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Huge ice rink, festive funfair, magical movie screenings, and more coming to Trafford Centre this Christmas

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 2nd November 2022

A huge winter ice rink, festive funfair, and screenings of magical movies are just a handful of the activities coming to the Trafford Centre this Christmas.

With not long to go until the festive season is here, and Greater Manchester already starting to get into the spirit, the Trafford Centre has revealed that its much-loved annual Tinseltown celebrations are back by popular demand for 2022.

The Stretford-based shopping centre is set to be transformed into “a magical haven full of festive fun”.

Gearing up to be the perfect place to spend time “creating memories and celebrating the Christmas season”, Tinseltown is kicking-off on Friday 18 November.

This year’s Tinseltown celebrations will include a festive funfair full of exciting rides for all the family, and a huge covered winter ice rink for visitors to glide away on under a sky full of twinkling lights while festive music plays, all before sitting down to watch SNOWSTORM 2 – the “sensational” ice skating show with an international cast of skaters and performers on the 200 sq ft of shimmering real ice.

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Tinseltown will take over from Friday 18 November 2022 until 2 January 2023 / Credit: Trafford Centre

You can also expect a festive food and drink hub, the chance to enjoy the glittering lights and sights from up above on a staggering 55-metre high big wheel, and plenty of opportunities to Christmas shop til your heart’s content.

There’ll also be lots live music entertainment playing all throughout the day to set the festive scene.

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Of course, the Trafford Centre’s beloved Christmas Grotto will also be making a return for 2022 – but this year, it’s set to be even more exciting because Paddington Bear will be joining Santa as this year’s special festive guest.

A huge covered winter ice rink for visitors to glide away on under a sky full of twinkling lights / Credit: Trafford Centre

That’s not all either, as what’s Christmas without watching a couple of festive flicks? The Trafford Centre has also announced it’ll be screening a selection of some of the most-popular Christmas films every Saturday afternoon in the run-up to the big day itself.

You can catch The Nightmare Before Christmas on 19 November, Frozen on 26 November, How the Grinch Stole Christmas on 3 December, and Arthur Christmas on 10 December, all before the classic that is Home Alone rounds it all out on 17 December.

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Tinseltown will take over from Friday 18 November 2022 until 2 January 2023.

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You can find out more about Tinseltown 2022, and book your tickets to each of the events on the Trafford Centre website here.

Featured Image – Trafford Centre

What's On

Peter Kay adds MORE Manchester dates to record-breaking arena tour

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson Peter Kay adds MORE Manchester dates to record-breaking arena tour

Peter Kay has just announced brand new dates for his record-breaking arena tour, including even more shows here in Manchester.

The Bolton-born comic legend has already performed 100 stand-up shows at the AO Arena, breaking all attendance and performance records.

He’s also the first artist in the world to perform a monthly residency at The O2 in London.

Demand to see Peter Kay has been through the roof – several ticket sites crashed when the tour was first announced – and now he’s added some new shows to the unbelievable run of dates.

The tour first started in December 2022, with shows all the way into the middle of 2025.

Now with these new dates, Peter Kay will be delivering his side-splitting stand-up show all the way into 2026.

The new shows include two hometown nights in Manchester, plus his first gigs in Aberdeen, Brighton, Bournemouth and the Isle of Man.

And heartwarmingly, Peter Kay has promised to still keep ticket prices low, with tickets starting at just £35.

The news of new dates was announced during a surprise TV ad in the first episode of I’m A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here on Sunday night.

Peter Kay adds MORE Manchester dates to record-breaking arena tour
Peter Kay adds MORE Manchester dates to record-breaking arena tour

In the advert, which you can watch below, he’s seen carrying a golden toilet into his mum’s iconic bungalow.

Peter Kay said: “It’s been wonderful doing what I love most, stand-up comedy.

“Laughter is more important than ever in these challenging times and with the cost of living still at an all-time high, ticket prices for the new dates will start from £35.”

Tickets for the new dates will go on sale at 10am on Saturday 23 November HERE.

