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Manchester Christmas Parade 2023 returns this weekend – road closures and travel advice

The city's big festive family day is back.

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson - 2nd December 2023

One of the city’s newer festive events will return to the city centre this weekend when the Manchester Christmas Parade hits the streets.

On Sunday 3 December, hundreds of snow queens, candy cane stilt walkers, dancing snowmen, giant Nutrackers, reindeer, owls, festive dinosaurs and even dancing sprouts will parade through town.

The festive event debuted last year and is now promising a bigger and better parade for 2023.

The Manchester Christmas Parade is due to set off at 1pm from Manchester Cathedral, following a route down Deansgate, onto St Ann’s Street, then along Cross Street and Corporation Street as far as the National Football Museum, where it will turn onto Fennel Street for the finish.

Father Christmas will be popping along to join in the festivities, along with the life-size Bengal tiger puppet of Richard Parker from The Life Of Pi, which is at The Lowry between 5 December and 7 January.

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The Manchester Christmas Parade will be soundtracked by live music from the Global Grooves Nutcracker Bloco Band playing Santa’s favourite Christmas songs, joined by troupes of dancers dressed in their sparkly best Christmas kit.

Councillor Pat Karney, Manchester City Council’s Christmas spokesperson said: “We can’t wait to welcome everyone back again for another fabulous Manchester Christmas Parade.

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“Last year’s first ever parade was an absolute delight, the heart-warming event of the season, with Manchester at its magical Merry Christmas best.

“Bigger and even better this year it’s going to be brilliant so wrap up warm, grab a Christmas hat and some tinsel and come and join us!”

To facilitate the Manchester Christmas Parade, road closures and changes to public transport will be necessary.

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The Manchester Christmas Parade 2023 route map
The Manchester Christmas Parade 2023 route map
The Manchester Christmas Parade 2022
The Manchester Christmas Parade 2022

Road closures for the Manchester Christmas Parade 2023

Road closures from 8am until 5pm:

  • Victoria Street​​

Road closures from 11am until 2.30pm:

  • Cateaton Street (Deansgate to End)​
  • St Mary Gate (Cross Street to Deansgate)​​
  • Deansgate ( Victoria Street to John Dalton)​​
  • St Ann’s Street (St Mary’s Street to Cross Street) ​​
  • Cross Street (Albert Square to Market Street)
  • ​Corporation Street (Market Street to ​Fennel Street)​
  • Fennel Street (Corporation Street to Cathedral Street)
  • ​Cathedral Street (Fennel Street to Exchange Square)​​

Access to the Marks and Spencer car-park will be managed as much as possible via Victoria Bridge Street, but there will be two periods of approximately 20 minutes when we’ll have to pause this.

Changes on on-street parking and Metrolink

As well as a Metrolink tram suspension of the Second City Crossing route (St Peter’s Square, Princess Street, Albert Square, Cross Street and Corporation Street) between 12 noon and 2.30pm on Sunday, there will be on-street parking suspension on the following streets:

From 6pm on Friday 1 December until 6pm on Sunday 3 December​:

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  • Victoria Street (Deansgate to Cathedral Approach) ​

From 6pm on Saturday 2 December until 6pm on Sunday 3 December:

  • Market Street and St Mary Gate (Cross Street to Deansgate)
  • ​Deansgate ( Victoria Street to John Dalton) ​
  • St Ann’s Street (St Mary’s Street to Cross Street) ​
  • Cross Street (Albert Square to Market Street) ​
  • Corporation Street (Cross Street to Ring Road) ​
  • Cateaton Street (All) ​
  • Cathedral Street (Fennel Street to Exchange Square) ​
  • Fennel Street (Corporation Street to Cathedral Street) ​
  • St Mary’s Street (Deansgate to Southgate) ​

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Featured image: Manchester City Council

What's On

HAIM at Co-op Live, Manchester – tickets, times, setlist, and more for UK tour

Thomas Melia Thomas Melia

Rock trio HAIM are gearing up to play their first ever arena show in Manchester next week.

Sisters Este, Danielle and Alana – more widely recognised by their surname, which also doubles as the title of their group, HAIM – are about to perform their biggest Manchester show to date.

This should come as no surprise, with the band amassing a cult following of fans and almost seven million monthly listeners on Spotify – thanks to huge tunes like ‘The Wire’, ‘Now I’m In It’, and ‘Don’t Wanna’, as well as newer single released like ‘Relationships’ and ‘All over me’.

The band have already recently played to a near 70,000 fans, thanks to their longtime friend and musical collaborator Taylor Swift, who brought the band out as a special guest on her global phenomenon The Eras Tour last summer.

