Sure, the famous Manchester Christmas Markets are the flagship of the festive season here in the city. But if you’re tired of the same old sights after visiting season after season, there’s plenty more to see and do outside of those lined-up timber chalets. From quaint and Christmassy food markets to perfect independent gift stalls, here’s our guide to the best alternative Christmas markets taking place in Manchester this year.
1. Winter Island at Freight Island
Freight Island‘s ‘Winter Island‘ has proven to be a massive hit in previous yearss, and luckily for us Mancs, it has returned for the festive season. Running until Christmas Eve (December 24) the local favourite Depot Mayfield food hall is one of the city’s biggest winter wonderlands, with a host of festive traders popping up. The city’s favourite chocolatiers Cocoa Cabana will offer build your own hot chocolate with boozy options, plus other chocolate treats and delights.
Freight Island’s Plant Room will be transformed into a captivating Grotto, where it will host a special Visit Santa Experience – an interactive journey for children to visit Father Christmas and his Elves. Of course, there will also be the classic street food on offer, everything we know and love from Freight Island, with a warming festive twist. This magical alternative to the usual Christmas markets offers one of the most central options in Manchester. Freight Island, 11 Baring St, M1 2PZ.
2. Maker’s Market (various locations)
Offering an alternative from the usual festive huts of the city centre, the Makers Markets in Manchester and Salford continue throughout the festive season, with wonderful markets popping up in MediaCity, Ancoats, Stockport, the Northern Quarter, Chorlton, Sale, West Didsbury and Prestwich between 2-17 December. Get your gift-buying on whether it’s jewellery, art, food, clothing or anything you might stumble across at these artisan markets, and perhaps get something for yourself too. You can find a full line up of locations and dates on the Makers Market website.
3. Ducie Street Warehouse
Ducie Street Warehouse is currently hosting a very wholesome roster of events, including lovely alternative Christmas markets every weekend where local indie businesses can set up shop and sell their unique gifts. Accompanied by DJ sets, Disco Brunches, yuletide workshops, and of course, festive food courtesy of the wonderful restaurant, Ducie Street Warehouse is the perfect destination this Christmas for those looking to escape the busy streets of the main market. Ducie Street Warehouse, Ducie St, M1 2TP.
4. GRUB Sustainable Indie Christmas Market
GRUB has rounded up an array of Manchester makers and creatives and putting together a gorgeous festive market for Sunday 3 December. This market will have a strong focus on sustainability, supporting local and small independent businesses. As part of the day you can expect over 20 stalls from local small businesses selling a variety of sustainable gifts including art, jewellery, homewares, skincare, food, vintage and more. Plus there will be a wreath making workshop with Blossom Flowers, plant powered street food from Desert Island Dumplings, Wholesome Junkies and Munchie Mummy’s Bakery, alongside hot drinks, mulled wine, boozy winter warmers and more. Why not visit this independent Manchester staple is you fancy and alternative to the usual Christmas markets this festive season? GRUB, 50 Red Bank, Cheetham Hill, Manchester M4 4HF.
5. Fairfield Social Club
Kicking off on Friday (1 December), Fairfield Social Club will have a fully stocked Blackjack Beers craft beer bar as well as a number of pop-up traders including Foundation Coffee, who’ll be on hand to provide caffeine hits, and Isit Kitchen will be in residence for the whole month slinging out barbecued goodness to warm your winter cockles. In addition, especially for this winter pop-up, there’ll be a Christmas Tree shop, so you can pick up your spruce or fir whilst you’re at it.
Fairfield Social Club will see the return of Manchester institution Oklahoma. The much loved brand will be selling colourful unusual gifts, decorations and homeware, plus their new signature Oklahoma totes, at the winter pop-up market. The ever popular Ben Saunders’ Manchester Queer Art Market will make a festive appearance and Fairfield Social Club will be christening the event space with a special version of comedy night ‘A Lovely Time’ (‘A Lovely Christmas Time’, obviously) with Amy Gledhill & Friends. Fairfield Social Club, Irk Street, M4 4JT.
6. DIECAST Winterhood
For Christmas, the new 50,000 square foot beer hall and warehouse kitchen takes over the main factory floor at DieCast, which opened this summer, with a festive twist, alongside the brand new DIECAST Winter Trailer Park and Night Market, festively named Winterhood.
