It’s hardly like we’ve been stopping ourselves, but now that we’re waving goodbye to November, we are officially allowed to get excited about Christmas and all the festive-themed events coming up over the next few weeks – especially after Manchester Christmas Markets 2022 kicked-off and are now spreading festive cheer across the city.
The events calendar is, once again, 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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Lightopia 2022
Heaton Park
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Monday 28 November – onwards
Lightopia 2022 / Credit: Lightopia
Lightopia has made a return to Heaton Park this year.
Once again lighting up Manchester and captivating audiences for the fourth year in a row, award-winning illuminations event Lightopia is promising to bring the magic of Christmas back to the grounds of Heaton Park from this Thursday – with a brand-new immersive experience set to take over the park until January.
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Through brand-new and unseen audiovisual displays, this year’s festival is a “once-in-a-lifetime adventure” for the all the family to enjoy.
This year, Lightopia will have food and drink traders stationed in front of The Stables under a heated canopy, creating the atmosphere of a mini Christmas market. Festive food and drink on offer will include a pulled pork hog roast and mulled wines, as well as vegan scotch eggs and homemade sausage rolls served out of an Airstream, piled-high pasta dishes, and stone-baked pizzas served from a converted horse box.
Find out more about Lightopia 2022 and grab tickets here.
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Manchester Christmas Markets 2022
Manchester City Centre
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Monday 28 November – Thursday 22 December
Manchester Christmas Markets 2022 / Credit: Manchester City Council | Flickr
Manchester Christmas Markets 2022 are in full swing.
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.
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.
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You can find out everything you need to know here.
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Backyard Cinema
Depot Mayfield
Monday 28 November – onwards
Backyard Cinema / Credit: Supplied
Did you see that Manchester’s newest cinema on the roof of Depot Mayfield has a whole host of Christmas films on the agenda over the next few weeks?
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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.
Elf, Home Alone, Love Actually, The Holiday, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and Miracle on 34th Street are just some of the films you can sit down to watch at the 330-capacity indoor venue.
Looking for some new restaurants and bars to try out in Manchester city centre before this month is out?
As ever, a host of exciting new restaurants and bars have opened up November.
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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 has brought 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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FIFA World Cup 2022
Manchester City Centre
Monday 28 November – 18 December
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FIFA World Cup 2022 / Credit: Love Factory & Road To Victory
The FIFA World Cup 2022 is well underway, and Mancs are right to be wondering where to watch the World Cup in Manchester.
International tournaments are always a special occasion we eagerly await to come around and while we’re sure you could walk into any old pub and enjoy yourself, there are some seriously good venues showing Qatar 2022 this winter – so, with that in mind, we thought we’d put together a list of the best places to watch in our city.
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.
Food and drink to be scoffed from some of the best local and independent traders.
From Manchester favourites like Northern Soul grilled cheese and the award-winning Great North Pie Co. to Ancoats chocolatiers Cocoa Cabana, who will be letting you create your own boozy hot chocolate (the best kind), there’s so much to tickle your festive fancies.
Christmas With Paddington / Credit: Trafford Centre
Paddington has dug out his Christmas hat and headed to the Trafford Centre.
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The shopping centre’s grotto is always a highlight of the festive season each year, but it’s now bigger and better than ever before with Paddington’s arrival.
Proper festive fun for all the family, the Christmas with Paddington grotto experience – which is curated by award-winning experiential events company Bakehouse Factory – includes fun photo opportunities for all ages, the chance to travel through snowy festive trees and scenic street scenes, and so much more.
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.
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.
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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.
Popular après-ski village Bar Hütte is officially back in the city centre.
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.
Cheshire Oaks’ beloved grotto will look a little different to usual as Santa and his trusty elves are taking to the skies and inviting you on a fantastical festive adventure on the outlet’s all-new Big Wheel.
The Santa in the Sky experience is the perfect way to celebrate Christmas as a family this winter, and make memories to last a lifetime.
Open every weekend throughout December, with 10-minutes flights taking place from 10am-1pm, included in the ticket price is four spaces on the Big Wheel flight with Santa and his elves, and you’ll also get to sip on a mulled wine or hot chocolate and enjoy a festive cookie, as well as get a little gift to take home with you from Santa.
Featured Image – Winter Island | Bar Hutte | Cheshire Oaks
What's On
Harry Styles One Night Only at Co-op Live in Manchester – phones-free policy, stage times, and everything else you need to know
Daisy Jackson
Harry Styles will play an exclusive, intimate (for him) one night only concert in Manchester this week.
The show at the Co-op Live coincides with the release of the star’s fourth album, ‘Kiss All The Time, Disco Occasionally’, both of which will land on Friday 6 March.
