Greater Manchester’s favourite market is planning to return on Saturday 17th April.
Following the recent announcement of the roadmap out of lockdown, things are looking brighter in Levenshulme as their award-winning market gears up to return.
As Manchester’s go-to for the best of local talent, Levy Market is perhaps one of the county’s most adored and jampacked markets, so its reopening can’t come quick enough.
Levenshulme Market will currently be operating as a ‘Shop & Go’ model, meaning there will be no eating, drinking or socialising at the market.
You’ll still find the same great stalls but we ask that people make their purchases and head home to safely enjoy them rather than sticking around at the market,” says Richard, Levenshulme Market’s manager, when asked about their new strategies.
ADVERTISEMENT
Although we’ll happily get on board with this small change to have Levy Market back in our lives, sharing all of the delicious food we’ve bought when back at home will be a struggle.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CI5-ASvAFOq/
They will also be operating a socially distanced market with a one-way system, so you can safely travel through without missing anything, and their night markets – which usually take place on the third weekend of every month – are currently on hold as Levy Market’s return is phased.
ADVERTISEMENT
Levenshulme Market launched in 2013 in an effort to improve their high street. Who knew that 8 years later, the market would have such a massive impact on the entire county.
“We work hard to offer our customers a balance of stalls selling arts and crafts, street food, general groceries and all the strange and wonderful things in between”, says Richard.
But Levy Market is more than just a shopping opportunity for many, it’s a community of Manchester’s greatest makers and loyal visitors.
ADVERTISEMENT
“The secret ingredient in what makes Levy Market what it is, is Levenshulme itself”, comments Richard.
“Our market shares its home with the warmest, kindest, most welcoming community you could hope to find.”
While Levy Market has always been a highlight of our Saturdays, the uncertainty of the past year has cemented it as a rite of passage for Mancunians.
“It became evident last year that Levenshulme Market was even more of a weekly fixture for locals than it had been in pre-Covid days,” says Richard.
“With everyone having so few opportunities to go anywhere or do anything different, having a handful of new shops popping up in the neighbourhood and finding the opportunity to say a quick and safe hello to friends and neighbours took on an additional importance.”
ADVERTISEMENT
If April 17th still feels like a lifetime away, you can support their creators online in the meantime with their online directory of food stalls and arts & crafts items.
You can also keep up-to-date with their proposed markets and which traders will be attending on their Instagram and Facebook pages.
What's On
Manchester Film Festival returns for 2026 and early bird passes are live NOW
Danny Jones
Cinephiles, prepare yourselves, because the Manchester Film Festival is back for 2026, and you can grab discounted early bird tickets right now.
Taking place over the course of 10 days next spring, the annual event will be spread across multiple much-loved cinemas and is a must-not miss if you’re a movie buff or just love going to the pictures.
Serving as a celebration of both international cinema and local filmmakers, highlighting a diverse range of films from both established and emerging talent, the Manchester Film Festival has been going for over a decade now, and 2026 is set to be the biggest yet.
You can see how last year went down below.
Having earned nods from both BAFTA and the British Independent Film Awards (BIFA), there’s already plenty of pedigree and excitement behind it, especially with the discounted early bird offers available.
You can see the prices of Manchester Film Festival (MFF) early bird passes here:
6 Film Pass – £36 (normally £45)
10 Film Pass – £52 (normally £65)
Full Festival Pass – £71.95 (normally £89.95)
As you can see in the clips from the 11th edition of MFF back in March 2025, the showcase featured everything from the indie up-and-comers to well-established famous faces.
For instance, standout showings included The Penguin Lessons, starring Steve Coogan, and Y2K, which featured Disney star and singer Rachel Zegler, as well as Limp Bizkit’s Fred Durst.
As for the latest instalment, whether you’re most interested in the movie screenings themselves, the panels and Q&As, or just the taste of some red carpet glamour, there’s something for all film lovers.
MFF’s full programme is set to be announced in January, and we can’t wait to see what they have in store for us this time.
This year, they’ve also had a Salford student design the official 2026 festival poster, as Pendleton Sixth Form College’s Charlie Cunliffe has shared his striking visuals.
Commenting on this continued collaboration with the further education institution, Festival Director Neil Jeram Croft said: “This is the third year we have worked with Pendleton Sixth Form design students, and once again the work they all put in was exceptional.
“It was really tough to choose a winner, but we felt that Charlie’s design really stood out with its simplicity and use of colour. We think it’s going to look fantastic all over Manchester this spring.”
As for the venues taking part in MCR Film Fest 2026, the likes of Aviva Studios, HOME, Odeon Great Northern, Flix at Treehouse Hotel, and CULTPLEX over in Cheetham Hill will be helping host.
Next year’s festival runs from 19-29 March and, once again, passes currently start at £36 – reduced from the standard cost of £45.
If you’re interested in trying it out this year, you can grab your tickets HERE.
Featured Images — Press shots (supplied via Manc Film Fest)
What's On
Manchester’s 2025 Christmas Parade in pictures as tens of thousands turn out for festive event
Emily Sergeant
Tens of thousands of residents flocked to the city centre this past weekend for Manchester’s annual Christmas Parade.
Over the past few years since it first took place in 2022, Manchester Christmas Parade has become a festive favourite with both locals and visitors alike, and with more than 400 participants and performers gracing the city’s main shopping streets this year, it’s really not hard to see why it’s a much-loved fixture in the city’s countdown to Christmas.
Seen by many as the heartwarming event of the festive season, Manchester Christmas Parade was even ‘bigger and better’ than last year’s fantastic crowdpleaser.
Even a drop of the classic Manchester rain didn’t stop play on the day, as the fabulous festive Parade made its way through the packed city streets to the smiles and cheers of all those watching.
Despite the Manchester weather, tens of thousands of you turned out to make Sunday’s Christmas Parade truly magical. 🎅 👼 🥁
A huge thank you to everyone who joined us for the heart-warming event of the season.
“I remember thinking at the end of our fabulous Manchester Christmas Parade last year that we would never be able to top it,” commented Cllr Pat Karney, Manchester City Council’s Christmas spokesperson. “But this year’s parade has been off-the-scale brilliant – it was so much fun and you could see how much all the children loved it.
“The city centre was heaving, it felt like millions of Mancs had turned out for the parade, and what a performance we put on for them.”
The streets were filled with music and laughter this year, as well as the return of Manchester’s very-own Elf Express, complete with VIP passenger Santa hitching a ride on his way to the North Pole, together with his trusty team of elves.
Tens of thousands of people turned out for Manchester Christmas Parade 2025 this past weekend / Credit: Manchester City Council
Not only that, but Nutcracker-inspired toy soldiers also sweept their way through the Parade on segways, alongside a roaming Christmas tree, a pair of gentle giant-sized reindeer, a stunning arctic fox, and Jack Frost himself.
Brand-new for this year will be the fantastic Festive Fantasy Candyland Castle, which stood over three-meters tall and truly was the stuff of fairytales.
“Manchester once again helped make the magic and the memories for a whole generation of families from across the city and beyond,” Cllr Karney concluded.
Daisy Bradbury -
5th March 2021 
