Manchester's festive season is packed with family-friendly events, from Santa's grottos and immersive experiences to magical light trails across the region. Here is a round-up of more than 15 things to do with children in and around the city in 2026.
Santa's Grottos and Festive Experiences
Father Christmas will be making new stops at the Science and Industry Museum, arriving on the platform of the Power Hall: The Andrew Law Gallery. On selected dates between November 21 and December 23, families can meet Santa, see historic locomotives illuminated in Christmas colours, and enjoy winter crafting activities. Tickets are £15 per child, including a gift worth upwards of £12 and admission for up to two accompanying adults.
The Grotto at the Corn Exchange has moved from the Trafford Centre to Manchester city centre. The experience, featuring the 'Santa's Wish Keepers' storyline, runs from November 20 to December 24. Child tickets are £29.50 and include a gift from Santa, with adult tickets at half price. Whispering Winter sessions for children with SEND are also planned.
The Trafford Centre is hosting the new Haribo Holly Jolly Grotto from November 20, where children become Jolly Holly Helpers and complete a checklist of themed activity stations before meeting Santa. Tickets cost from £20 for children and from £8 for adults. The centre also offers free Selfridges Snow Shows at 12pm on November 7, 8, 14, 15, 21 and 22.
Reddish Vale Farm's North Pole Experience, running from November 29 to December 24, includes a naughty/nice machine, reindeer dust making, and building a Christmas teddy. Prices start from £15 for adults and from £42.50 for children, with under ones at £12.
Magical Trails and Light Displays
Northern Lights returns to Heaton Park with a Christmas Time Machine trail, inspired by toys like Scalextric and slinky. The trail, open from November 19 to December 31, features 15 installations including Lava Lamp Lane and a giant Ferris wheel. Tickets cost from £13.50 for children aged 3 to 16 and from £19.50 for adults.
Disney Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas Light Trail is at Arley Hall & Gardens in Cheshire for the first time in the UK. The experience, running until January 3, 2027, features more than 1,700 light installations and four brand-new scenes. General admission starts at £32 for adults.
Harry Potter: A Forbidden Forest Experience is returning to the UK at Bolesworth Castle in Tattenhall, Chester. Launching on December 10, the 1.95km trail features never-before-seen elements including the Golden Egg and a Death Eater. Tickets cost from £29.90 and the event runs until January 24, 2027.
Chester Zoo's Lanterns & Light trail runs for 42 nights from November 13, 2026 to January 3, 2027, featuring new installations like the Suspended Jellyfish and a mirrored disco tunnel. Tickets are priced £19.50 for children and £27.50 for adults.
Ice Skating and Shows
Skate Manchester, the city's biggest outdoor rink, is back in Cathedral Gardens until Sunday, January 3, 2027, excluding Christmas Day. Sessions last up to 45 minutes, with tickets from £15 for adults and teens 13+, from £13.75 for 12s and under, and from £44 for a family package.
Gandeys Snow Storm: A Frozen Adventure is returning to the Trafford Centre's Big Top from December 4 to January 3. The ice show features world-class figure skaters and circus artists, with tickets from £11.99 plus booking fee.
Believe! The Polar Express Experience is back at the O2 Victoria Warehouse in Old Trafford. The immersive walkthrough, officially sanctioned by Warner Bros, runs entirely indoors and ends with a hot chocolate and cookie in a festive village. Tickets are priced from £26.04 for carers, £42.95 for children, and from £52.94 for adults.
Railway Adventures and More
The Santa Specials at East Lancashire Railway, running for almost 40 years, attract more than 40,000 people each year. The steam train journeys start on November 28 and 29, continuing every weekend until December 20, then daily from December 21 to Christmas Eve. Tickets begin at £28.50 for children and £29 for adults.
LaplandUK at Capesthorne Hall in Macclesfield offers a four-and-a-half-hour festive experience from November 7 until Christmas Eve, with tickets from £70 per person. The journey includes the Enchanted Forest, Toy Factory, and a meeting with Father Christmas.
Jodrell Bank's Space Dome Show 'What Santa Sees' runs every Saturday and Sunday from November 7 to December 20, then daily from December 21 to 23. Tickets cost between £2 and £5, on top of admission fees starting from £11.90.
Knowsley Safari's Enchanted event, running from November 20 to December 23, features a nature-themed light trail with a Tiger Trail and giant insect hotel. Tickets cost from £9.95 per person, with free marshmallow toasting for bookings before November 15.
Christmas at Dunham Massey, running from November 20 to January 2, includes a mile-long trail of light and sound installations. Tickets cost from £13 for children and from £19.50 for adults, with children two and under going free.
