CHRISTMAS WHAT’S NEW AT THE CHRISTMAS MARKETS?
WITH the Manchester Christmas Markets already up and running (no, we can’t believe it’s crept around this quickly either), the festive season is very much on the way. There’s a lot of change at this year’s event too, from new sites to new Santas to new food stalls.
The city’s glowing mascot, affectionately known as Zippy, has officially retired and has been replaced by a new, younger model.
Meanwhile, the ongoing renovations of the Town Hall and building works on Brazennose Street have forced a number of market stalls to move to a new location, but have welcomed in some new local traders at the same time.
Elsewhere, last year’s hugely popular ice village at Cathedral Gardens is bigger and better than ever, with a new theme.
Here are all the new things you can expect at this year’s Manchester Christmas Markets.
PICCADILLY GARDENS
Although the markets were originally supposed to be moving away from their usual home at Albert Square due to town hall renovations, they’ll have one final hurrah before being moved on - though at a reduced size. To make up for that, and for the lack of stalls on Brazennose Street, the markets have spread to Piccadilly Gardens for the first time, where shoppers will find a host of new food and craft stalls as well as a bar.
Among the traders at the brand new site there is Eat Greek with authentic Greek grills – last year including gyros kebabs and halloumi fries – and the Hot Stuff Bread Company, serving fresh pretzel dough stuffed with gourmet fillings.
A temporary police hut will be erected in the gardens for added security, with Coun Pat Karney saying that the area are the ‘number one choice’ to be the main hub of the markets from next year.
FRIED CHICKEN FROM YARD & COOP
Ah yes, the traditional festive... fried chicken.
Yard & Coop have pitched up at the Christmas Markets for the first time this year, serving up all sorts of buttermilk fried goodness.
Chicken - or a vegan pulled ‘chicken’ alternative - will be topped with macaroni cheese and your choice of sauce, all served in a savoury waffle cone.
There will also be chicken tenders with chips and a selection of toppings, including the Dirty Bird (Dr Pepper BBQ sauce, blue cheese sauce, and hot sauce). Yard & Coop will be at Albert Square this year, but if you can’t face the inevitable drizzle they’ve got a restaurant - with heating and ceilings – on Edge Street in the
Northern Quarter.
ICE TIKI BAR
Serving tropical cocktails in sub-zero surroundings, Cathedral Gardens’ new Ice Tiki Bar promises a Polynesian party atmosphere - only with quite the opposite temperatures. Guests are given thermal capes to keep them warm inside the frozen venue, which is be chilled to -8ºC and decorated with ice sculptures of Easter Island’s monolithic Moai statues. Cocktails including supersized ice bowls to share will be available to buy along with warming shots and fruity mocktails. Tickets cost £15 and include one cocktail or mocktail served in an ice glass.
SNOW GLOBE BAR
A giant snow globe bar has appeared at Piccadilly Gardens this year, as part of the new markets location.
The glowing dome serves warming winter cocktails such as hot toddies, all beneath a canopy of twinkling fairy lights.
There’s programme of live music events too, starting with an oompah band.
Organiser and visual conceptual designer Laura Tacey, of bar operator Juniper 1933, said: “Our concept is new to Manchester and we’re very excited about the experience we are offering.”
S’MORES
The ultimate American campfire classic, s’mores are cookie sandwiches filled with gooey toasted marshmallows and melted chocolate.
What’s not to love about that?
They’re being brought to the Christmas Markets by the trader behind popular cookie dough stall Elsie May’s, at her new Campfire S’mores stall in Piccadilly Gardens. The towering treats come in flavours including Oreo, Biscoff, Milkybar and Reece’s Pieces, priced at £5.50. Elsie May’s is also be back in Exchange Square and Albert Square.
BATTERED PIGS IN BLANKETS AND GIANT TOAD IN THE HOLE
The stall that brought the Yorkshire pudding wrap to the Manchester Christmas Markets has pulled out all the stops with this year’s calorific creations.
Porky Pig will have deep-fried battered pigs in blankets on the menu, priced at £4.50 for two fullsized sausages wrapped in streaky bacon and batter, and served with apple sauce, spiced apple sauce or gravy. The stall is also be serving giant Cumberland sausages coiled inside a huge Yorkshire pudding, with mashed potato, fried onions and a choice of gravies.
Stallholder Eddie Osman will be offering queue jump and a free Yorkshire pudding wrap to on-duty police, ambulance staff and firefighters And based on last year’s queues, that’ll come in handy.
THE MULLED WINE MUGS Whether you’re the sort who carefully collects a souvenir Christmas markets mug every year or the sort who immediately trades it back in for your £3 deposit, the mugs are a staple of the annual festivities.
This year’s designs mark 20 years of the markets. They feature a modern pattern of a Santa on the mulled wine mugs, and a polar bear and hot chocolate mugs. Both characters are decorated in a pattern of sleighs, presents, candles and a sneaky Manchester bee.