Manchester’s Christmas Parade dazzles the city in most popular edition yet

Manchester Christmas Parade

Bigger and even better than last year with over 400 participants, the parade weaved its way through the city streets, starting at 1 pm from Manchester Cathedral and taking in Deansgate, St Ann’s Street, Cross Street, Corporation Street and Fennel Street, where the parade will end.

Dancing Snowmen in Manchester

Think Snow Queens, Bouncing Elves and sparkling Christmas Glitter Belles, with an extra sprinkle of Candy Cane stilt walkers, Giant Nutcracker characters and Dancing Snowmen, all taking to the city streets alongside Reindeer, Owls and Festive Dinosaurs, as well as everyone’s Christmas dinner favourite Dancing Sprouts – and suddenly once again it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas.

Of course, no Christmas parade would be complete without the big red man himself and we’re on a promise from Santa Claus that he will definitely be taking some time out from his busy toy-making schedule to come to his favourite Christmas city and join in.

Santa Claus Appearance Manchester

Filled with a Christmas stocking-full of magical heart-warming moments the parade delighted the crowds from start to finish – with Snow Queens, Glitter Belles, Bouncing Elves, Dancing Snowmen and Candy Cane stilt walkers interacting with the crowds and putting a smile on everyone’s faces, alongside Reindeer, Owls, Festive Dinosaurs, and even Dancing Sprouts!

Special Appearance from Richard Parker from Life of Pi at The Lowry

An extra special treat was also lined up as part of the parade in collaboration with The Lowry and will see a special appearance from the star of the hit play Life of Pi which is at The Lowry from December 5th 2023 to January 7th 2024.

Based on one of the best-loved works of fiction – winner of the Man Booker Prize, selling over fifteen million copies worldwide – Life of Pi is a breath-taking new theatrical adaptation of an epic journey of endurance and hope.

After a cargo ship sinks in the middle of the vast Pacific Ocean, there are five survivors stranded on a single lifeboat – a hyena, a zebra, an orangutan, a sixteen year-old boy and a 450-pound Royal Bengal tiger. Time is against them, nature is harsh, who will survive?

And making sure it was Jingle Bells all the way with live music, moves, and sounds was the Global Grooves Nutcracker Bloco Band playing Santa’s favourite Christmas songs to get everyone in the festive mood, along with dancers dressed in their sparkly best Christmas kit.

Following the brilliant reception to both last year’s inaugural parade and the parade today, the Manchester Christmas Parade is now set to become a fixture in the city’s seasonal calendar.

Councillor Pat Karney, Christmas spokesperson for Manchester City Council, said: “We all know Manchester does Christmas best. Our Christmas markets are legendary and have been the best markets around since they first began 25 years ago, and now we also have our fantastic Manchester Christmas Parade – our newest Christmas tradition in the city.

“After last year’s wonderful Christmas parade which was truly the heart-warming event of the season, I really didn’t think we could top it, but this year’s parade has done just that. Heart-warming, memory-making and magical. Seeing the laughter and joy on the youngsters’ faces as they watched it was simply brilliant and made it all worthwhile.

“Bringing families and people together is really what the festive season is all about and today’s Christmas Parade is sure to be the stuff of memories for generations of young Mancunians to come.

“Happy Christmas Manchester!”

For the full guide to a Manchester Christmas, click here for more information

Manchester’s Christmas Toy Procession

The festive fun in Manchester continues in the run-up to Christmas with two more fun-filled free Festive Sundays on 10 and 17 December that will see a fabulous Christmas Toy Procession make its way through the Christmas Markets.

Delivered in partnership with Manchester Business Improvement District and created by Walk the Plank, the procession will feature giant Christmas Crackers, Sugar Plum Fairies, Toy Soldiers, Christmas Elves and a sparkling Fairy Mouse, bringing more unmissable magic to the city’s streets and squares.

Manchester’s world-famous Christmas markets are also open until 21 December,  with over 225 stalls across nine sites in the city centre selling food, drink, crafts and seasonal gifts.

This year marks a special year for the UK’s capital of Christmas as it was exactly 25 Christmases ago that Manchester’s first-ever Christmas market took place in 1998.

A quarter of a century later the markets continue to attract Mancunians and visitors alike to the city in their thousands to fill up on the fantastic festive treats on offer.