonderland with colour-changing forests, glowing animals, show-stopping puppets and, brand-new for this year, a host of new immersive installations.
Among the exciting new highlights for 2025 is The Airquarium, which is a dreamlike world filled with floating, glowing sea creatures, and the Bubble Walk which will bring a joyful explosion of light and colour.
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All profits support the zoo’s charitable mission to prevent wildlife extinction / Credit: Chester Zoo
Also debuting this year is Submergence – an awe-inspiring walk-through tunnel of light that fully immerses guests in a dazzling, interactive display.
Dozens of life-sized animal puppets, animated by expert performers, will also line the trail.
Alongside all these new additions will be a bunch of returning favourite attractions like giant festive baubles, neon-lit walkways, marshmallow toasting stations, fairground rides, and an enchanting fire garden, as well as a chance to catch a glimpse of Father Christmas hard at work in his toy workshop with his busy team of elves.
“We’re bringing something new and spectacular to Lanterns and Light in 2025, and it’s planned to be our brightest Christmas trail ever,” commented Gemma Wright, who is the Head of Guest Experience at Chester Zoo.
“What makes Lanterns and Light so special is that it’s not only an unforgettable festive experience, but also one with real purpose behind it.
“Every ticket purchased helps to fund Chester Zoo’s vital conservation work right here at the zoo, where we care for and breed some of the world’s most threatened species, and in more than 20 countries globally where we’re working with partners to prevent extinction.
“By joining us for this magical evening, visitors are also helping to secure a brighter future for wildlife globally.”
Lanterns and Light will return to Chester Zoo from Friday 14 November 2025 and will run on selected evenings right through to 3 January 2026 – with tickets now on sale, priced at £19 for adults, £12 for children, £2.50 for toddlers, and free for babies.
Manchester’s 2025 Christmas Parade in pictures as tens of thousands turn out for festive event
Emily Sergeant
Tens of thousands of residents flocked to the city centre this past weekend for Manchester’s annual Christmas Parade.
Over the past few years since it first took place in 2022, Manchester Christmas Parade has become a festive favourite with both locals and visitors alike, and with more than 400 participants and performers gracing the city’s main shopping streets this year, it’s really not hard to see why it’s a much-loved fixture in the city’s countdown to Christmas.
Seen by many as the heartwarming event of the festive season, Manchester Christmas Parade was even ‘bigger and better’ than last year’s fantastic crowdpleaser.
Even a drop of the classic Manchester rain didn’t stop play on the day, as the fabulous festive Parade made its way through the packed city streets to the smiles and cheers of all those watching.
Despite the Manchester weather, tens of thousands of you turned out to make Sunday’s Christmas Parade truly magical. 🎅 👼 🥁
A huge thank you to everyone who joined us for the heart-warming event of the season.
“I remember thinking at the end of our fabulous Manchester Christmas Parade last year that we would never be able to top it,” commented Cllr Pat Karney, Manchester City Council’s Christmas spokesperson. “But this year’s parade has been off-the-scale brilliant – it was so much fun and you could see how much all the children loved it.
“The city centre was heaving, it felt like millions of Mancs had turned out for the parade, and what a performance we put on for them.”
The streets were filled with music and laughter this year, as well as the return of Manchester’s very-own Elf Express, complete with VIP passenger Santa hitching a ride on his way to the North Pole, together with his trusty team of elves.
Tens of thousands of people turned out for Manchester Christmas Parade 2025 this past weekend / Credit: Manchester City Council
Not only that, but Nutcracker-inspired toy soldiers also sweept their way through the Parade on segways, alongside a roaming Christmas tree, a pair of gentle giant-sized reindeer, a stunning arctic fox, and Jack Frost himself.
Brand-new for this year will be the fantastic Festive Fantasy Candyland Castle, which stood over three-meters tall and truly was the stuff of fairytales.
“Manchester once again helped make the magic and the memories for a whole generation of families from across the city and beyond,” Cllr Karney concluded.
Featured Image – Manchester City Council
What's On
Indiana Jones, live in concert, is coming to Manchester
Danny Jones
An all-time Hollywood favourite is being brought to Manchester audiences like never before, as a special showing of the first Indiana Jones film is coming to the city centrein concert.
Steven Spielberg and George Lucas’ action-adventure series is one we all know and love – and if you haven’t seen it before, what are you playing at?
Having said that, the original beloved blockbuster still stands up as the most fondly remembered of the series to this day; put simply, the ‘best’ film in the ‘Indy’ franchise is Raiders of the Lost Ark.
Whether you agree with us or not, you can’t deny that the idea of hearing a live concert version of that iconic Indiana Jones score being played in the flesh by a proper orchestra sounds mega. Case in point:
The legendary John Williams score has been played in some of the most prestigious rooms in the world.
Now, how about hearing those incredible trumpets and French horns over the audio of the film itself, soundtracking each scene as it plays on the big screen in front of you?
Yes, we are nerding out, and so should you be.
After a globe-trotting trek that Indy himself would be proud of, the Disney Concerts production is now gearing up for its UK tour, with just a handful of lucky cities selected for the privilege.
You can see the full list of tour dates down below (we’ve highlighted other Northern shows for you, too):
Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark: Live In Concert – UK tour dates | 2026
Sunday 31 May – Manchester Bridgewater Hall Monday 1 June – Glasgow Royal Concert Hall Tuesday 2 June – Edinburgh Usher Hall Wednesday 3 June – Liverpool Philharmonic Hall Thursday 4 June – Birmingham Symphony Hall Friday 5 June – Sheffield City Hall Sunday 7 June – London Eventim Apollo
As you can see, not only will the run of live shows be kicking off on home turf, but they have selected the one and only Bridgewater Hall for the movie concert experience – a more than fitting venue.
Released back in 1981, it’s unbelievable how timeless and instantly recognisable the iconic Indy theme and film score still is to this day.
The pre-sale window for early access opens from 10am today, Wednesday, 3 December, and general admission goes live at the same time this coming Friday (5 Dec).
You can get ready to grab your tickets to the Manchester screening and live orchestral performance next May right HERE.
Be it movies, TV or even games, we’re loving how many of these kinds of shows are coming to our city now, from all-time classics like Indiana Jones to cult favourite bits of British kids’ telly…
Emily Sergeant -
6th October 2025 
