The Manchester Christmas Markets will return to the city in just over three weeks, with more than 200 traders preparing to serve up seasonal staples and festive joy. The city centre streets will soon be filled with the scents of street food including Glühwein, German sausage and a range of other offerings such as loaded fries, French toast, chocolate shots and Philly cheesesteak.
The markets will open from Friday 6 November and run until late December, with locations varying. As part of the celebrations, the city's giant zippy Santa is moving back to Albert Square for the first time since 2017, as the multi-million pound refurbishment works finally approach their end.
Main hub at Albert Square
Albert Square will be this year's main hub and will host the Big Wheel again, as well as a big new pop-up pub and a host of food and retail stalls. There will also be a new live artisan pastry baking hut, as well as a new selfie sleigh inside a Christmas tree.
Other Christmas Market locations across the city this year include King Street, St Ann's Square, Exchange Street, New Cathedral Street, Exchange Square, Corn Exchange, Cathedral Gardens, and Market Street. While Piccadilly Gardens is out of action, Lincoln Square off of Albert Square will have a host of stalls.
Food and drink highlights
Visitors will be able to enjoy delights including dim sum and salt and pepper chicken, as well as falafel wraps, loaded fries, gourmet lasagne, jerk chicken, Indian street food, vegan tempura, Brazilian dishes and Korean hotdogs. As always, Christmas staples such as Glühwein, Bratwurst, hot chocolate with all the toppings, as well as favourites like Yorkshire pudding wraps and pigs in blankets will be readily available from a range of stalls and traders across the city.
Over at Cathedral Gardens, Skate MCR is back too, transforming the gardens into the ultimate winter destination with a range of market stalls alongside an undercover ice rink that will remain open through the festive season until the new year.
Opening hours and dates
Markets across the city will be open daily from Friday 6 November to Tuesday 22 December, except at Albert Square and Cathedral Gardens which will remain open until Sunday 3 January 2027. Opening hours at all market locations (except Albert Square and Cathedral Gardens) are from 10am to 9pm, except on the final day of trading 22 December when stalls will close at 6pm.
On Albert Square and Cathedral Gardens, stalls will open from 10am to 9pm each day, before closing slightly earlier at 5pm on Christmas Eve and reopening on 26 December until 3 January from 10am to 6pm each day, except for New Year's Eve, when Cathedral Gardens will close at 6pm, whilst Albert Square will remain open until just after midnight.
Below is the full list of stalls, spanning food, drink, arts, crafts, and gifts for Manchester Christmas Markets 2026.
King Street traders
King Street will feature The Great North Pie Company, Waffle Kart, N&P Events Ltd, Eco Express Ltd, Selgroves Ltd / Cheezy Bandits, Eat Grk / The Greek, Hong Kong French Toast, King Street Craft Bar, The Grumpy Moose, The German Windmill Houses Ltd, Dorri Limited, The Salford Rum Company, Kisses at Christmas Ltd, The Great British Cheese Company, Alyssa's House, Soaps of Provence Limited, M Crafts, Johnsons Toffees / Great British Fudge Company, Made in Italy Ltd, and SoMD.
St Ann's Square traders
St Ann's Square will feature North Star Piccadilly & NIWA Yakitori, Mexico Joes Festival Ltd, Bars At Yours Ltd, RJE Catering, Gin Alley Events Ltd, Ma Cuisine Francaise, Manke Markets UK Ltd, Yard & Coop, Oi Dumplings / Café Oi, The Pancake House, Mr Crumble, Little Piece of Bahia, BangGa BangGa, Gingerbread House Confections, Pure Indulgence, Johnsons Crafts, Metal Art Productions, Kisses At Christmas Ltd, Manc & Proud, Amber Jewellery, The Cheese Board, Continental Cottage, and Monami.