But now, HAIM are going it alone.

They’ll be stringing up their guitars, and warming up their vocal chords to sing their angsty and fiery hits over at Manchester’s biggest entertainment venue, Co-op Live.

HAIM are bringing their 'I quit' tour to Co-op Live in Manchester on 30 October / Credit: Supplied
HAIM are bringing their ‘I quit’ tour to Co-op Live in Manchester on 30 October / Credit: Supplied

HAIM – UK Tour Dates 2025

  • Friday 24 October – Nottingham, UK – Motorpoint Arena
  • Saturday 25 October – Cardiff, UK – Utilita Arena
  • Sunday 26 October – Brighton, UK – Brighton Centre
  • Tuesday 28 October – London, UK – The O2
  • Thursday 30 October – Manchester, UK – Co-op Live
  • Friday 31 October – Glasgow, UK – OVO Hydro

Tickets

No need to ‘Pray to God’, as there’s still a good selection of tickets available for any Manchester HAIM lovers to grab HERE.

If you’re feeling a bit fancier, however, and fancy watching HAIM while ‘Spinning’ the night away in a premium seat, then you can find a handful of tickets up for grabs over on SeatUnique, starting from £25 HERE.

Setlist

  • Gone
  • All over me
  • Take me back
  • My Song 5
  • Cry
  • Spinning
  • Don’t Wanna
  • The Steps
  • Gasoline
  • Blood on the Street
  • Hallelujah
  • Summer Girl
  • Want You Back
  • Relationships
  • Now I’m in It
  • The Wire
  • Down to be Wrong

What are the stage times for HAIM in Manchester?

Co-op Live has a strict curfew of 11pm, and with doors opening at 6:30pm and a start time of 7.30pm, this rock trio certainly won’t be working to ‘The Wire’ to cram in all their hits, meaning you can get home before the crack of dawn.

Bedroom pop musician Dora Jar supported the girls throughout the North American shows, however there’s no official artist confirmed for the UK leg so far.

Rock trio HAIM are gracing Manchester, London, Glasgow and more on their UK tour / Credit: Supplied
Rock trio HAIM are gracing Manchester, London, Glasgow and more on their UK tour / Credit: Supplied

How to get to Co-op Live

Tram

For those of you heading to Co-op Live, you’ll be glad to know it’s right next door to a rather famous big blue stadium and its integrated Metrolink stop.

Head along the light blue or orange lines directly to the Etihad Campus or Ashton-under-Lyne, and you can get off the tram literally spitting distance from the arena. You can find the full map HERE.

Trams run frequently on the Ashton-Eccles line to the Etihad stop, with services leaving every six minutes from the city centre and until 1am on Fridays and Saturdays.

Bus

You can find the full list of bus routes HERE, with the one in closest proximity to the venue being the 53 bus, which runs from Cheetham Hill through to Higher Crumpsall, Old Trafford and Pendleton, leaving just a two-minute walk to Co-op Live.

You also get free Bee Network travel with any valid event ticket.

Car and parking

If you’re driving, there is limited parking available at the venue, but this must be pre-booked ahead of time, and there are designated drop-off areas.

The postcode is M11 3DU and you can follow the signs towards the wider Etihad Campus as you get closer, and directions to the adjacent drop-off points will also be signposted.

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Keep in mind that congestion on the roads close to the stadium is expected to gather around two hours prior to any event, so if you are travelling on the road, these are the suggested times they provide come event day, though estimates will obviously vary:

  • Alan Turing Way (both directions): plan an additional 20 minutes into any journey by road.
  • Hyde Road (eastbound): expect an additional 15 minutes to be added to your journey.
  • Mancunian Way (westbound): plan for an extra 10 minutes of travel time.

There are also three park-and-ride facilities near Co-op Live, but be advised that the Velopark and Holt Town stops will be closed post-event to help safely manage crowds:

  • Ashton Moss (Ashton line) – 183 spaces and 12 disabled spaces
  • Ashton West (Ashton line) – 184 spaces and 11 disabled spaces
  • Ladywell (Ashton-Eccles line) – 332 spaces and 22 disabled spaces

Walk/cycle

Lastly, Co-op Live is only a half-hour stroll from Manchester Piccadilly, and you could even walk along the canal all the way to the front door if you fancy taking the scenic route.

Greater Manchester now also offers the option to hire bikes through the Beryl scheme, with riders able to locate, unlock, get to their destination and then safely lock up the bike all through an easy-to-use app. There are hire points just near the south-west corner of the Etihad Stadium on Ashton New Road.

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For more information on all travel options, you can check out the enhanced journey planner.

