Chill Factore has a bunch of offers on skiing and snow sessions for families looking to pause the real world and escape to the slopes this half term.
There may be a fair bit of doom and gloom at the moment, but a fun-filled and action-packed day out for the whole family is always on the cards at Trafford’s indoor ski slope and snow play complex, and after having been awarded with a Visit England ‘We’re Good To Go’ accreditation, you can enjoy these unique family experiences at a destination that follows all government and industry COVID-19 guidelines.
One of the highlights this half term gives you the opportunity to try out Chill Factore’s famous ‘Erik’s Trail’ for the very first time, so if your little one is already a skier or snowboarder, then this brand new challenge is the perfect adventure for them.
The trail features a combination of arches, gates, limbo, high-fives and small ride-on boxes that will change on a daily basis, which lets thrill-seekers weave and whizz down the slope in a different way every time they visit.
If it’s letting off some steam that you’re after, then the Junior Lift Pass – which is discounted to just £15 for one hour, £20 for two hours, and £25 for four hours – lets kids can enjoy hours of fun on the 180m real snow slope – and these discounted passes are also valid for Erik’s Trail too.
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Passes must be booked online due to COVID-19 regulations, and the course will be available from Monday 26th October – Wednesday 28th October at 12noon – 4pm.
Chill Factore
If sledging’s more your style, you can enjoy a £15 early bird offer for access to the family-favourite Snow Park.
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Suitable for adults and children aged 4+, Snow Park is the ideal place to make some memories this half term and with four lanes to race down, the whole family can go head to head on the downhill donuts, or whizz down the real snow slope on sledges.
With a strict cleaning regime in place, it also means parents can relax and enjoy family time in this COVID-secure environment.
First time on the slopes or want to improve your skills?
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You can learn to ski or snowboard with the help of Chill Factore’s expert and friendly instructors. With reduced class sizes, the new lesson format follows the ‘rule of 6’ guidelines and allows guests to learn a new skill in a safe and encouraging environment. Lessons are perfect for beginners who may be putting on a pair of skis for the very first time and completing their first exciting run of the beginner slope, or improvers who are learning to perfect their turns and speed control.
If you’re curious to give skiing or snowboarding a go, you can try a Fun Taster – which introduces you to the basics in just 50 minutes – or if you’re passionate to really get to grips with skiing or snowboarding, you can book a full day Lesson for just £99 midweek, and £119 during the weekend.
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Despite constant changes to coronavirus (COVID-19) restrictions, Chill Factore is still able to offer its much-loved core activities, albeit with some adjustments and has even managed to see an increased overall guest satisfaction across its activities, whilst introducing new guidelines that ensure the safety of all team members and guests.
Speaking on the government’s latest announcement regarding a new three tier lockdown approach in local regions, Morwenna Angove – CEO of Chill Factore – said: “At Chill Factore we are fully committed to staying open and welcoming snowsports fans to our fantastic real snow slope, and [the recent] announcement has confirmed that we are still able to do that safely, here in Manchester.
“We’ve received our ‘We’re Good To Go’ accreditation, and have a number of safety measures already in place to ensure the safety of our guests and staff, including reduced lesson sizes and sanitising equipment.
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“We ask that all guests follow the rules when visiting, but most of all we are that you enjoy spending time on the snow.”
All guests must book online and wear face coverings around the attraction and on the slope.
You can find more information via the Chill Factore website here.
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Stockport’s ‘spectacular’ Christmas festival to return with FREE shows and hundreds of performers
Emily Sergeant
Stockport will soon be looking festive, as more than 50 free shows and hundreds of performers descend on the town centre.
Back by popular demand for its fourth year 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, and 2026’s lineup promising something for the whole family.
Think a giant snow lion, a circus adventure into space, the world’s smallest nightclub, and so much more – with more than 50 free shows and activities to enjoy all day long.
Stockport’s Christmas festival will be returning with free shows and hundreds of performers next month / Credit: Matthew Nichol (Supplied)
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.
You can head to places like Market Place, the Underbanks, Merseyway, Redrock, and Suffragette Square to make the most of all the festive fun.
Streets and squares will become stages for larger-than-life puppets, mischievous comedy, and live music, all building to a ‘showstopping’ parade finale featuring more than 100 drummers, and a Christmas lights switch-on at 4:45pm.
Festive bands will provide plenty of Christmas cheer throughout the day.
“It’s fantastic to see Stockport’s Spectacular Sunday return for a fourth year,” commented Cllr Micheala Meikle, who is the Cabinet Member for Economy, Regeneration and Skills at Stockport Council.
“The event has become a much-loved part of Christmas in Stockport, bringing together creativity, community spirit and plenty of festive cheer.
“It’s also a great opportunity to experience everything our town centre has to offer, from our historic Market Place and Underbanks to the vibrant spaces that are helping bring more people together in Stockport.
“We’re looking forward to welcoming residents and visitors for what promises to be another memorable start to the festive season.”
Stockport’s Spectacular Sunday 2026 is taking over the town centre next month on Sunday 15 November from 12pm onwards, and it’s free for all to attend.
Featured Image – Matthew Nichol (Supplied)
What's On
Major update on Manchester monster trail after bad weather sends them ‘into hiding’
Daisy Jackson
The ever-popular trail of inflatable monsters around Manchester has been disrupted by the weather this week – and some of the spooky creatures are still in hiding.
Every year, these gigantic colourful ghouls pop up on rooftops and at landmarks all over town, creating a fun and free family-friendly Halloween trail through the city.
But this year, the arrival of the monster trail coincided with something else – the arrival of Storm Boelo.
It’s meant that many of the inflatable beasts have had to go into hiding over last weekend’s Halloween In The City celebrations, and some still haven’t been reinstated.
The popular Halloween celebration also had to be drastically scaled back for the ‘safety of visitors, performers, staff and everyone involved in the event’.
Currently, you’ll be able to spot plenty of monsters to keep you busy around town, with creatures on display at sheltered indoor spots like Printworks, Corn Exhange, and Medlock Square.
Other hardy critters still standing include the ones at Selfridges, Treehouse Hotel, and the AO Arena, plus the big orange fella draped over Kampus.
Organisers of the trail are hoping to get more MCR Monsters back up and spooking as the day goes on, and they’ll remain on display until this Saturday, 31 October.
Medlock SquareSelfridgesAO ArenaSome of the monsters who survived the storm. Credit: The Manc Group
In a statement shared last week, organisers said: “Due to the severe weather conditions forecast for Manchester this weekend, the difficult decision has been made to close Halloween in the City activities from 12pm on Saturday 24 October and throughout Sunday 25 October.
“The safety of visitors, performers, staff and everyone involved in the event is our absolute priority and with strong winds and storm conditions forecast, we believe this is the most responsible course of action.
“We understand this will be disappointing for visitors looking forward to celebrating Halloween in the City this weekend and we thank everyone for their understanding.”
You can keep on eye on the MCR Monsters Instagram for more updates on the trail around Manchester.