The week the whole month has been leading up to is finally here.
No matter how hard we try, there’s absolutely no denying it now – the festive season really is in full swing. And the region has been suitably been getting into the Christmas spirit, with absolutely no shortage of things to be doing this week, so we’ve cherry-picked a few of the best bits to put together another fresh edition of our ‘what’s on’ guide for the city of Manchester.
Some of the events we’re going to mention here are completely free, others will set you back a few pounds, and many will need to be booked in advance.
Plenty are still taking COVID-safety measures to give you peace of mind though.
Here’s our top picks.
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Manchester Christmas Markets
Manchester City Centre
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Monday 20 – Wednesday 22 December
Credit: Flickr | Flickr (Andrew Stawarz)
This is your last couple of days to make the most of the Manchester Christmas Markets in 2021.
After Manchester City Council confirmed the return of the iconic event – which spreads festive cheer right across the city centre, and draws in visitors from all across the globe each year – Piccadilly Gardens has taken over the reigns from Albert Square as the heart of the markets event as the town hall regeneration project continues.
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The area has become the ‘Winter Gardens’, and ionic market huts have also been set up on nine different sites across the city.
This year’s markets will run right through until Wednesday 22 December 2021.
You can find out more about Manchester Christmas Markets here, and about all the Christmas and Winter Markets in Manchester here.
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Aladdin
Manchester Opera House
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Monday 20 December 2021 – Sunday 2 January 2022
Credit: Palace and Opera
X-Factor winner Alexandra Burke, and local comedian Ben Nickeless are among the names starring in this year’s festive pantomime at Manchester Opera House.
Promising theatre fans “everything you could wish for in a panto”, a festive production of Aladdin has arrived in Manchester city centre, and will see Alexandra Burke make her pantomime debut as The Spirit of The Ring, joined by local comedian Ben Nickless as Aladdin’s hapless brother Wishee Washee.
Aladdin runs right through until Sunday 2 January 2022.
Since opening to the public back in June, over 25,000 visitors from all across Greater Manchester and beyond have had the chance to experience the popular exhibition, which uncovers the lesser-known stories of one of Manchester’s most influential record labels, Factory Records, and celebrates its place at the heart of the city and in the UK’s music and creative industries.
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Visitors have been guided through the lesser-known story of the pre-Haçienda years to learn all about the history of Factory Records label and discover how it earned its status as a catalyst for innovation.
The critically-acclaimed exhibition is set to close on 3 January 2022.
If you’re on the last minutes with your Christmas shopping, then there’s arguably no better place in the north west to get yourself down to than Cheshire Oaks.
Cheshire Oaks is the largest Designer Outlet in the UK, home to over 400,000 square feet of retail space with more than 150 boutiques, restaurants, and cafés to choose from, and there’s up to 60% off the RRP in all of the brands on site too, all year round.
But even though Christmas shopping is probably at the front of your mind right now, that’s not all you could be getting up to at the outlet throughout December.
We’ve rounded-up everything happening at Cheshire Oaks this festive season here.
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Lightopia
Heaton Park
Monday 20 December – 3 January 2022
Credit: Lightopia
Award-winning illuminations event Lightopia has returned to Heaton Park for the third year running, and has this year brought some new “festive fantasy” installations, lanterns, and light shows to Manchester.
That’s not all that’s new this year though, as nestled in the park’s woodland and surrounded by lanterns, 10 illuminated ‘Dining Domes’ make for a unique and atmospheric dining experience for families, friends and couples, while The Stables Courtyard Bar and Dining offers a more casual dining experience, with food, music and festive spirit under a heated canopy.
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Lightopia has also announced a new charity initiative called Light of Love that will be supporting a range of local organisations around Greater Manchester this year too.
You can find out more, and grab tickets to Lightopia here.
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Van Gogh Alive
MediaCityUK
Monday 20 December – 23 January 2022
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Van Gogh Alive is in full swing over at MediaCityUK.
It’s “the world’s most visited immersive, multi-sensory experience” that exhibits the life and work of the seminal Dutch artist and after having welcomed over eight million visitors in 70 cities around the world – including sell-out runs in London and Birmingham – the art and culture experience is now destined for Salford.
Van Gogh Alive takes people on a trip through the periods of Van Gogh’s life that defined him as an artist and showcases 3,000 images, including some of his most iconic works like Starry Night and Sunflowers, and lesser-known paintings inspired by his love of Japanese woodprints.
The exhibition is home to a life-sized walk-in representation of Van Gogh’s ‘Bedroom in Arles’ painting, a ‘Sunflower selfie room’ – a 360° mirrored space complete with hundreds of sunflowers, and so much more
Credit: Geograph (David Dixon) | Manchester City Council
After captivating visitors in years gone by, 10 twinkly Christmas light sculptures have been brought to life in the city centre once again.
