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Christmas in the North

Creative Tourist

Christmas comes but once a year, and it’s a great time to make the most of what the region’s independent scene has to offer. From not-on-the-high-street Christmas Shopping to our top festive theatre and concert picks, we’ve pulled together our recommendations of things to do for maximum fun, minimum stress.

For those looking for an appropriately excessive Christmas gorge, our Christmas Food and Drink guide is for you, and if you’re looking to party on the biggest night of the year, check out our round-up of the best-looking events for New Year’s Eve.

Merry Christmas, everyone!

Our top picks

Christmas Theatre and Concerts

With the big day approaching, theatres and concert halls across the North are pulling out all the festive stops. Here are our top picks.

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Tilly and the bear
Paul Blakemore

Christmas Shopping in the North

We’ve compiled an alternative list of gift-central suggestions to keep you as far from the hellish throngs of Market Street as possible this Christmas.

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An illustration people shopping at The Hepworth Wakefield Festive Market
The Hepworth Wakefield / Michael Driver

Christmas food and drink

Don’t worry about the calories, the holidays are here and that means it’s time to eat, drink, be merry and overdo things to a shocking degree.

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Manchester Christmas Markets 2021

New Year’s Eve in the North

From house raves to live funk and soul, orchestral concerts to DJs spinning global sounds, here’s our guide to New Year’s Eve in Manchester and the North.

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Image supplied by Band on the Wall.

Christmas Markets in the North

We round-up the pop-up Christmas markets you should be heading to this festive season, if you’re looking for alternative gifts and an obligatory glug of gluhwein.

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Visit Blackpool.
Visit Blackpool.

Seasonal Guides

Helen Chadwick posing with a sculpture called Piss Flowers taken during the exhibition Helen Chadwick: Effluvia, held at the Serpentine Gallery, London, in 1994
Cultural Calendar 2025

Our editors’ biannually updated list of some of the best-looking arts and cultural events in Manchester and the North in 2025.
Festival-goers at Green Island
Festivals

Here’s our guide to the best summer festivals with experiences taking place in a field or on the streets near you.
The Jungle Book at Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre
Open Air Theatre in Manchester and the North

Open air theatre shows are happening across the north over the next few months – we’ve collated our top picks into a neat guide for you.

Summer Holidays: the best things to do with kids
Summer Holidays: the best things to do with kids

Check out our definitive and regularly updated guide of things to do with the family over the summer holidays.
Outdoor Art in the North

Our guide to the North’s outdoor art, which has a special relationship to community, cultural heritage and the landscape it’s situated in.
Outdoor Activities

Get out and about with our guide to interesting, unusual and distinctly cultural outdoor events and outdoor activities.
FaleSaSacred House
Visual Arts at MIF25

From indigenous wisdom in paint and performance to immersive sound installations, MIF25 returns with a unique visual arts programme.

Destinations

Image by Jonathan Schofield.
Spotlight on

Walking Tours in Manchester by Jonathan Schofield

Presenting the best walking tours in Manchester for history buffs, culture enthusiasts, and those looking to scratch beneath the surface of the city.

Take me there

Culture Guides

Star Nhà Ease
Cinema in the North

July's cinema highlights include spotlights on international cinema, a new cult classic, plus a visit from one of our favourite directors.

Exhibitions in the North

Captivating, urgent and intimate - we bring you our top exhibition picks, with even more art festivals, artist-led shows and new venues.

Theatre in Manchester
Theatre in the North

Summer signals theatre festivals, world premieres and open-air spectacle - from MIF25 to comedy, outdoor circus and beyond, here’s what we’re looking forward to.

European Poetry Festival European Camarade
Literature Events in the North

From tongue-twisters to twisty page-turners, we have all kinds of spoken word surprises in the latest literature round-up.

Helena Hauff
Music in the North

Shape-shifting bands, scorched-earth techno, and off-grid festivals. Our latest music picks catch the live scene at its most urgent, inventive and alive.