Christmas Markets in Manchester 2026
The Christmas Markets in Manchester, UK, are ten sites of one city-centre event, Manchester Christmas Markets, run by Manchester City Council. They spread from Albert Square, in front of the Town Hall, and neighbouring Lincoln Square through St Ann's Square and King Street to Exchange Square and Cathedral Gardens in the north. The 2026 season runs from 6 November 2026 to 3 January 2027, with food, drink and craft stalls, a food-only square and the Skate Manchester ice rink.
Which Christmas Markets are on in Manchester this year?
All ten sites open on Friday 6 November 2026 and no entry ticket or booking is needed at any of them. Eight trade until Tuesday 22 December, while Albert Square and Cathedral Gardens carry on into January. Each site keeps its map number in the first column:
| # | 1 |
|---|---|
| Christmas Market | Albert Square |
| Where | In front of Manchester Town Hall |
| 2026 dates | 6 Nov to 3 Jan, closed 25 Dec |
| Known for | 50-metre Ferris wheel, helter-skelter, pop-up pub |
| # | 2 |
|---|---|
| Christmas Market | Exchange Square |
| Where | By the Corn Exchange and Manchester Arndale |
| 2026 dates | 6 Nov to 22 Dec |
| Known for | Yorkshire pudding wraps, hot chocolate bar |
| # | 3 |
|---|---|
| Christmas Market | Cathedral Gardens |
| Where | By Manchester Cathedral and the National Football Museum |
| 2026 dates | 6 Nov to 3 Jan, closed 25 Dec |
| Known for | Skate Manchester ice rink, family games |
| # | 4 |
|---|---|
| Christmas Market | St Ann's Square |
| Where | By St Ann's Church and the Royal Exchange |
| 2026 dates | 6 Nov to 22 Dec |
| Known for | Original home of the markets, choirs and buskers |
| # | 5 |
|---|---|
| Christmas Market | Market Street |
| Where | Main shopping street by Manchester Arndale |
| 2026 dates | 6 Nov to 22 Dec |
| Known for | Gifts, handcrafted decorations, carnival games |
| # | 6 |
|---|---|
| Christmas Market | King Street |
| Where | King Street shopping district |
| 2026 dates | 6 Nov to 22 Dec |
| Known for | Street food and two upmarket bars |
| # | 7 |
|---|---|
| Christmas Market | New Cathedral Street |
| Where | Between St Ann's Square and Exchange Square |
| 2026 dates | 6 Nov to 22 Dec |
| Known for | The Witch House, bratwurst and German beer |
| # | 8 |
|---|---|
| Christmas Market | Exchange Street |
| Where | Between St Ann's Square and New Cathedral Street |
| 2026 dates | 6 Nov to 22 Dec |
| Known for | Hot chocolate and strawberry stand |
| # | 9 |
|---|---|
| Christmas Market | Corn Exchange |
| Where | Between the Corn Exchange and Shambles Square |
| 2026 dates | 6 Nov to 22 Dec |
| Known for | Crafters' gifts, jewellery, pork pies |
| # | 10 |
|---|---|
| Christmas Market | Lincoln Square |
| Where | Off Brazennose Street, near Albert Square |
| 2026 dates | 6 Nov to 22 Dec |
| Known for | Food and drink only, new for 2026 |
What each of these 10 Christmas Markets in Manchester offers
1. Albert Square
The main site fills Albert Square in front of Manchester Town Hall, with food, drink and craft stalls from local and international traders. A 50-metre Ferris wheel, a vintage helter-skelter, a pop-up pub with live entertainment and a selfie sleigh inside a giant Christmas tree share the square, and a giant Santa sits high above the stalls. Hot chocolate and Parisian-style French toast are on the menu. Open 6 November 2026 to 3 January 2027, closed on 25 December.
2. Exchange Square
Exchange Square, by the Corn Exchange and Manchester Arndale, is one of the largest Christmas Market locations, with festive food, drinks, gifts and crafts. The much-loved Yorkshire pudding wrap is served here, bratwurst comes off the swing grill, The Cobbles pours mulled wine made in Manchester and the hot chocolate bar is back for 2026. Open daily from 6 November to 22 December 2026.
Photo: Exchange Square Christmas Market by oleg jasenovic (CC BY 3.0)
3. Cathedral Gardens
Cathedral Gardens, by Manchester Cathedral and the National Football Museum, is built around Skate Manchester, a covered ice rink, with mini-fairground games, live entertainment and activities for all ages, particularly the youngest visitors. Food stalls serve cheese fondue in hot bread bowls, salt and pepper-style chicken fries, crêpes and gourmet hot dogs. No entry ticket for the market; Skate Manchester rink sessions are booked separately. Open 6 November 2026 to 3 January 2027, closed on 25 December.
Photo: Cathedral Gardens Christmas Market by Gerald England (CC BY-SA 2.0)
4. St Ann's Square
St Ann's Square, by St Ann's Church and the Royal Exchange, is the original home of Manchester Christmas Markets and has a new layout for 2026 with more craft, food and drink stalls. A giant Christmas tree, singers, buskers, community choirs and a bigger covered seating area surround the stalls, which pour Guinness from a dedicated cart, Glühwein (German mulled wine) and German beer. Open daily from 6 November to 22 December 2026.
