IT'S THAT time of year again - Manchester's massive Christmas Markets open for five weeks of business from Saturday 14 November.
The city takes on a festive glow, the nights don’t seem as dark
The world-famous markets will feature nearly 350 stalls spanning ten distinctive market sites, transforming the city centre in to a festive wonderland until Tuesday 22 December.
Following work on Metrolink’s Second City Crossing, Exchange Square will return to full capacity with a brand new, two storey indoor beer house accompanying The Mill – a new bar area complete with huge smoking chimney as the centrepiece to the site, celebrating the industrial heritage of Manchester.
Cathedral Gardens, one of the major additions to the Christmas Markets in 2014, will return as the dedicated family area in 2015, offering a traditional fun fair and entertainment, while the past successes of Market Street will mean the site will be expanded with more gift chalets.
The Corn Exchange will re-emerge as a market site now development work to refurbish the Exchange building into a major food destination has been completed.
Albert Square MarketEVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW:
- Manchester Christmas Markets run from Saturday 14 November to Monday 21 December.
- European Christmas Market, Albert Square (open until Tuesday, 22 December) - 10.00am-9.00pm daily
- Opening times and locations for all other markets (Christmas Market, Cathedral Gardens; Market Street; Christmas Market, Exchange Square; Christmas Market, Corn Exchange; Arts and Crafts Market, Exchange Street; Christmas Market, New Cathedral Street; French Christmas Market, King Street; German Christmas Market, St Ann’s Square; World Christmas Market, Brazennose Street) - November 10.00am – 7.30pm and December 10.00am – 8.00pm.
- All bar and food areas open until 9pm
Market StreetCllr Pat Karney, Manchester’s Christmas spokesperson, said: “For me the countdown to the Christmas Markets began the day they closed last year, but the minute our giant Santa takes his place in front of town hall, that’s when the real excitement starts.
"The city takes on a festive glow, the nights don’t seem as dark and the traders at the Christmas Markets fill the air with a thousand delicious smells.”
According to the council blurb, Manchester Christmas Markets - which last year welcomed nine million visitors - first launched in 1999 and was 'the first festive market in the UK' growing from only a single site in St Ann’s Square.
Though we seriously doubt Manchester held the UK's first ever Christmas market, we're not minded to quarrel... it's nearly Christmas after all.