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For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images: Terrence ‘O Connor and Lea Garn / Press Shots (via supplied)

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The best foodie freebies you can get in Manchester on your birthday

Danny Jones Danny Jones free birthday food and drink offers manchester city centre

Nothing says ‘Happy Birthday’ quite like free food and drink simply for being born, especially when you can get it right here on your doorstep in Manchester, don’t you think?

There’s no doubt tonnes of different places that do special complimentary offers on your big day throughout the 10 boroughs, but that inevitably gargantuan list is for another day.

For now, we thought we’d simply put together a quick and easy round-up of the best birthday freebies you can get in and around central Manchester.

You can thank us later when you’re all full up and your wallet isn’t even the tiniest bit lighter.

Places that offer free stuff on your birthday in Manchester

1. Money off at J.W. Lees

Start your birthday off right with a pint from one of Greater Manchester’s most famous beermasters: J.W. Lees Brewery, who’ll give you a tenner off when you visit the bar on your birthday.

All you have to do is quickly sign up for their mailer to get your £10 voucher; they’re also the legend behind the ongoing Boddingtons revival, so you already know how best to spend it.

2. Complimentary chicken at Yard and Coop

Next up is a Manc favourite that’s never shyed away from dishing out the odd freebie – spoilers, but it usually involves some kind of chicken…

In all seriousness, be it free wings for students with ‘Yard Card’ or kids eating at no cost when the adults book in a family meal, the kings and queens at the Coop are always looking out for us Mancs. It’s not different on you’re birthday either, when you get a free main meal by signing up to the newsletter.

offers at yard and coop nq
yard and coop chicken manchester
Credit: The Manc Eats

3. Bar tab on Simmons

Next up, you’re going to need something to wash down all that lovely salty fried chicken, so why not queue up some cocktails at Simmons over on Deansgate?

These still relatively recent London exports are so kind as to offer a £25 bar tab when you book a table with them for your birthday; you can sort yours HERE.

4. Nell’s Pizza freebies

Ok, so now you’ve whetted the whistle and can probably line up your next bit of scran – we’re assuming you’re going to do what we do and cram all these into one single day – so it’s time to grab some pizza at Nell’s if you ask us.

Better yet, not only are their slices reasonably priced, but you can also cop yourself a voucher free ‘Birthday Cake’ flavour (yes, the pretty one with the sprinkles) ice cream sandwich when booking online. You’ve also got a new venue you can enjoy this deal at, too.

Inside Nell’s MediaCity as local pizza legends open new site with karaoke and shuffleboard
We’ve had a free ice cream sandwich at Nell’s in Manchester on our birthday for at least the last three years.

5. Bonus baked goods at Gail’s

If a little ice cream sandwich hasn’t quite satiated your sweet tooth, then you’ll be glad to know that the growing presence of Gail’s Bakery in Greater Manchester not only involves some unreal tastes and smells, but some brilliant birthday freebies, too.

For those who are members of Gail’s Loyalty Programme, where customers can also collect stamps to earn back coffees, cakes and more completely gratis, you are also entitled to a free sweet from their baker’s table treat during your birthday month. Say no more.

gail's bakery altrincham
gail's bakery menu manchester
Question is, which treat will it be?… (Credit: The Manc Group)

6. Good old Greggs

Room for more dessert (they do say it’s a second stomach, after all)? Well, if there is, you can’t go wrong with a Northerner’s first love: Gregg’s, who also keep things nice and straightforward by simply congratulating you on being born by giving you a free sweet treat you can claim via the app.

Oh, and by the way, I was once genuinely given a Gregg’s gift card by a mate for my birthday and don’t sleep on it – that was genuinely one of the best things in the haul that year.

6. Free regular-size Barburrito

Ok, it’s all feeling a bit sugar-heavy at the minute, so let’s swap back onto the savoury and another brilliant chain that isn’t just beloved here but actually started the fast-food burrito culture here in 0161.

Many of you may have already copped this freebie in the past, but in case you still need to be initiated, Barburrito have been handing out free birthday burritos since like forever – the only catch nowadays is you need to download the app and make sure you’ve spent at least £6 before the date rolls around.

8. Chopstix for cheap

Last but not least, how about some late-night noodles to finish things off? We here at The Manc (Eats, specifically) are guilty of getting a last-minute takeaway to round off a long work day or spice up a weekend evening spent at home.

That being said, it’s a very easy plan to fall back on during your birthday week if you don’t have much booked in for an insignificant number in your 20s, let’s say; simply sign up for the newsletter and select the small box of your choosing. It isn’t just food they’re doing these days either…

Read more:

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images — The Manc Group

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