Among the festive sculptures to keep your eyes peeled for will be some giant walk-through baubles, star-spangled archways, a 36ft Christmas tree, and a colour-changing word sculpture that spells out ‘Merry Christmas MCR’, as well as some returning favourites.
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This year, the sculptures are all dotted around Piccadilly Gardens and St Peter’s Square.
A new world-first free exhibition that’s set to explore the revolution in science that is transforming cancer care has opened to the public at the Science and Industry Museum in Manchester.
The Science Museum Group has partnered with expert partner Cancer Research UK for the curation of the new exhibition at what is a key moment in time when one in two of us will be diagnosed with cancer in our lifetime, but more of us than ever before are living longer and better with the disease.
Cancer Revolution: Science, innovation, and hope is the first “major object-rich exhibition” to reveal the past, present and future of how cancer is prevented, detected and treated.
Through never-before seen objects and stories, cutting edge treatment and research, reflection, new artist commissions and installations, film, photography, interactive exhibits and a breadth of personal stories, the museum says the exhibition will present the stories of people affected by cancer and those who study and treat it.
You can find more information about the new exhibition here.
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Christmas at Great Northern
Manchester City Centre
Monday 20 December – onwards
From arcade games and bowling, to massive burgers, open mic nights, and all the best baked goods your could ask for, Great Northern Warehouse has absolutely everything you need for a unique day – and night – out in the heart of Manchester city centre.
And during the festive season, it’s certainly no different.
The dining and leisure destination is taking the stress out of planning Christmas activities this year by offering a wide range of delicious food offers and things to do.
Silcock’s Winter Wonderland and its indoor Christmas theme park has returned to Greater Manchester.
The massive festive event has taken over EventCity for the first time in four years, transforming the 22,000 sq metre exhibition space into a magical wonderland with more than 50 rides and attractions – including rollercoasters and waltzers – all under one roof.
As well as its indoor fairground, Kingpin Events will also be putting on theatrical entertainment.
The Trafford Centre’s large-scale outdoor event invites visitors to “grab the gang for some festive fun” at ‘Tinsel Town’.
So wrap up warm and explore a winter wonderland that’s full of rides and festive fayre – including the chance to glide on down the UK’s longest tobbogan slide, take a spin on the big wheel at the festive fairground, hitch a ride on the Santa train, and shimmy and skate around a brand-new magical ice rink.
And of course, no Christmas is complete without a visit to the big man himself, so get ready to share your festive wishes with Santa in his twinkling tipi.
Manchester Arndale’s ‘Santa’s Postbox’ has arrived.
You can help your little one write their Christmas wish list while chatting to the magic postbox in his winter wonderland snow scene, then simply pop it in the letterbox and head home to wait for a special reply from Santa himself.
Letters posted between 18-24 December will receive a reply via email.
Also arrived at the city centre shopping centre is a brand new magical sleigh ride that’s powered by Virtual Reality technology.
It was the sell-out success of 2020 – and now the immersive drive-in cinema experience Christmas City has returned to Manchester once again.
Christmas City has taken over a brand-new location at the Soccer Dome in Stretford right through to 2 January 2022 to bring entertainment safely to visitors in their own cars from the biggest screen in the UK.
Having returned with what is being described as a “festive extravaganza”, Christmas City – hosted by Park N Party, the team also behind popular drive-in events SecretCity and ScareCity – is set to show a huge selection of outdoor Christmas cinema classics, including Home Alone, Elf, The Polar Express, and so many more.
There’s also set to be a fully-licensed bar and festive food vendors on site throughout the whole running of the event.
One thing that we know for certain is that a child’s upbringing can put them at risk of becoming a killer or as FBI Profiler Jim Clemente explains: “Your genetics load the gun, your personality aims it, and the events in your life pull the trigger.”
‘How To Raise A Serial Killer’ is an informal talk with some dark humour which incorporates case studies and interviews to illustrate how an innocent child can grow into a cold-blooded killer.
A brand-new “insane and super wacky” live event that’s inspired by popular Japanese game shows has arrived in Manchester.
It’s fair to say that Ginger Vanderpump – known by many as ‘the Duchess of daytime TV’ – and her co-star Mr Leonard Lilypops are giving Manchester an experience like no other, where those who are up to the challenge can expect “mind-blowing entertainment” from a crazy cast of misfits.
There’s some wild games, banging tunes, live DJ’s, Drag Queens, everyone’s favourite drinks, and chaos like you’ve never seen before.