Photo: St Ann's Square Christmas Market by Ardfern (CC BY-SA 4.0)
5. Market Street
Market Street, the main shopping street beside Manchester Arndale, is back with more stalls than before. They sell unique gifts, handcrafted decorations, tweed hats, scented candles and Christmas ornaments, along with spiced rum and festive treats. Between the stalls, carnival-style games such as darts and hook-a-duck offer a break from shopping. Open daily from 6 November to 22 December 2026.
Photo: Market Street Christmas Market by Ardfern (CC BY-SA 4.0)
6. King Street
The King Street market sits in the King Street shopping district and pairs street food with two upmarket bars serving festive cocktails, German beers and craft ales. Food stalls offer chicken and waffles, Hong Kong-style French toast, pizza and arancini (fried rice balls), Greek gyros and Spanish dishes, while gift stalls sell soap, decorations, local spirits, truckle cheeses and Italian deli produce. Open daily from 6 November to 22 December 2026.
Photo: King Street Christmas Market by Ardfern (CC BY-SA 4.0)
7. New Cathedral Street
New Cathedral Street runs between St Ann's Square and Exchange Square. The Witch House bar is back, serving traditional German bratwurst and beers, with a reserved area of priority seats inside for older or disabled visitors. Steak frites with hot raclette cheese poured over the fries is the other dish to look for, and the stalls carry festive gifts and treats. Open daily from 6 November to 22 December 2026.
Photo: New Cathedral Street Christmas Market by Ardfern (CC BY-SA 4.0)
8. Exchange Street
Exchange Street, between St Ann's Square and New Cathedral Street, brings back many of its favourites, with crafts and gifts set against festive lights. Its hot chocolate and strawberry stand serves gourmet chocolate straight from melting taps and Dubai-inspired chocolate-covered strawberries, alongside loaded hash browns and affogato (ice cream with a shot of espresso). Open daily from 6 November to 22 December 2026.
Photo: Exchange Street Christmas Market by N Chadwick (CC BY-SA 2.0)
9. Corn Exchange
The Corn Exchange market stands between the Corn Exchange building and Shambles Square in the Cathedral Quarter. It is the craft-focused site, with unique gifts from local crafters, clothing, jewellery and accessories, plus festive treats to take home such as pork pies, handmade truffles and artisan cheeses. Open daily from 6 November to 22 December 2026.
Photo: Shambles Square by the Corn Exchange by Daniel from Glasgow, United Kingdom (CC BY 2.0)
10. Lincoln Square
Lincoln Square, just around the corner from Albert Square off Brazennose Street, is a new market location for 2026 with over a dozen stalls and trucks selling food and drink only. Rita's Reign serves jerk chicken, Miss Lasagna homestyle lasagne and pasta, and Bango Bango Korean corn dogs, while truck bars pour alcoholic hot chocolate and festive spritzers under a heated marquee. Open daily from 6 November to 22 December 2026.
Photo: Lincoln Square by Peter James (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Food and drink at the Christmas Markets in Manchester
Manchester Christmas Market food mixes British comfort dishes with German and international street food. The Yorkshire pudding wrap, a roast dinner rolled up in a Yorkshire pudding, is the dish to try in Exchange Square, and on King Street Great North Pie serves pies with hot mash and seasonal vegetables. Pork pies and artisan cheeses at the Corn Exchange are sold to take home.
German food centres on bratwurst (German sausage), cooked on the swing grill in Exchange Square and served with German beer at the Witch House on New Cathedral Street, where steak frites come with raclette cheese poured over the fries. The international line-up runs from jerk chicken and Korean corn dogs at Lincoln Square to Greek gyros and arancini on King Street, cheese fondue in bread bowls at Cathedral Gardens, and dumplings and crumble, both new to St Ann's Square.
For hot drinks, The Cobbles in Exchange Square pours mulled wine made in Manchester and St Ann's Square has Glühwein (German mulled wine) and a Guinness cart. Hot chocolate comes from the Exchange Square bar, the melting taps on Exchange Street and, with alcohol, the Lincoln Square truck bars, and Market Street adds spiced rum. On the sweet side, Albert Square has Parisian-style French toast and pastries baked during live baking demonstrations.
Manchester Christmas Markets by month, from November to the New Year
The Christmas Markets in Manchester in November open all at once: the ten sites start trading on Friday 6 November 2026 and are open daily from then on.
The Christmas Markets in Manchester in December keep all ten sites running until Tuesday 22 December, the last trading day at Exchange Square, St Ann's Square, Market Street, King Street, New Cathedral Street, Exchange Street, the Corn Exchange and Lincoln Square. Opening times change on the last day and again over Christmas, site by site.
After that, Albert Square and Cathedral Gardens, with the Skate Manchester ice rink, carry on through the holidays. Both are closed on 25 December, reopen on 26 December and stay open until Sunday 3 January 2027, including New Year's Eve.