Peter Kay new tour dates in full

  • Friday 7 February 2025 – Manchester AO Arena
  • Saturday 8 March 2025 – Leeds First Direct Arena
  • Saturday 3 May 2025 – Sheffield Utilita Arena
  • Friday 16 May 2025 – London The O2
  • Friday 30 May 2025 – Aberdeen P&J Live
  • Saturday 31 May 2025 – Aberdeen P&J Live
  • Friday 6 June 2025 – Birmingham Utilita Arena
  • Friday 20 June 2025 – London The O2
  • Thursday 10 July 2025 – Dublin 3Arena
  • Thursday 7 August 2025 – Belfast Sse Arena
  • Saturday 23 August 2025 – Newcastle Utilita Arena
  • Friday 19 September 2025 – Manchester AO Arena
  • Thursday 23 October 2025 – Glasgow Ovo Hydro 
  • Friday 21 November 2025 – Liverpool M&S Bank Arena
  • Saturday 20 December 2025 – Nottingham Motorpoint Arena
  • Friday 9 January 2026 – Brighton Centre
  • Saturday 10 January 2026 – Bournemouth International Centre
  • Friday 23 January 2026 – Cardiff Utilita Arena
  • Saturday 24 January 2026 – Cardiff Utilita Arena
  • Friday 20 February 2026 – Isle Of Man Villa Marina
  • Saturday 21 February 2026 – Isle Of Man Villa Marina

Peter Kay advert announcing new tour dates

Featured image: Publicity picture

What's On

Forget pub crawls – you can now go on a guided cheese crawl around Manchester

Thomas Melia Thomas Melia

Manchester is a foodie’s paradise and with so many options at hand why not break it down into individual food groups – starting with the dairy crowd pleaser, cheese.

Long gone are the draining pub crawls of the past, it’s time to make way for the new pioneer in the world of adventurous crawling, ‘The Manchester Cheese Crawl’.

There’s always lots of food and drink options flowing throughout our bubbly city spanning all cuisines and cultures so it comes as no surprise that the latest way to experience Manchester is via cheese, a staple of many citizens’ diets.

On the tour, there will be insider knowledge on-hand as you wander the streets and sample the creamy delights, assisting you with any dying queso queries and pecorino ponders that you need to get off your chest.

There’ll be plenty of familiar independents on the Manchester Cheese Crawl, including Northern Soul’s impressive grilled cheese sandwiches as well as more traditional cheese samples.

How could this experience get any better I hear you ask, how about a free glass of fizz to accompany those already impressive cheese selections? Yes please! 

Guests can expect to sample some of Manchester’s dairy delights while being directed by some of Manchester’s top cheese connoisseurs that are the real big cheese.

Groups who take the tour aren’t just treated to food and drink, they also receive free entertainment from their food guides who are prepared to make you chuckle with their incredible humour.

Mrs Kirkham's Lancashire Cheese, a cheeseboard staple, has been recalled
The Manchester Cheese Crawl will feature plenty of bites for curd nerds
A selection of dairy heaven displayed on a wonderful variety cheese board.
A selection of dairy heaven displayed on a wonderful variety cheese board.
Credit: Unsplash

Previous visitors have commented on their experience while taking the tour sharing the names their groups received with highlights such as ‘Shaken not curd’ and ‘Three blind mice’.

They really are serious about their cheeses, another previous visitor who went on the tour revealed their guide even had a name that perfectly fit the occasion, ‘Mel the babybel’. 

It’s sure to be a fantastic day with games and activities planned for all as you walk between the shops landmarked on the cheese-filled route.

Everyone on the tour also gets a small taste of the high life as they are treated to a Lancashire cheese handmade by a local star and celebrity.

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Starting at the Richard Cobden Statue and finishing on the always vibrant Tib Street, a quick google search reveals this walk isn’t too strenuous taking only 12 minutes but with many cheeses to get your whiskers on it will probably take around an estimated two hours to tackle.

Running this Saturday 16 November and planned to continue until November 2025 and beyond, you’d be emmental to miss out on this cheesy adventure.

If all this cheese talk has left you dreaming about your next foodie fix, tickets for ‘The Manchester Cheese Crawl’ are on sale and available here.

Featured Image: Unsplash

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