Now that Halloween and Bonfire Night are over, it’s only natural to be looking ahead to Christmas, especially as Manchester Christmas Markets 2022 officially kicked off last week and are spreading festive cheer across the city.
Not only that, but the rest of the events calendar is absolutely jam-packed this week, so we’ve cherry-picked a few of the best bits for another edition of our ‘what’s on‘ guide.
As always, some of the events we’re going to mention are completely free, while others will set you back a few pounds, and many will need to be booked in advance.
Here’s our top picks.
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Manchester Christmas Markets 2022
Manchester City Centre
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Monday 14 November – Thursday 22 December
Manchester Christmas Markets 2022 / Credit: Manchester City Council | Flickr
Manchester Christmas Markets are officially back for 2022.
The iconic annual event – which draws in visitors from all across the globe each year, and has been voted the best Christmas markets in the UK for 2022 – are here once again to spread some cheer right across the city centre.
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Open every day until Thursday 22 December, the the main market hubs in will be in Exchange Square, St Ann’s Square, King Street, and Market Street.
Other zones, however, are set to open after Christmas Day and run into the New Year.
You can find out everything you need to know here.
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Skate Manchester 2022
Cathedral Gardens
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Monday 14 November – onwards
Skate Manchester 2022 / Credit: Skate Manchester
What’s a festive season in the city without Skate Manchester?
Back once again for 2022 with twinkling lights, the smell of gingerbread, and Christmas songs playing on repeat, Skate Manchester’s stunning outdoor ice rink is in the heart of the city at Cathedral Gardens until 2 January 2023.
With covered rink having a roof to allow everyone to enjoy the ice, whatever the weather, this year, there’s also a brand-new ice path allowing you to skate around the beautiful Christmas tree centre.
Escape to Freight Island has brought its highly-popular Winter Island back to Manchester, just in time to get you in the mood for the festive season.
Having landed at Depot Mayfield‘s premier event space and cargo park, this year’s Winter Island is promising visitors everything from DJs, live entertainment, and Massaoke, to Christmas workshops, pop-up markets, and all the festive food you could hope for.
Popular après-ski village Bar Hütte is officially back in the city centre.
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After what was an undeniably successful run in 2021 and the plenty of years prior, Bar Hütte is better than ever this year, with 15 cosy Alpine cabins dotted across the Great Northern square courtyard to bring a lively, festive, and vibrant atmosphere.
Inspired by some of the coolest après ski bars in Europe, there’s everything from live music and free-flowing festive drinks, to the chance to try out the bar’s legendary ‘shot skis’, as well sing-along to all of your favourite tunes inside a private wooden karaoke cabin that’s festooned with twinkling tights.
Did you see that Manchester’s newest cinema has opened on the roof of Depot Mayfield?
Backyard Cinema brings its immersive movie going experience to the north for the ever first time, and features way more than a cosy purpose-built cinema room, as it comes complete with an Enchanted Forest, two bars, street food trucks, and a live music stage to boot.
The 330-capacity indoor cinema’s film schedule for the autumn / winter season also has some absolute crackers in there too.
Looking for some new restaurants and bars to try out in Manchester city centre this month?
As ever, a host of exciting new restaurants and bars are opening in November.
Nonna’s Pasta, Panc, and Rudy’s Didsbury / Credit: Nonna’s Pasta | Panc Foods | The Manc Eats
Not only do we have the return this month of Manchester’s Christmas markets, which bring with it a host of exciting and varied food and drink stalls, we also have a host of new wine bars, bakeries, pasta restaurants and food halls to shout about.
You can read our round-up to find out where to put on your list this month here.
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The Art of Banksy
MediaCityUK
Monday 14 November – onwards
The Art of Banksy / Credit: Supplied
The Art of Banksy has arrived MediaCityUK.
The highly-anticipated and long-awaited exhibit is currently showcasing 145 iconic Banksy pieces all amassed from private collections across the globe to create the world’s largest touring collection of Banksy artworks.
Visitors will have the chance to experience the infamous artist’s most well-known works alongside those rarely seen by the public, all on loan from private collectors.
The hugely popular woodland trail inspired by the forbidden forest from the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts franchise has officially returned.
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After what was undoubtedly a massive success back in 2021, with people travelling from all across the UK to see what it was all about, organisers of the Harry Potter: A Forbidden Forest Experience have announced it’s back to the Grade II-listed Arley Hall & Gardens in Cheshire.
Having arrived just in time for Halloween, Potter-heads can “walk into the depths of a dark forest”, and “discover fantastic beasts and iconic Wizarding World moments illuminated like never before”.
Windows of Youth Creativity – We Made It / Credit: Wild In Art
Windows of Youth Creativity – We Made It is the latest exhibition by Wild In Art.