This is Big in Japan.
You can find more information and grab tickets here.
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Featured Image – Manchester City Council
What's On
The 2026 World Breaking Finals of the UK B-Boy Championships are coming to Manchester
Danny Jones
It’s official: the UK B-Boy Championships are returning to Manchester this year for the 2026 World Breaking Finals, in what is a special anniversary for the annual tournament.
Celebrating three decades since the inaugural event this summer, the UK B-Boy Champs will once again remind fans why they still remain among the gold standard for competitive breakdancing.
With elite breakers and dance battlers from more than 20 different countries in attendance – and plenty of contestants from each, at that – it’s going to be a real global showcase of talent.
Returning to Manchester once again, we can’t wait to see breakdancing take over the Factory International concourse and wider campus.
Anyone in the world will know that the city also hosted another big European equivalent back in 2022 on behalf of the 2022 World DanceSport Federation, but the UK B-Boy Championships have a passionate following of their own.
This also happens to be the 30th anniversary of the event, so it’s a momentous occasion on many levels.
With live music from not only classic artists and legendary MCs, but artists for the future too, there’ll be plenty of tunes and impressive moves from start to finish.
Coming to Aviva Studios this summer, they’ve billed it quite short and sweet: “The sickest breakers on the planet will battle in a once-in-a-generation celebration of Hip-Hop culture.”
They’re promising “High-stakes rivalries. Gravity-defying moves”, and “Unforgettable performances”, adding, “This isn’t just another battle – this is the Champs legacy in motion.”
Credit: Supplied
The World Breaking Finals get underway in Manchester on 16 August at Aviva Studios, and it’s all set up to be arguably the biggest yet.
General admission went on sale this past Friday, 13 March, with adult tickets starting from only £20 and kids from just a tenner.
As we mentioned before, this isn’t the only big sporting date coming to Manchester this year, with the likes of the British basketball’s annual Cup Finals concluding at AO Arena and another big Super League set to for a grandstand finish at our other big indoor entertainment venue…
Featured Images — Publicity pictures (supplied via Get the Affects Communications)
What's On
The best Mother’s Day deals in and around Manchester this year
Danny Jones
Mother’s Day is one of the most important days on the calendar at any point, not just in 2026, as it’s a reminder to thank our wonderful mums for everything they do for us all throughout the year.
Of course, you should be grateful for them every day, especially since they had the good sense to give birth to bring you to this part of the world, but we know life can get busy.
However, that’s exactly what Mothering Sunday is for: reminding them that you’d roll out the red carpet and shower them with praise and eternal gratitude 24/7, 365 if you could.
So, without further ado, please rifle through some of the best Mother’s Day freebies, deals and offers your mum can enjoy in and around Manchester this year.
The best Mother’s Day deals and offers in Manchester city centre and beyond | 2026
What is it:A stunning boutique hotel in the heart of Manchester city centre, which is home to a rooftop terrace, a hidden cinema, and a lovely British restaurant.
For their Mother’s Day Deal:They’ve launched a new Manchester-inspired afternoon tea (complete with Vimto macaron and a tribute to the chippy tea), and if you book in between 13 and 16 March, you’ll get an exclusive ESPA Beauty & Wellness Gift Bag to celebrate Mother’s Day. Find out more HERE.
NQ64 – Northern Quarter and Peter Street
What is it:Manchester’s much-loved subterranean gaming bar, where the consoles and cocktails are as retro as each other.
Mother’s Day deal:They’re bringing back ‘Shorty Sundays’, which allows under-18s to visit for a whole family afternoon out gaming. It’s running from 11am until 3pm.
The Refuge – Oxford Road Corridor
What is it:A beautiful, grand restaurant space located within the Kimpton Clocktower Hotel on Oxford Road, serving everything from eclectic small plates to one of the best Sunday roasts in Manchester.
For Mother’s Day:There’s a complimentary glass of fizz for mums dining on Sunday 15 March, alongside its Sunday roast menu.
You can always grab her some flowers on the way out, too. (Credit: The Manc Group)
The Head of Steam – Northern Quarter, Didsbury and more
What is it:Beloved group of largely Northern boozers, often found at train stations or in key central locations, including a relatively new NQ branch.
For Mother’s Day:A free glass of fizz for mums when you book in advance, available 9-15 March.
Pip at Treehouse Hotel – Central
What is it:A creative new British restaurant from award-winning chef Mary-Ellen McTague, where the cooking is always comforting and seasonal.
The deal:Signature Sunday roasts will be served with a complimentary glass of fizz for mums. Bookings are live now.