Fans have waited years for HS4 and for more live shows from the former One Direction musician, only for him to announce a residency all the way down in London and no northern shows.
But Harry Styles threw us here in Manchester – the closest big city to where he grew up – with the news of a ‘One Night Only’ album release show.
If you’re one of the lucky few thousand who snagged tickets, here’s everything you need to know.
Stage times for Harry Styles One Night Only
Premium doors for Harry Styles will open at 6pm, with general admission entries from 6.30pm.
Harry and the venue haven’t yet publicly announced what time he’ll take the stage, or whether there’ll be any sort of support act.
But we’ll keep this updated as soon as we hear more.
How do tickets work?
Tickets for the Harry Styles Manchester gig were dished out in an unusual ‘ticket request’ format, where fans who registered their interest were randomly allocated tickets – no usual ‘Ticketmaster War’ competing in a first-come, first-served sale.
Those who have been successful will have been charged the £20 per ticket fee, and should be able to see their event details now in the Ticketmaster or Co-op Live apps.
Don’t panic if you can’t see your barcode just yet – they should drop in in the next day.
And remember to save your tickets to your phone’s wallet so you don’t struggle with signal at the doors.
Harry Styles’ show in Manchester on Friday night will have a strict no-phones policy, it’s been confirmed.
Instead, the lucky few thousand of fans heading to his One Night Only gig will be handed proper disposable cameras to capture moments from the night.
Any use of cameras, smart glasses, smart watches, or other recording devices won’t be permitted in the venue on Friday night.
Fans will instead have to secure their phones inside recyclable bags, which will allow them to be used in normal ways for communications, but without the camera. At the end of the night, your phone will be removed from the bag and the bag will be recycled.
Anyone caught using a digital recording device during the Harry Styles One Night Only phones-free show may be asked to leave the venue.
Instead of a sea of phones, Harry Styles will be asking fans to capture their memories from the night on disposable cameras, which will be included with every pair of tickets sold.
When can I watch Harry Styles One Night In Manchester on Netflix?
Harry Styles’ One Night Only gig in Manchester will be the subject of a Netflix documentary
Netflix will be joining Harry Styles at the Co-op Live to film for an upcoming special, Harry Styles One Night in Manchester.
A teaser trailer shows behind-the-scenes footage of the former One Direction star rehearsing in the studio.
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 1:00am 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.
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
Watching Mamma Mia! at Manchester Palace Theatre proved once again why this ABBA-powered musical remains one of the most beloved shows in modern theatre.
The audience arrived ready for a party, and the cast delivered an energetic, feel-good performance packed with humour, heart, and, of course, a catalogue of iconic pop songs.
At the centre of the story is Sophie Sheridan, a young bride-to-be, determined to discover the identity of her father before her wedding day. Secretly, she invites three men from her mother Donna’s past to the island, creating chaos, comedy, and emotional revelations along the way.
The plot is famously light… but it provides the perfect framework for a soundtrack built entirely on hits by the iconic Swedish pop band ABBA.
Mamma Mia! brought infectious energy to Manchester’s Palace Theatre / Credit: Brinkhoff / Moegenburg (Supplied)
Jen Griffin leads the company as Donna Sheridan with warmth and a commanding stage presence. Her stand-out performance balances humour with vulnerability, culminating in a powerful rendition of ‘The Winner Takes It All’.
As Sophie, Lydia Hunt brings youthful excitement and a clear, expressive vocal performance, making her character’s search for identity both believable and engaging.
Donna’s loyal friends provide much of the show’s comedy (and cheers from the crowd). Rosie Glossop plays Rosie with scene-stealing wit and excellent comic timing, particularly during ‘Take a Chance on Me’, while Sarah Earnshaw gives Tanya glamorous confidence and sharp humour. Together the trio create the emotional backbone of the show, portraying friendship that feels authentic and affectionate.
The three possible fathers are played by Luke Jasztal as Sam, Richard Meek as Harry, and Mark Goldthorp as Bill. Each bringing their own unique character personality to the role, helping the storyline unfold with plenty of charm. Meanwhile, Joe Grundy plays Sky with relaxed confidence opposite Sophie.
Visually, the production captures the sunny escapism audiences expect, with bright Mediterranean colours, lively choreography, and a cleverly simple island set that transports the audience far from the streets of Manchester. Ouzo anyone?
By the time the encore begins, with the cast returning in glittering costumes for a joyous ABBA medley including ‘Dancing Queen’ and ‘Waterloo’, the audience is firmly on its feet.
The show last night felt less like a typical theatre evening and more like a celebration. It may not be subtle, but Mamma Mia! remains addictively entertaining.
Featured Image – Brinkhoff / Moegenburg (Supplied)
Emily Sergeant -
25th November 2022 