It sees 10 large windows and spaces transformed at prominent Manchester venues as part of a project commissioned by Manchester City Council to showcase creative disciplines such as photography, illustration, dance, sculpture, street art, mosaic, poetry and model making.
Taking place across the city, the trail includes giant robots at the Science and Industry Museum, photographs taken by young people living in East Manchester at the National Football Museum, a special installation at the Royal Exchange, and coral beds and mosaic sea creatures created by young people with special educational needs at the Town Hall Annex.
Tinseltown is back at the Trafford Centre for Christmas this week.
The Stretford-based shopping centre is set to be transformed into “a magical haven full of festive fun”, and is gearing up to be the perfect place to spend time “creating memories and celebrating the Christmas season”.
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.
Greggs is hosting a Festive Bake Brunch in Manchester city centre this weekend.
The first-of-its-kind brunch event will see the ever-popular UK bakery chain dish out sharing platters loaded with sausage rolls, festive bakes and sweet treats, alongside a selection of Greggs-inspired alcoholic (and non-alcoholic) drinks.
Think a sausage roll sour, Greggspresso martini, sugar strang daiquiri, Greggs no-Aperol spritz and festive fizz, all served within a 75-minute time frame.
A massive 80s-themed bingo night is taking over one of Manchester’s biggest venues for a brilliant cause this weekend.
Boobee will host Bingo Bedlam at Manchester Central, with fast-based bingo, games, mad prizes and even a suitably retro dinner.
The brand-new event has been created to support and raise awareness for Prevent Breast Cancer, and hopes to make Manchester one of the most breast-aware cities in the country, so guests – who are encouraged to rock up in neon lycra and leg warmers – can expect all sorts of throwback entertainment.
A huge gaming event is happening in Manchester this weekend.
With more than 160 consoles and hundreds of games to play, Power UP is back at the Science and Industry Museum for the first time in three years, taking ticket-holders on a journey through five decades of gaming, with everything from retro arcade games, to state-of-the-art virtual reality, and so much more.
Power UP is taking place every day throughout October half term, and each weekend all the way through to December 2023 – with each ticket including unlimited play all day.
Festive Sundays / Credit: Matt Eachus | Anthony Devlin (via PA Wire)
Manchester city centre is getting into the Christmas spirit with its series of ‘Festive Sundays’.
Commissioned and produced by Manchester BID in partnership with Manchester City Council, Festive Sundays will see roaming puppets, supersized penguins, and illuminated bands take to the city’s main shopping streets, every Sunday up until 18 December.
This Sunday, you can expect to see an array of themed roaming performances – including a roaming Snow Globe, Living Lampposts, Mirror Men, Snow Fox Stilt Walkers, Penguins, Crumpet the Elf, Fat Cat Brass Band.
You can also watch Spark! – a light-up band combining LED lighting with beautiful costumes, choreography, and high impact drumming.
Manchester Vegan Festival 2022 / Credit: Seitan’s Kebab
A huge vegan market is coming to Manchester this weekend.
Taking place at the BEC Arena, the market will showcase the best of the vegan lifestyle with hot and cold food stalls, cookbooks, lifestyle products, and more.
Those looking for gift ideas ahead of Christmas will find a host of different products at hand, ranging from organic, natural skincare, and cosmetic products, to ethical and environmental clothing, and stalls will also be packed with products that you just can’t find at supermarkets, mixing delicious vegan food products to eat on the day and to take home for your cupboards.
You can find out more about the Manchester Vegan Festival 2022 here.
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Featured Image – Bar Hutte | Boobee Bingo Bedlam | Festive Sundays
What's On
Full list of locations announced for Manchester Christmas Markets 2026 – including NEW places
Emily Sergeant
The full list of locations for Manchester Christmas Markets 2026 has been announced.
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 will see a bigger return of Albert Square, after the headline-grabbing partial return at last year’s event, with the big wheel also set to make a comeback.
There’s also set to be some new locations too for 2026, with Lincoln Square joining in on the action. And there will also be big changes to St Ann’s Square, according to the Council, with what is being described as a ‘brand new layout’ bringing in a bigger number of market stalls.
There will be a total of 210 stalls spread out across the city centre.
And the Council has now revealed the full list of locations where you’ll find stalls this year, including giving a teaser on what types of stalls will be in each location.
Manchester Christmas Markets 2026 locations have been confirmed / Credit: The Manc Group | Flickr
Albert Square
Albert Square is gearing up to be a must-visit Christmas Market location this year, hosting a packed programme of festive experiences, including:
A 50-metre ferris wheel and a vintage helter-skelter.
A festive pop-up pub with live entertainment (which is new for 2026)
Food, drink, and craft stalls from local and international traders
A glittering Christmas tree with its life-size sleigh
Manchester’s very-own giant Santa sitting high above the markets in front of the Town Hall
The markets will be open here daily from Friday 6 November to Sunday 3 January 2027, except for Christmas Day.