Malmaison Manchester Deansgate
What is it: A four-star hotel located just beyond the main Deansgate strip, featuring the downstairs Chez Mal Brasserie, as well as the rooftop Sora ‘sky’ bar and restaurant.
The deal: Two Mother’s Day Weekend packages from £34.95 per person; choose between afternoon tea or Sunday lunch – both of which include a glass of Lombard and champagne truffles for mum.
Albert’s Schloss – Peter St
What is it: Peter Street’s popular day-to-night bars in town, regularly packed most evenings and all weekend, specialising in Bavarian food and drink, live music, and lots of dancing on benches (not the tables, remember). We always recommend booking where you can.
We don’t really need to tell you what goes on in here, do we? (Credit: The Manc)
The deal: A full day of food, drink and entertainment, starting with a ‘Rise and Shine DJ’ set with breakfast offerings from 9am, lots of spritzes in official partnership with Aperol, their usual Sunday roasts, as well as two Mother’s Day special dishes: curry roasted cod with cauliflower, buttered spinach and fennel sauce, and a decadent sticky toffee pudding with Jameson toffee sauce and vanilla ice cream.
The Ivy – Spinningfields
What is it: Surely needs no introduction, this one – the huge three-storey restaurant and brasserie on the edge of Spinningfields that’s a firm favourite with the city’s more glamorous residents.
The deal:There’s a special Mother’s Day Breakfast on Sunday (complete with Champagne, truffled eggs and mini pastries), with a free bunch of tulips and a box of The Ivy Chocolate Truffles to take home for mums. Reserve your table HERE.
Dirty O’Sullivans – Albert Square
What is it:One of the city’s newer Irish bars, doing Sunday roast ‘cauldron’ feasts, pies, and (naturally) lots of Guinness. Perfect if your mum isn’t exactly a dainty afternoon tea type.
The deal:Mums eat free when dining with a group of four or more on Mother’s Day, plus she’ll get a free glass of prosecco.
Mum will be buzzing if you treat her to a proper posh one like this.
Fenix – St John’s
What is it:A stunning and VERY glitzy Greek-Mediterranean restaurant in St John’s, with a bright Mykonos-inspired restaurant upstairs and smart cocktail bar downstairs.
The deal:All mums will receive a complimentary glass of sparkling wine or ‘Lady Athena’ cocktail. Book your meal right HERE.
MAYA – Canal Street
What is it: A stylish Canal Street bar with a renovated basement restaurant, serving elegant food and drinks across a total of three floors – a growing Gay Village favourite.
The deal: A special Mothering Sunday ‘Evening With…’ event for one night only featuring Pianist Eden Binks and RuPaul’s Drag Race star, Viola. There’s also a Sunday Roast available to book from 12-5:30pm, as well as all mums and mother figures being entitled to a complimentary glass of Tattinger with food.
Federico – King Street
What is it: One of Manchester city centre’s most gorgeous new wine bars, serving signature cocktails, spritzes, house DJs and even live jazz in a low-lit setting over at Pall Mall.
The deal: Mother’s Day wine flight of three glasses of wine for £15 available on the Sunday only; the team will create a bespoke lineup based on each person’s tastes.
The Cut & Craft – Central
One of the prettiest rooms you’ll ever eat in. (Credit: The Manc Eats)
What is it: Increasingly one of the best-known steak and seafood restaurants in the North, now serving up gourmet plates, champagne bottomless brunches and more from a beautiful old bank on Mosley St.
The deal: ‘Brunch in Bloom’ event, hosted in partnership with local florists, where guests will be welcomed with a bellini board on arrival and guided through creating their own personalised bouquet to take home, along with a brunch dish and goodie bag from Molton Brown. £60 per person, 10am–12pm.
Electric Shuffle – Deansgate
What is it: One of many places to play shuffleboard in the heart of Manchester, but also happens to be one of the coolest spots to do so, with party-friendly food and sharing platters, as well as a healthy supply of drinks.
The deal: Mothers are entitled to a free glass of Prosecco, and the first 100 mums to join the fun will receive a miniature bottle of Mermaid Pink Gin as a gift to take home. You can book now.
Carden Park – Chester
What is it: One of the most luxurious and relaxing leisure destinations in the North West, offering fine food and drink, spa and wellness services, as well as stunning views of the Cheshire countryside.
The deal: They’re doing an afternoon tea offer for £35pp, which can be upgraded to the sparkling version (Prosecco included) for £44, swapped for gin at £42.50, or an even more glam option of Bollinger champagne for £48.50. You can always book these as part of a full hotel stay.
