Manchester Christmas Markets are now open!
And we’re off! The festive season in Manchester has officially begun with the opening today (Friday 8 November) of Manchester’s world-beating Christmas Markets.
Open daily for a six-week seasonal take-over of the city centre until Sunday 22 December, this year’s markets will include seven weekends of festive fun for visitors and Christmas shoppers instead of the usual six, due to the way dates fall.
Taking place in the city now for over a quarter of a century, with the city’s very first festive market held in December 1998, Manchester’s annual Christmas markets are known across the globe, each year bringing millions of people into the city centre to spend time with friends and family and fill up on fantastic festive treats.
This year’s markets will see 240 of the iconic wooden ski chalet market stalls across nine different locations throughout the city centre, selling all kinds of seasonal specials and gift items, as well mouth-watering food and drink selections.
The hub of this year’s Christmas Markets is once again the Winter Gardens at Piccadilly, with the picture perfect iconic wooden chalets also to be found at Market Street, Cathedral Gardens, Exchange Street, New Cathedral Street, St Ann’s Square, Exchange Square, The Corn Exchange and King Street – transforming the city centre into a twinkling winter wonderland.
Seasonal snappers might also want to look out for the new-for-this year festive photo booths located in the Winter Gardens at Piccadilly, St Ann’s Square, and Cathedral Gardens, to capture a memory-making Merry Christmas picture to take home with them. Print it out at the booth old-school style and it will come out complete with a festive surround to treasure forever, or send it straight to your phone and onto your socials.
This year sees an expanded Winter Gardens at Piccadilly, with more space and stalls to enjoy along with two fabulous festive marquees fit for the Santa season and festooned with twinkling fairy lights, to provide more of the all-important under-cover space for Christmas shoppers to get cosy if the weather turns cold.
Also new this year at the Winter Gardens is a special seasonal offer from next-door neighbours Piccadilly Street Food Market, with stalls there also staying open until 9 pm each night, serving up their unique flavours from around the world – mouth-watering pictures of which are regularly to be found picking up the likes on social media.
With the Winter Gardens at Piccadilly at the heart of this year’s Christmas Markets, the markets will also see the transformation of Market Street, Cathedral Gardens, Exchange Street, New Cathedral Street, St Ann’s Square, Exchange Square, The Corn Exchange, and King Street into Manchester’s very own magical Christmas wonderland.
Manchester’s world famous Christmas Markets are now open
Here’s the full lowdown on each of Manchester’s nine Christmas market locations this year and what to expect:
The Winter Gardens at Piccadilly
Piccadilly Gardens will be transformed into a bigger and better Winter Gardens this year with two twinkling light filled marquees providing more under-cover space for Christmas shoppers.All the festive food and drink favourites are back for 2024 – expect pancakes, bratwursts, churros, and more, with bars serving continental and foreign ales. Plus, the much-loved Piccadilly Street Food Market will also stay open until 9pm each night, serving up flavours from across the globe.Winter Gardens will offer live entertainment and music everyday beneath the shelter of marquees and under-cover seating areas – perfect for taking the weight off your feet and cosying up with family and friends.
Market Street
Get your Christmas shopping all wrapped up on Market Street with even more stalls lined up there for this year.Expect a Santa’s sack full of goods on offer from stalls offering bespoke crafts, gifts and produce – from tweed hats to spiced rum, Christmas decorations to candles, freshly baked coconut macaroons and jewellery, to gift sets of cheese truckles, and much more.
Cathedral Gardens
Families will find there’s plenty for all ages – particularly our youngest visitors – to enjoy at Cathedral Gardens.Experience Skate Manchester’s huge, covered ice rink (open daily) and free live entertainment hosted every Thursday to Sunday all the way up to New Year’s Eve. Plus, warm up with authentic crepes, gourmet hotdogs, hot chocolate, and much more.
St Ann’s Square and Exchange Street
St Ann’s Square was the original site of Manchester’s first-ever Christmas MarketTake in the atmosphere, cosy up for a drink in the undercover bar and enjoy a selection of authentic German goods from some of our longest-standing traders. Think German beers and cherry glühwein, bratwurst, salt and pepper chicken from Northern Quarter favourite, Yard and Coop, or hot chocolate cones poured right from the chocolate taps.
New Cathedral Street
New Cathedral is your go-to spot for high end gifts and foodie favourites.Craft-lovers will be enchanted by the selection of handmade candles, ceramics, local spirits, and thoughtful keepsakes on offer – a must-visit destination for Christmas shopping. And when your shopping’s all done, savour a cold beer and currywurst from The Witch House or a hearty burrito from Wrap Up.
Exchange Square
One of the largest market locations in the city Exchange Square is where Christmas shoppers will find a host of seasonal stalls selling everything from clothing, soaps, boutique babywear, local crafts, and handmade gifts.Feeling chilly? Warm up at The Mill Exchange with their Mancunian mulled wine made on site and enjoy the legends of Manchester artwork adorning their walls. This is also the place to try the much-loved Yorkshire pudding wrap from Porky Pig, as well as everything from birria bowls and hot curries to mini pancakes and fresh fudge.
King Street
King Street is a must-visit for foodies and shoppers alike.Authentic Italian deli, Ballaro, will be serving up fresh cannelloni and arancini, and El Gato Negro will bring some Mediterranean menu flavours to their seating area. Plus, a range of stalls to browse selling crafts including the always popular French soap stall, personalised tree decorations, handmade wooden furniture and beautifully illustrated bottles from local distillery, Salford Rum.
The Corn Exchange
Situated between Corn Exchange and Shambles Square, you’ll find some of the most unique gifts available from our crafters. Expect handmade pies, Nepalese woollen jumpers, handmade jewellery, Christmas decorations made from recycled wood, plus photo frames, artisan chocolates and much more.
Councillor Pat Karney, lead Christmas spokesperson for Manchester City Council said: “And they’re back! The festive season in Santa’s favourite city has begun!
“Nowhere does Christmas quite like Manchester and with more than a quarter of a century of festive markets behind us we reckon we know how to get everyone’s Christmas wrapped.
“The number of people who’ve visited our markets over the years must be well over the fifty million mark by now and twenty-six years on from our first-ever Christmas Market in 1998 we regularly attract visitors from around the globe.
“Manchester’s Christmas Markets are by a million miles the absolute best Christmas markets anywhere in the world and we can’t wait to welcome everyone back again to enjoy the markets and share in the festive fun.
“Grab some tinsel, find a friend or round up the family and come and join us!”
Manchester Christmas Markets are open from Friday 8 November and close on Sunday 22 December.
They are open daily at the following times:
All craft stalls 10 am – 8 pm
All bars and food stalls 11 am – 9 pm
Father Christmas will take up residence in St Peter’s Square after Remembrance Sunday.
The Ice Rink in Cathedral Gardens is open from today Friday 8 November and will close on 1 January. The food and drink stalls in Cathedral Gardens alongside the skate rink will remain open until 31 December.
This year also sees the return of the magical Manchester Christmas Parade on Sunday 8 December. Bigger and better than ever for 2024 with over 400 participants taking part – think Mistletoe dancing mice, segway skiers, and a spectacular Elf Express – a feel-good festive treat for all the family that’s sure to melt even the most ice-cold of hearts.
More information about Christmas in Manchester here
More information about the Ice Rink here
