IN THE MARKET FOR SOMETHING DIFFERENT?
BIG crowds and pricey pints mean Manchester’s Christmas Markets aren’t everyone’s mug of mulled wine. If you prefer to do your shopping somewhere a bit more low key, there are plenty of smaller markets around Greater Manchester you can visit too. From festive food and drink to vegan gift ideas, we’ve rounded up some of the best alternative Christmas markets and events to visit this year. Urban Narnia at Hatch Tucked away under the Mancunian Way, the brightly coloured shipping containers of Hatch are an independent food, drink and shopping haven. This Christmas they’re being transformed into a winter wonderland with twinkling fairy lights, blankets and a new stage hosting a programme of live music and entertainment. The retailers have all your Christmas shopping needs covered, with streetwear and trainers from Grafficks; a pop-up record shop from Stutter & Twitch; jewellery and homeware from Nordic Muse; clothing and merch from Friking UK; cityscape art from Laura Jordan; dog treats and accessories from Betty & Butch; upcycled vintage clothing from Susie Loves Mylo and Lemonworld Vintage; jewellery from Abacus; flowers, wreaths and fir trees from Venus Chorlton bar Electrik will also be popping up with a double decker bar serving up Christmas cocktails and mulled wine, alongside tacos from Cayuco; arancini from T’Arricrii; mac ‘n’ cheese from The Mac Shac; Japanese junk food from Cottonopolis; coffee from Takk; and craft beer from Ol.
Hatch, Oxford Road | hatchmcr.com | November 15 to December 20 | Free
entry GRUB Festive Food Fair Manchester’s weekly street food fair GRUB has grown and grown from its early days popping up in brewery yards. Now with its own home under the arches of Temperance Street, the event hosts a changing roster of the city’s best street food traders at Fairfield Social Club every weekend. Its programme of festive food fairs begin on November 30 with a line up including Yes! Doughnuts, The Gravy Train, Yakumama, Wholesome Junkies, Bake-ORama, Oh Mei Dumpling, Vaso Kitchen, The War On Nugs, Parmstar and many more in the run up to Christmas. Mulled wine and cider will be flowing, along with German drink feuerzangenbowle, a flaming, supercharged version of gluhwein. And as always there’ll be a cracking selection of beers from the brilliant breweries on its doorstep. Plant Shop will also be selling real Christmas trees at the December 1 event.
Fairfield Social Club, Temperance Street | grubmcr. com | Every Friday and Saturday, noon to 10pm, from November 30 to December 22 | Free entry Manchester’s Vegan Christmas Market If you’re a vegan, the sight of hog roasts and bratwurst sizzling on the swing grills might put you off a visit to a conventional Christmas market. Luckily for you then, there’s an entirely vegan Christmas festival coming to Manchester where you can enjoy the festive cheer, conscience clear. The event will feature a 100% vegan market with stalls selling a host of great gift ideas, including zero waste shop Flourish and Scandi jewellery and homewares brand Nordic Muse. There’ll also be a range of vegan street food and drink including doughnuts from Doughliciousss, warm cookie dough, ice cream and chocolates from the Vegan Choc Shop, beers from First Chop and soft drinks from Steep Soda, plus a range of natural vegan wines, mulled wine and vegan cocktails. Visitors can unwind with Indian head massages at the Take a Breather stall, or take the kids to a Santa’s Grotto and craft centre where they can make decorations to take home. Live music will be playing all weekend courtesy of the house Oompah band, and homelessness charity Barnabus will be offering a fundraising giftwrapping service.
Victoria Baths, Chorlton on Medlock | mcrveganxmas.co.uk | December 1 and 2, 10am to 5pm | Tickets £5 adults, £3 children (under-fives free) Levenshulme Christmas Night Market If you’ve left your shopping a little late, Levenshulme’s Christmas night market will be brimming with lastminute gift ideas. Shoppers can pick up handmade presents from independent local traders including Old Man & Magpie Candles, Crickhollow Crafts, BubbleOff and Mint To Be, and stock up on staples for the Christmas dinner table from the likes of Winter Tarn Cheese and Savin Hill Butchers. The December 21 event will also feature live music, family entertainment, street food and drink including a winter warmers bar serving Smoking Bishop, rum butter and spiced cider from a converted horse box. For the more organised among you, there’ll also be a series of daytime Christmas markets on December 1, 8 and 15 when you can get your shopping done earlier.
Levenshulme station car park | levymarket.com | Friday December 21, 5pm to 9pm, and December 1, 8 and 15, 10am to 4pm | Free entry The Frost Fair at The Whitworth Local artisans and street food traders will be setting up stalls in the grounds of The Whitworth as part of a two-day winter celebration at the art gallery. Visitors can also watch performances from the Travelling Light Circus, live trapeze acts and roaming stilt walkers, and have a go at a circus skills workshop throughout the weekend. After dusk, the Art Garden will be transformed into an outdoor cinema with comfy sofas and blankets to snuggle up and watch films on. comfy sofas and blankets to stay cosy. There’ll also be live music from performers including roaming brass band Mr Wilson’s Second Liners, as well as DJs and a full live music programme throughout the weekend in the picturesque Cafe in the Trees. Outdoor arts specialist Walk the Plank, will transform The Whitworth courtyard into a fire garden for the weekend, which will close with a grand fireworks finale.
The Whitworth, Oxford Road | whitworth.manchester.ac.uk | Saturday December 1 and Sunday December 2, 11am to 7pm | Free