Manchester

Popular Festive Winter Fair to kick off Christmas season at iconic Manchester venue

More than 50 carefully-curated stalls, all under one roof.

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 17th October 2024

A popular Festive Winter Fair is set to return to an iconic Manchester venue to kick off the Christmas season.

With the nights drawing in, the temperatures dropping by the day, and the shops and supermarkets already getting filled up with lots of festive food and gifts, it won’t be long before Manchester becomes a Christmas city once again – especially as the world-famous Manchester Christmas Markets are set to return in early November.

But for those keen to escape the hustle and bustle of the main Markets, and soak up all the festive spirit on a smaller scale instead, then Victoria Baths has just what you’re after.

Ready to transform the beautiful Grade II-listed building into a cultural Christmas hub for the day, and all set to encapsulate the “very best traditions of Christmas shopping”, Victoria Baths has confirmed that its much-loved Festive Winter Fair will be making an exciting return for 2024.

This is a chance to get your Christmas shopping done and dusted, all while supporting small independent businesses at the same time.

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Happening on the first day of December under the famous glass roofs of Victoria Baths’ pool hall, with the stunning building set to be decked-out to look its seasonal best, you can expect to find a wide range of Christmas gift ideas from Manchester’s finest makers, crafters, and creators.

Visitors will be able to browse and shop from a carefully-curated selection of 50 stalls that feature art, decorations, ceramics, clothing, glassware, jewellery, and so much more.

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A popular Festive Winter Market is returning to Victoria Baths to kick off the Christmas season / Credit: Supplied

The venue’s popular Tea Room will also be open and serving a selection of sweet and savoury snacks on the day too, as well as traditional mulled wine and mince pies, while local choirs will be adding to the atmosphere with renditions of everyone’s favourite Christmas carols, so it really is the perfect way to start the most festive month of all.

Not only that, but in the spirit of seasonal goodwill, Victoria Baths will also be a Christmas collection point for those wanting to donate a gift or food items to local charities.

Unwrapped gifts will be collected on behalf of Trafford Domestic Abuse Services this year, while and non-perishable food items will be collected for Manchester Central Foodbank.

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The Festive Winter Fair will take over Victoria Baths for 2024 on Sunday 1 December from 11am-4pm, with tickets now on sale and starting from as little as £4 each, while under 18s go free.

Find out more and grab tickets here.

Featured Image – Supplied

Manchester

Elbow teams up with Co-op Live to donate equipment to Manchester grassroots venues

Thomas Melia Thomas Melia

Bury band Elbow have joined forces with Manchester’s biggest indoor arena, Co-op Live, in aid of supporting local grassroots venues.

Last year saw Elbow become the first act to play the arena, and now they’re teaming up with Co-op Live to offer equipment to glorious city centre venues.

The funds will help improve the already incredible music scene in Manchester, benefitting staples likes Night and Day Café, Matt and Phred’s Jazz Club, SOUP and more.

All of the donations will be distributed across six independent music venues and will be used for various instruments, PA equipment, backline technology and other necessities depending on the requirements of each site.

Elbow have teamed up with Co-op Live in aid of supporting Manchester grassroots venues.
Elbow have teamed up with Co-op Live in aid of supporting Manchester grassroots venues.
Credit: Supplied

This initiative has been keeping Manchester’s Northern Quarter in the forefront of people’s minds when it comes to live music as well as the impressive Co-op Live.

Alongside providing vital resources for these local institutions, Elbow teaming up with Co-op Live also helps cement the North West as one of the main powerhouses in relation to live music.

The latest efforts from the largest indoor arena in Manchester fall in line with celebrating one year of bringing some of the best live music to the city, being officially open for 12 months in May.

Co-op Live have made a commitment to the people and the planet, promising to donate £1 million annually to the Co-op Foundation.

The stunning Co-op Live venue, Manchester's largest indoor arena.
The stunning Co-op Live venue, Manchester’s largest indoor arena.
Elbow performing at Co-op Live, marking history as the first act to grace the venue.
Elbow performing at Co-op Live, marking history as the first act to grace the venue.
Credit: Audio North/Supplied

Manchester’s latest live music venue also contributed significantly to selected charities, including Happy Doggo – chosen by Liam Gallagher and Eric Clapton’s addiction recovery centre, Crossroads.

As Elbow teams up with Co-op Live, even more money is making its way to necessary resources, this time in the likes of crucial live music establishments.

Elbow front-person Guy Garvey says: “Playing Co-op Live’s opening night will stay with us for a lifetime, not least because of how incredible the room sounded.”

“When the venue donated funds in our name to support the city we love, it made complete sense to carry that through to the Northern Quarter and to venues that have meant so much to my bandmates and I throughout our career.”

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Guy Dunstan, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Co-op Live, adds: “In the past year, I have been proud to see Co-op Live become an integral part of such an incredible city.”

“Teaming up with Elbow to directly support the venues that first put Manchester on the map, and to share something so intrinsic to us as venues – proper sound – is something truly special.”

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Featured Image — Supplied (via Publicity Picture)

Manchester

Award-winning The Kinks musical Sunny Afternoon to kick off UK tour in Manchester

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant Sunny Afternoon

Multi award-winning musical Sunny Afternoon is set to kick off its UK tour here in Manchester later this year.

Following a sell-out run at Hampstead Theatre, the musical production featuring all the hit songs by legendary rock band The Kinks opened to critical acclaim at the Harold Pinter Theatre in London’s West End, where it ran for two years ahead of its sensational UK and Ireland tour throughout 2016/17.

It also collected four Olivier Awards, including Best New Musical and Outstanding Achievement in Music for Ray Davies, along the way.

Unfamiliar with the show?

Award-winning The Kinks musical Sunny Afternoon is kicking off its UK tour in Manchester / Credit: ATG Tickets

Set against the backdrop of Britain on the cusp of the rebellious 60s, Sunny Afternoon is described as being an ‘exhilarating and moving’ celebration of the music, life, and the band that changed it all, The Kinks.

Sunny Afternoon celebrates The Kinks’ raw energy, passion, and timeless sound.

Charting the ‘euphoric highs’ and ‘agonising lows’, the smash-hit production tells the band’s story through an incredible back catalogue of chart-toppers – including ‘You Really Got Me’, ‘Lola’, ‘All Day and All of the Night’, and of course, ‘Sunny Afternoon’ itself.

Sunny Afternoon
Sunny Afternoon
Tickets are on sale now from just £15 each / Credit: Kevin Cummins

Producers Sonia Friedman Productions and ATG Productions announced last week that the show would be returning for another UK tour later this year, and it’ll be opening right here on one of Manchester‘s most iconic stages.

The hit musical will open at Manchester’s Palace Theatre on 10 October 2025 and it will run right through until 18 October.

Sunny Afternoon has music and lyrics, and an original story, all by the band’s frontman Ray Davies, along with a book by Joe Penhall, direction by Edward Hall, design by Miriam Buether, and choreography by Adam Cooper.

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Tickets are now on sale from just £15 each, and you can find out more information and get your hands on them here.

Featured Image – Kevin Cummins

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