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Manchester City Council
Friday 6 November 2026
Tuesday 22 December 2026 at most sites; Sunday 3 January 2027 at Albert Square and Cathedral Gardens
Ten, all in the city centre
About 210 (Visit Manchester)
10am to 9pm, with food and drink stalls at most sites from 11am
Lincoln Square food and drink site
Piccadilly Gardens
Dates
6 Nov to 3 Jan
Opening hours
10am to 9pm until 23 Dec, then festive hours (see below)
Dates
6 Nov to 22 Dec
Opening hours
10am to 9pm daily
Dates
6 Nov to 22 Dec
Opening hours
Craft and seasonal stalls 10am to 9pm; food and drink stalls 11am to 9pm
Dates
6 Nov to 22 Dec
Opening hours
10am to 9pm; closes at 6pm on Sundays
10am to 9pm
10am to 5pm
Closed
10am to 6pm
10am to 12.30am
10am to 6pm
Map centred on Albert Square. The council publishes its own map of all ten sites on its Christmas Markets page.
Albert Square is the main hub, in front of Manchester Town Hall. It has a 50-metre Ferris wheel, a vintage helter-skelter, heated covered seating and a festive pop-up pub, alongside food, drink and craft stalls. It is one of the two sites open until 3 January.
New for 2026, a short walk from Albert Square and off Brazennose Street. It is a dedicated food and drink site, open 10am to 9pm every day, and local guides report a heated marquee for seating. It closes on 22 December.
King Street has a new layout this year. Stalls open from 10am, with food and drink stalls from 11am, and the site closes on 22 December.
Craft and seasonal stalls open at 10am and food and drink stalls at 11am. All five sites close at 9pm and finish on 22 December.
Market Street is the main site for craft and gift stalls, with more stalls this year. It opens at 10am and closes at 9pm, except on Sundays, when it closes at 6pm. It finishes on 22 December.
Cathedral Gardens sits beside Manchester Cathedral and the National Football Museum. It has a covered ice rink run by Skate Manchester, mini fairground games and free live entertainment. It is the second site open until 3 January.
Ice rink hours: Skate Manchester is open from 6 November to 3 January, except Christmas Day. It is open 12pm to 9pm daily in November and 11am to 10pm from 1 December, and the last session starts an hour before closing. Check Skate Manchester for tickets and prices.
They opened on Friday 6 November 2026.
Most sites close on Tuesday 22 December 2026. Albert Square and Cathedral Gardens stay open until Sunday 3 January 2027.
Most stalls close at 9pm. Local news reports a 6pm close on 22 December, but the council has not confirmed this on its 2026 pages. Albert Square and Cathedral Gardens close at 5pm on Christmas Eve and are open until 12.30am on New Year’s Eve.
No. Albert Square and Cathedral Gardens are closed on 25 December. The other sites have closed by then.
Albert Square and Cathedral Gardens reopen on 26 December from 10am to 6pm. The other eight sites have finished by then.
Albert Square and Cathedral Gardens. The council lists both as open from 10am to 12.30am.
No. Piccadilly Gardens is closed for redevelopment, and Lincoln Square is a new food and drink site this year.
At ten sites: Albert Square, Lincoln Square, King Street, St Ann’s Square, Exchange Street, New Cathedral Street, Exchange Square, the Corn Exchange, Cathedral Gardens and Market Street.
Yes. All sites open daily, but Market Street closes at 6pm on Sundays.
At Cathedral Gardens. Skate Manchester’s covered rink is open from 6 November to 3 January, except Christmas Day. Hours are 12pm to 9pm in November and 11am to 10pm from 1 December.
The independent guide to food halls, traditional markets, makers’ markets and Christmas markets across Manchester and Greater Manchester.
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