Manchester is on course for its best Christmas ever this year with the return of festive fun to Albert Square, alongside the city’s world-beating festive markets that are now well-established at locations throughout the city centre, and each year attract millions of visitors to the city.
As work continues to restore the city’s magnificent Grade 1 Listed Town Hall, work to transform and enlarge Albert Square – to create a civic square to rival the very best in Europe – has also been taking place as part of the wider Our Town Hall project, which is widely recognised as the largest and most complex heritage project taking place anywhere in the UK.
The work already completed to date on the square means that for the first time since 2019 Albert Square will once again be able to play a role in the city’s much-loved seasonal celebrations, with part of the square – around two-thirds of it – set to be unwrapped and opened up for the festivities as an early Christmas present for the city.
A Taste of Christmas will open on Albert Square from Friday 7 November 2025 until Sunday 4 January 2026, bringing the space back into the heart of the city’s countdown to Christmas festivities and staying open throughout the festive season for families to enjoy into the new year.
Complementing the city-wide festive markets that will again take over Manchester’s streets and squares as the city heads towards Christmas, Albert Square itself will be full of Christmas cheer and Mancunian magic with a Santa’s sackful of family-friendly attractions, for visitors of all ages to enjoy.
Dominating a twinkling seasonal skyline on Albert Square will be an enormous 50-metre-high Ferris wheel giving a stunning Santa’s sleigh view of the ongoing work to restore the city’s Alfred Waterhouse designed Town Hall, and an enchanting memory-making vintage Carousel for children of all ages, along with other Christmas fairground-style attractions.
With its own Christmas mini-market – a select handful of wooden chalets selling must-have Christmas crafts and gifts – plus a good mix of independent food and drink outlets offering a tasty selection of food and drink on-the-go, along with under-cover seating areas, as well as festive lights, Christmas-themed light-up and walk-through installations, and plenty of seasonal selfie backdrop spots, Albert Square promises to add even more Christmas magic to Manchester this year.
Councillor Pat Karney, Christmas spokesperson for Manchester City Council said: “We’re going all out this year to make sure that Manchester is the world’s number one city for Christmas, not just in the UK, but in the world.
“It’s going to be brilliant to be able to celebrate the season in Albert Square once again and I personally can’t wait to get on the big wheel and eyeball the town hall clock as we countdown to Christmas in Santa’s favourite city.
“We all know that Manchester does Christmas best and we’ve got a few more Santa surprises up our sleeves still to come that we’re just putting the finishing touches to and will be sharing with you in the coming weeks. Until then, my lips are sealed..
“In the meantime, dust off your baubles, un-twirl your tinsel and get ready – Albert’s back!
