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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

Father’s Day in Manchester and the North

This year’s Father’s Day is Sunday 15 June. Get out and about and spend some quality time with the old man in Manchester.
A woman in a cap touches the head of a life-sized giraffe puppet made from cardboard and wood, as part of The Herds. The background shows an urban environment with people watching and a scenic view of trees and mountains.
Free things to do at MIF25

Take a look at these MIF25 highlights that won’t cost a penny and plan your perfect (free) MIF25 day out.
Mother and daughter play with smell interactive_Operation Ouch! Brains, Bogies and You
Things to do over May half term

Looking for things to do with the family over the Easter school holidays? We’ve got you covered.
Manchester International Festival 2025
Ones Not to Miss at MIF25

One-of-a-kind collaborations and world premiere performances, we bring you details of those ‘must-see’ shows at MIF25.
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.
SFTOC 2024
May Bank Holiday 2025: Things to Do

Whether you’re a planner or prefer to play it by ear, we’ve got plenty of ideas to help you make the most of the Bank Holiday weekend.
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.

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

Seven Bro7hers Taproom
Tours and Activities in the North

Go forth with wild abandon to dance the pavements, dabble with the paint and down the pints in this month's tours and activities guide.

A young boy with a white sash around his left arm cries.
Cinema in the North

Outdoor cinema announcements, a major retrospective at HOME, and the best of indie cinema.

Theatre in Manchester and the North
Theatre in the North

Experimental performance, thought-provoking new writing and our picks of Manchester International Festival - here’s what’s taking centre stage this summer.

Music in the North

Gigs are coming in hot this spring – from long-awaited returns to one-off happenings you’ll blink and miss if you're not careful.

Harry Baker
Literature Events in the North

From environmental to experimental, our poetry and prose picks from around the North are focused on the unusual and the fun.

Experience a unique deep listening art installation inviting audiences to lay down and be bathed in sound and light.
Exhibitions in the North

From city-wide art festivals to open-air sculptural installations, we have exhibitions from all around the North, both indoors and out.