The UK’s favourite Christmas Market returns!

Known nationwide as the UK’s original, award winning Manchester Christmas Market, it is set to return with the largest and best festive offering to date.

Brought to you by Manchester City Council, the market – will feature nearly 350 stalls spanning 10 distinctive market sites, allowing the attendees to be transported to a festive wonderland from Saturday, 14 November until Monday, 21 December. 

The Albert Square site will close Tuesday, 22 December.

The transformation of the city centre, in particular Metrolink’s Second City Crossing through Cross Street, will reach partial completion during the opening weeks of the Christmas Market, allowing the Exchange Square, Corn Exchange and Cathedral Gardens sites to expand on last year’s offering.

With a brand new, two storey indoor beer house accompanying The Mill, Exchange Square will return to full capacity. In addition to 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. This will be a dedicated family area in 2015, offering a traditional fun fair and entertainment, a much more child friendly atmosphere for young visitors wishing to experience the magic of Manchester’s Christmas Markets.

The success of Market Street – which was also new to the Christmas Markets only last year – will mean the site will be expanded with even more chalets offering top gift ideas after local retailers reported a boost to footfall and sales figures during the market season. 

The Corn Exchange will re-emerge as a market site now development work to refurbish the Exchange building in to a major food destination has been completed.

Launched in 1999, the Manchester Christmas Markets was the first festive market in the UK growing from only a single site in St Ann’s Square in 1999 – each completely free to visitors.

Regularly named one of Europe’s best Christmas Market attractions, nine million people visited last year – along with two million visiting the Albert Square site along – and is responsible for generating millions of pounds for city’s economy.

Cllr 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.”

Cllr Rosa Battle, Manchester City Council’s executive member for culture and leisure, said: “The Christmas Market is one of the biggest events in the city’s calendar, attracting millions of people each year. This gives a huge boost to the city centre economy, working to complement the high street and supports smaller business as well, by giving shopper a real choice about how to fulfil those Christmas wishes.”

Attracting traders from across the globe, the Christmas Market offers a huge range of foodie produce from the traditional favourites, such as Bratwurst, hog roast, crepes or macaroons to the more adventurous delights from across the world, such as Paella, Flammkuchen or British gourmet pie.

Each market site boasts the finest in gift ideas, including jewellery, ceramics, handmade toys, puppets, clocks, glassware, and a market favourite, the limited edition Manchester Christmas Market coffee and Gluhwein mugs.

And of course, the iconic, tweet-happy, six-tonne giant Santa will take his place above Albert Square – so get in touch @MCRsanta and join the festive conversation.