The UK’s largest outdoor winter market is coming to Manchester
The Winter Wonderland experience will feature a Christmas forest, a steaming bratwurst grill and traditional hog roast, plus artisanal traders and loads more
A huge outdoor winter wonderland is coming to Manchester’s Escape to Freight Island this winter – and it sounds immense.
Billed as the UK’s largest fully-heated outdoor winter market, the Winter Wonderland experience will feature a Christmas forest, stalls from local artisanal traders, and delicious festive street food to Manchester over the festive period.
From the Great North Pie Co. to a steaming bratwurst grill and traditional hog roast, it’s all going on down at Escape to Freight Island – with further stalls selling mulled wine, hot chocolate, cheese, and hot cider.
Image: Escape to Freight Island
And that’s just the tip of the iceberg, as the team also have a huge programme of festive events booked over the coming months.
Kicking off with a huge fireworks display on 5 November, there’ll be a mix of ticketed and free events running throughout the period including a bonfire night knees-up, Christmas workshops, karaoke, family raves, cabaret, live music, comedy and movie nights.
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Big bookings to look forward to including a Homobloc takeover (7 November), a night with Craig Charles (28 November), and the return of the Untold Orchestra – who have become well known for different themed musical nights paying homage to iconic musicians.
Image: Escape to Freight Island
The Manchester-based collaborative orchestra will take to Freight’s outdoor stage every Wednesday throughout November and December, bringing all your festive favourites to life with their musical restyling of classic Christmas anthems.
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Tuesday nights, meanwhile, will see the introduction of a new comedy night showcasing some local talent from the Manchester scene as well as a few from further afield.
Last year’s map for the 2020 the Winter Market at Escape to Freight Island / Image: Escape to Freight Island
Further entertainment to look forward to throughout the season includes performances from the likes of Fun DMC, Teachrex, Playhouse Project, Family Gorgeous, Guilty Pleasures and Born to be Wild Child.
Bookings are now live for the Winter Island, with outdoor reservations starting from 5 November. Book your slot here.
Lily Allen to play smash-hit new album in full on first tour in seven years
Danny Jones
Lily Allen has returned with one of the best comeback albums the British music scene has witnessed in decades, and it’s been received so well that she’s set to play the record IN FULL on a new tour – her first in more than seven years – and, yes, she’s coming to Manchester.
The noughties popstar and daughter of fellow musician and actor, Keith Allen, isn’t just having a renaissance, the 40-year-old singer-songwriter is now riding arguably one of the biggest waves of popularity in her career following the release of her fifth studio LP.
West End Girl, released earlier this month, has not only gone down a treat with die-hard Lily Allen listeners but has earned her plenty of new fans too, as well as winning over numerous critics.
Notching multiple five-star reviews, a shout for album of the year from Variety, and even being labelled “one for the history books” by the BBC, the demand to see her back on the road was ready and waiting, and now the genre-hopping Hammersmith heroine is giving the people what they want.
Without giving too much away for those who haven’t listened to it yet, the deeply honest and no-holds-barred material dives into her divorce from ex-husband, David Harbour, of Stranger Things and Thunderbolts* fame.
Leaving no stone unturned, it’s a deeply personal, scorched-earth kind of album that has resonated with a lot of people, it seems.
We’re not going to say any more than that; just strap in, give it a go and thank us later. You can see the full list of her newly announced domestic tour dates, where she’ll be playing West End Girl in its entirety, down below.
Lily Allen UK live tour shows, including multiple Northern dates
Here’s a little taste of just one of the tracks from the acclaimed new album, which is already being heralded as her best to date.
So many great tracks on this album.
Honestly, there’s plenty more where that came from…
If you’re looking to hear the explosive 14-track diatribe from start to finish in person, she’ll be playing not just one but two nights at the Factory International’s Aviva Studios.
Tickets for all Lily Allen live tour dates, including her Manchester shows next spring, go live on Friday, 7 November from 10am – and given the reaction to the album itself, you can bank on them selling out fast.
Featured Images — Charlie Denis/press shots (supplied)
What's On
Stockport’s ‘captivating’ Christmas festival is back with 50 FREE shows and hundreds of performers
Emily Sergeant
Things are getting all festive in Stockport as more than 50 free shows and hundreds of performers prepare to descend the town centre.
Back by popular demand to kick off Christmas in style, especially after the inaugural event resulted in the busiest Sunday for the Greater Manchester town’s centre since 2019, Stockport’s Spectacular Sunday will be returning next month for a one-day festival packed with magical street theatre, banging brass bands, carnival fun, and loads more.
Hundreds of captivating performers will take over Stockport for the day, with another new lineup for 2025 promising something for the whole family.
Stockport’s ‘captivating’ Christmas festival is back with 50 free shows and hundreds of performers / Credit: Supplied
Think a giant carnival bee, stilt-walking Christmas Belles, comedy chefs, bouncing snowmen, cocky robins, roaming bands, and so much more – with more than 50 free shows and activities to enjoy all day long.
Produced by renowned carnival arts organisation, Global Grooves, and organised by Stockport Council, Totally Stockport, Merseyway, and Stockport Market, the town centre will be buzzing with Christmas excitement from midday right through to 5pm, as performers take over iconic Stockport locations.
Head to Market Place, the Underbanks, Merseyway, Redrock, and Suffragette Square to make the most of all the festive fun.
Spectacular Sunday always marks the start of Stockport’s festive season, and 2025 is no different.
“Stockport likes to do Christmas in its own way, and our Spectacular Sunday event is about filling the town with energy, music and performance and giving visitors something unexpected at every turn,” explained Totally Stockport CEO, Mark Ross.
“It’s a celebration of creativity, community and the independent spirit that makes Stockport what it is.
Georgina Pellant -
5th October 2021 