Lincoln Square
A brand-new Christmas market location for 2026, just a step away from Albert Square.
Here you can enjoy festive refreshments, seasonal treats, and warming drinks from local and international traders – with jerk chicken, homestyle lasagne and pasta, Korean corn dogs, and so much more.
The markets will be open here until 22 December from 10am to 9pm every day, except 22 December when they will close at 6pm.
King Street
On King Street, you can browse soaps, decorations, local spirits, and truckle cheeses, or visit the Italian deli for gourmet meats, cheeses, and Mediterranean produce. Before heading off, make sure to visit mouth-watering food stalls for chicken and waffles, mac and cheese, Hong Kong-style French toast, Greek gyros, and so much more.
The markets will be open here until 22 December from 10am to 9pm every day, except 22 December when they will close at 6pm.
Manchester Christmas Markets are known for bringing thousands of people into the city centre / Credit: Manchester City Council
St Ann’s Square
The original home of Manchester Christmas Markets has been given a makeover and will have an exciting new layout for 2026. Grab a bite to eat and enjoy the twinkling lights of a giant Christmas tree, while sipping on a Guinness, a glühwein, or festive cocktail.
The markets will be open here until 22 December from 10am to 9pm every day, except 22 December when they will close at 6pm.
Corn Exchange
Browse the stalls in front of the Corn Exchange for unique gifts of all kinds from crafters, take home tasty festive treats like pork pies, handmade truffles, and artisan cheeses, or shop for clothing, jewellery, fabulous accessories and more.
The markets will be open here until 22 December from 10am to 9pm every day, except 22 December when they will close at 6pm.
Exchange Street & Exchange Square
Exchange Street and Square is back with many of the favourites you know and love.
Treat your taste buds to loaded hash browns, Yorkshire pudding wraps, traditional bratwurst, decadent hot chocolate, frosty affogatos, and Dubai-inspired chocolate-covered strawberries, before exploring the stalls selling a range of crafts and gifts against a backdrop of twinkling festive lights.
The markets will be open here until 22 December from 10am to 9pm every day, except 22 December when they will close at 6pm.
There will be a total of 210 stalls spread out across the city centre / Credit: Manchester City Council
New Cathedral Street
New Cathedral Street is a must-visit destination for Christmas shopping. But don’t miss the traditional German bratwurst and beers, or a chance to indulge yourself in delicious steak frites with hot raclette cheese poured over the fries.
The markets will be open here until 22 December from 10am to 9pm every day, except 22 December when they will close at 6pm.
Market Street
Market Street is back and bigger than ever, with even more craft and gift stalls to explore. And then when you’re ready for a break from shopping, test your skills with carnival-style games including darts and hook-a-duck.
The markets will be open here until 22 December from 10am to 9pm every day, except 22 December when they will close at 6pm.
Cathedral Gardens
Expect plenty of activities for all ages at Cathedral Gardens, particularly for younger visitors, like Skate Manchester’s huge covered ice rink, mini fairground games, free live entertainment, and loads of food and drink stalls.
The markets will be open here daily from Friday 6 November to Sunday 3 January 2027, except for Christmas Day.
Find out everything you need to know about Manchester Christmas Markets 2026 here.
Featured Image – Manchester City Council
What's On
Pussycat Dolls at Co-op Live – tickets, times and more for UK tour
Thomas Melia
American girl group Pussycat Dolls have reunited for a UK tour, stopping off at Co-op Live in Manchester with their powerhouse pop anthems.
Releasing their first LP in 2005, this pop girl group have a variety of radio hits to their name like ‘Don’t Cha’, ‘When I Grow Up’ and ‘Buttons’.
Over the years, the Pussycat Dolls lineup has gone through significant changes with this latest reunion comprised of Nicole Scherzinger, Kimberley Wyatt and Ashley Roberts.
The trio even released some brand-new material to coincide with the announcement of their UK and EU tour titled ‘Club Song’.
Now the girls are about to put their Doll Domination to the test as they bring their PCD Forever Tour in arenas across the nation.
Gig guide – Pussycat Dolls at Co-op Live, Manchester
Doors for Pussycat Dolls at Co-op Live open from 6pm with a start time listed of 7pm with Lil’ Kim and rising girl group Deja Vu kicking things off.
Co-op Live has a strict curfew of 11pm, meaning you can get home and loosen your ‘Buttons’, hopefully before the clock strikes twelve.
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.
Getting there by 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; directions to the adjacent drop-off points will also be signposted.
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 on 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 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 on the Beryl app, 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.
For more information on all travel options, you can check out the enhanced journey planner.
Emily Sergeant -
11th November 2022 