Exchange Street and New Cathedral Street traders
Exchange Street will feature Hash Browns, CT Event Catering Ltd, The Great North Pie Company, Pure Pet Food, Francoz Garden, Manimu Limited, The Great British Cheese Company, Su Mace Gifts, Ridiculously Rich by Alana, and Kin Vodka. New Cathedral Street will feature Artisan Catering Services, Bar 3, Mango Rays (MCR) Ltd, The German Windmill Houses Ltd, Diamontt Ltd, Cheshire Cheese Company, Birchwood Leather, Carter & Belle, The Little Gift Hut, Eat Liquorice Ltd, Celtic Spirit Co, FairyFairs Ltd, Beauty Scents Ltd, Artesania, Where The Heart Is, Tiger Mountain, Jelly and Fizz Ltd, Java Bar Espresso Ltd, Cherry Tree UK Ltd, and Mr Murrays Scotch Eggs Ltd.
Exchange Square and Corn Exchange traders
Exchange Square will feature The Mill Exchange Ltd, Fuego, de Creperie, Porky Pig Ltd, Simply Delicious, Christmas Quacker, The German Windmill Houses Ltd, CT Event Catering, Mamma Mia, Pure Indulgence, Dorri Limited, Lucelas Ltd, Manicay Ltd, Nova, Daisy & Ralph Children's Boutique, and From The Olive Tree. Corn Exchange will feature Gingerbread House Confections, Bibie Jewellery Ltd, The Crusty Pie Company, Sweet Treats Manchester, Simia Collection Ltd, The Duchess of Candles, AK Distillery Ltd, Make Up Or Break Up Ltd, Bakes by Millie, Pincho Poncho, Pebble & Grain, The Cheese Board, Lafi crafts, and Road to One Hundred Ltd.
Market Street traders
Market Street will feature Sky Import Ltd, Charles Taylor Trading, Misu Tiramisu, Tatova Hata Ltd, Kings Jewelz, Amazonas Gifts, Exglo UK, TBC trader name, Sweet Treats Manchester, London Xmas Ltd, Sticky Chocolate, Popsters, Rusty Signs, The Finest Fudge Company, Verner Trading Ltd, Rollercoaster Gifts, LFH Studio, Kisses At Christmas Ltd, The Great British Cheese Company, Sienna Jennings, Charlie Boy's Barkery, For The Hair You Wear, So Blossom Accessories, PC9, JO's Bulbzzle, Gabswonderland, Solid Cologne UK, Kolour Pop, M Crafts, TWS Trading Ltd, Inkita, Aureli, Tiger Mountain, O'Donnell Moonshine Ltd, Breba Trading BV, Amazonas Gifts, Socktopus, M & C Crafts, WoodShyne, The Lancashire Cheesecake Company Ltd, Made in Wonderland, Momentum, Homeless Ghost Prints Ltd, and Florentale.
Cathedral Gardens, Albert Square and Lincoln Square traders
Cathedral Gardens will feature Bars @ Yours Ltd, de Creperie, Festival Kitchen Ltd, Verner Trading Ltd, Artisan Catering Services, and Well & Spruce. Albert Square will feature Gingerbread House Confections, Totova Hata Ltd, Exglo UK, Rustic Rudolph, Popsters, Govdeli UK Ltd, Make Up or Break Up, Verner Trading Ltd, Manimu Limited, Felt & Friends, Luminology, Yasemin Kotan, The Manchester Shop, Amber Jewellery, Manicay Ltd, De Luciano, Schmidt Glass, From The Olive Tree, Amazonas Gifts, The Mill Exchange, The Flat Baker Ltd, Mexico Joes Festival Ltd, Bars At Yours Ltd, de Creperie, Yorkshire Wrap, Gin Alley Events Ltd, Rita's Reign, Manke Markets UK Ltd, Pancake House, Grumpy Moose, The Melting Pot, Loaded Hash Browns – Wrap Up (MCR), Mr Crumble, The German Windmill Houses Ltd, and CT Event Catering Ltd. Lincoln Square will feature Dozo Sushi Ltd, Falafel King, Festival Loaded Ltd, Miss Lasagne Manchester Ltd, Rita's Reign Ltd, Bombay Street Food Simply Delicious, Bombay Street Food Simply Delicious (same trader different concept), Chillionrice, Little Piece of Bahia, and Yeong & Co Events Ltd.