Piccolino – Central, West Didsbury, Wilmslow, Hale, Knutsford and more
What is it: A tried and tested Italian restaurant that never disappoints; great for a laid-back bite on your dinner break, with their popular lunchtime offer, and is even busier come the evenings. They also do great e-card options if you’re in a pinch.
The deal: A special ‘scented’ Sunday lunch, centred around a roast leg of lamb with all the trimmings (two courses for £40/three for £45); plus, mums get a glass of fizz included and are also invited to stay and design their own Jo Malone fragrance, as well as take home a personalised candle and engraving.
Stock Exchange Hotel – Central
What is it: Well-known Mancunian hotel co-owned by former Man United legend turned businessman Gary Neville, which also boasts the Tender restaurant by Niall Keating in-house.
The deal: They’re offering a special afternoon tea for Mother’s Day 2026, with live performances by the one and only Hallé Orchestra. Prices starting from £40pp.
Zouk Bar and Grill – Oxford Rd Corridor
What is it: Some of the best Indian and Pakistani food not just in the city but maybe even Greater Manchester full stop, offering various deals year-round, from bottomless packages, breakfast and brunches, Sunday roast sharing platters and much more.
The deal: All mums get a free glass of fizz and a red velvet rose dessert for Mother’s Day bookings – worth it for that Sunday roast sharer platter we mentioned alone…
Chotto Matte – Central
What is it: One of Manchester’s newest and swankiest hospitality venues, located inside Gary Neville’s St Michael’s tower, blending the flavours of Peru and Japan, a.k.a. ‘Nikkei’ cuisine.
The deal: They’re serving Peruvian Sunday roast for their Mother’s Day in the city this year, which includes a complimentary glass of prosecco and a special lip gloss for mum to take home (on a first-come, first-served basis).
King Street Townhouse – Central
What is it: One of Manchester’s best and most boutique hotels, with stylish, spa and all-round hospitality services across the board – perfect for any special occasion.
The deal: Traditional Afternoon of ‘High’ Tea for £35pp, or you book them an hour-long ‘ESPA’ treatment (Inner Beauty Facial, Inner Calm Massage or an ESPA Wellness Hour). Find out more.
The Lowry – Salford
What is it: Needs no introduction, really. One of the most famous hotels in the region, if not the entire country, and for good reason – it’s brilliant.
The deal: They’re doing an exclusive Mother’s Day brunch for £25, or £30 with sparkling wine; afternoon tea for £39 (or another tenner with booze once again), OR treat your queen to a full-on RE:TREAT spa day experience, priced at £145 during weekdays and £160 at weekends.
What is it: Similar to The Lowry, the Beetham Tower (and former Hilton) is one of the most famous hotels and parts of the Manchester skyline, and it has luxury food and drink offerings both way up high and in its AA-Rosette ground-floor restaurant.
The deal: They’re doing a bottomless lunch (two courses for £35 or three for £40) over the course of 90 mins, or you can make it a boozy one with rivers of Prosecco at £59.
Browns – King/Brown Street
What is it: A long-standing fine dining restaurant group, with Manc site on the corner of Brown Street and the top of King St, specialising in a wide range of brasserie dishes and British classics.
The deal: Mums get a complimentary glass of fizz for Mothering Sunday when purchasing any main from the à la carte menu; there’s also a special set Sunday roast menu (must put down a deposit to secure your booking).
James Martin Manchester – Great Northern
What is it: Gourmet restaurant by the popular Northern TV chef, located just above Manchester235 Casino, well-known for serving elevated but unmistakably British classics.
The deal: Special set menu – two courses for £48 or three for £52, complete with welcoming nibbles on arrival; available until 15 March 2026.
Seven Brothers – Ancoats
What is it: Local brewery and beerhouse founded in Salford that remains one of the best bars not just on Cutting Room Square but all of Ancoats, if you ask.
The deal: Free glass of Prosecco for mum when you put ‘Mother’s Day’ in the booking notes – you can do so right HERE.
Sexy Fish – Spinningfields
Credit: The Manc
What is it: A swanky seafood restaurant on ‘The Avenue’ just up from Hardman’s Square, specialising in fine dining, sushi, as well as small plates, dim sums, grilled meats and cocktails.
The deal: Exclusive multi-course set menu for Mother’s Day, priced at £48pp, including dessert, a complimentary glass of fizz, and Applied Nutrition X Coleen Rooney Collagen box.
Now, this is by no means an exhaustive list, but this is just a taster of what the city and some surrounding areas are offering for mums this year.
If you do know of any particularly good ones we’ve missed, please feel free to drop them in the comments, and we’ll make sure to update this round-up with as many as we can.
Emily Sergeant -
16th December 2021 