Featuring a NYC bodega, karaoke corner shop, hot chocolate and vintage stalls for the winter party season, Winterhood provides all that Christmas market good stuff within the exclusivity of a venue, offering quirky additions including the Winter Trailer Park, featuring DIECAST’s signature rum caravans. DIECAST, 51 Ducie St, Manchester M1 2JQ.
7. Winterfest at MediaCity
MediaCity’s festive season has now officially kicked off and on Thursday 7 December its waterfront will be illuminated by Quays Culture’s striking Lightwaves installation in 15 locations across MediaCity and The Quays. The free festival of light art returns to MediaCity with a range of immersive exhibitions for all ages, featuring a variety of works from established and emerging local artists that use light, sound and technology to create thought-provoking audio-visual journeys.
As MediaCity’s food and drink offering continues expanding, visitors to Quayside MediaCity will get to enjoy a seasonal soundtrack at its new independent food and drink destination – Central Bay. The recently opened venue will be hosting live music nights with a festive twist as part of its ‘Central Bay Sessions’, hosted at 11 Central on Thursday 14 December. For those looking for unique and sustainable gifts this Christmas, the North’s first Charity Super.Mkt pop-up, packed with pre-loved gems, will remain open in Quayside MediaCity until December 13, while festive Makers Markets will return to The Lowry Plaza every weekend until Sunday 17 December – shoppers can expect a seasonal pick of festive food and drink, art and design and modern crafts. Various locations at MediaCityUK.
8. Affinity Living Christmas Market
Affinity Living Riverview will be transformed into a winter wonderland on Thursday 7 December as a Christmas market organised by independent maker Colas Clay will be popping up. There’ll be all different types of makers there on the day showing off their handcrafted homeware, jewellery, sweet treats, and plenty of other gorgeous gifts, all of which will be available to purchase.
The independent Christmas market is the perfect alternative for those wanting to escape the hustle and bustle of Market Street and support local, indie traders this winter, with Affinity Living and Colas Clay working collaboratively to make sure that the local small brands taking part in the markets are paid fairly and not charged extortionate prices. Affinity Living’s on site coffee shop Loaf MCR will be joining in on the festivities and selling mulled wine, alongside their famous handmade loaf cakes and coffee. The markets are completely free to attend for both residents and visitors – tickets can be booked here. Affinity Living Riverside, 32 Quay St, Salford, Manchester M3 5FZ.
9. Afflecks
Afflecks, Manchester’s independent shopping emporium will play host to a hive of indie winter workshops, just in time for the festive period from 3 – 17 December. Afflecks is also supporting a number of charitable organisations who give back to local Manchester communities, including the Manchester Youth Zone and HideOut Youth Zone.
With alternative festive crafts taking place across three floors of Afflecks, some of the building’s most legendary traders will be hosting a very special Afflecks take on the traditional Christmas workshop. Think dried flower bauble making, ‘Design a Gingerbread Family’, design your own Christmas candle, alongside more opportunities to buy completely unique, thoughtful and handmade gifts as the young people from Manchester Youth Zone will be popping up with their very own ‘MYZ Festive Shop‘ on Saturday 9 December. You can book a crafty session here. Afflecks, 52 Church St, Manchester M4 1PW.
10. New Century Christmas Warmer
New Century is kicking off its yuletide celebrations with the New Century Christmas Warmer, a day of festive fun fit for all the family on Sunday 3 December. From vintage Christmas shopping to free waffles, it’s a chance to get into the festive spirit in the stunning setting of New Century.
New Century’s Boyson’s bar will be transformed into a cosy Christmas hideaway to officially launch the festive season and there’ll be festive sweet treats from Belgian Waffle specialists Bel Gem, as well as hot chocolates, all served up in this Christmassy little corner of New Century. There’s also a host of fantastically festive foodie specials from the New Century Kitchen traders, who have pulled out all the stops this yuletide, including a Venison Pizza at Wild By Ply, a Pulled Pig & Crackling Burger from Tallow, potato and cranberry banh mi’s from Manc favourites Banh Vi, and a festive biryani from the team over at Spice Yard. New Century, 34 Hanover St, Manchester M4 4AH.