What's On
Ramona to be transformed into ‘winter village’ with Christmas market, tequila log cabins and festive campfires
Manchester just got even more Christmassy…
A magical ‘winter village’ experience is set to descend upon Ramona and The Firehouse this winter, complete with tequila cabins, teepees and open log fires.
The whole of Swan Street, which is home to the two adjoining restaurants, will be transformed into a festive winter village with the existing outside space to be developed to provide more shelter to those wanting to escape the cold Manchester weather.
The plans for the festive village include cosy Colorado-style log cabins, each with its own fire and chimney, and those all-important teepees with open-log fires. It will also welcome pop-up stalls from independent traders in its own scaled-down Christmas market.
@ramonamcr / Instagram
Ramona’s winter village will open next month on November 4th, with traders being given the choice of how long to trade for throughout both November and December. The teepees are open now and make for the ultimate dance tent, hosting a live stage with a mix of artists and bringing the party firmly outdoors as part of the upcoming winter festivities.
And, remarkably, the winter village won’t be going anywhere once the new year arrives – it will be open right through until April 2022, though the Christmas decorations will be scaled back a tad following the arrival of January.
The official announcement for the village, made via social media by the team at Ramona, reads: “W I N T E R V I L L A G E. Get ready for… Christmas Campfire. Dance Tent. Winter Market. Tequila Cabins. Runway. Winter Beer Garden. Margarita Bars. Pizza From Detroit. Peri Kitchen. Live Stage. Hot Chocolate. Mulled Wine. Coffee Hatch. It’s Christmas but good.
November 4th to December 31st. Ramona & The Firehouse. Together as one. Christmas 2021.”
Andy Windsor, head of marketing at Ramona, said of the Winter Village: “The whole place is going to become a lot warmer! We built everything outside initially as we were coming out of lockdown but now we’ve launched The Firehouse which is inside.
@ramonamcr / Instagram
“Ramona now lives in our MOT station too, but we still have the large 280 covers outside which are under teepees. The whole plan is to put in walls and roofs and fires and give it a lovely winter feeling.
“It’s a seasonal change to make sure that people can keep coming down, having fun, and getting together, but it is Manchester, so we need to make sure people are warm and dry!”
This comes just months after the official opening of The Firehouse which, unlike its sister venue that has become famous for dishing up slabs of pizza, has taken on a somewhat different vibe with the help of its ‘Slow Fires Open Kitchen’, which focuses on wood-fired peri chicken dishes.
Bookings for the winter village open on Wednesday, October 6th – so make sure you head over to the Ramona website then to get your reservation secured.
What's On
The new FREE Christmas night market with over 40 traders from across our region
Get in the festive spirit!
Get in the festive spirit with a brand new FREE Christmas makers night market, with over 40 traders and small businesses from across the region.
Brought to you by Renaker, the Manchester Made Christmas night market is coming to New Jackson, Deansgate Square from Friday December 6th to Sunday December 8th.
Following on from a successful summer market in May, the Manchester Made Market is returning bigger and better than before but with a Christmassy twist.
Manchester Made Market
Expect a ‘cosy and magical’ Christmas night market experience, with food, drink, live music and even a grotto for visits to Father Christmas.
There’ll be Christmas trees galore, glittering with lighting, with one huge show-stopping tree taking centre stage.
Bringing together over 40 artisanal traders and small businesses from across the region, the three-day event will showcase a plethora of food produce, homewares, crafts and creations.
Manchester Made Market
Visitors will be sure to find unique Christmas gifts that support local businesses, including from The Cole Men and their award winning sauces, Moon & Sixpence’s handmade jewellery, and fine art photography by Craig Barker.
There’ll be live music from a 20-piece choir, playing Christmas classics, cocktails from Manchester Gin and Gooey’s sweet treats.
The experts from Millington Hall Farm in Altrincham will be bringing a taste of their Wild Grill experience, including live sausage making demonstrations and an array of German sausages served from a festive BBQ trailer.
Manchester Made Market
Families with children can visit the Christmas grotto, where Father Christmas himself will be waiting in a cosy tipi – kids will get a gift from Santa, and bookings can be made online for £8.50 per child.
Manchester Made Market will be open from 4pm to 9pm on Friday December 6th, and 1pm to 9pm on Saturday 7th and Sunday 8th – pre-register for a free guest list ticket and 50% off a hot chocolate HERE, or book the Christmas grotto HERE.
What's On
Free one-day Christmas festival returning to Stockport to kick off festive season
Get in the festive spirit in Stockport!
Stockport’s free, one-day Christmas festival is returning this festive season, with 200 performers and more than 50 shows.
Spectacular Sunday will return to the town on November 17th at various sites and venues.
Following the success of last year’s event, hundreds of performers will take over Stockport, with everything from giant roller-skating presents to a living snow globe and roaming Christmas dolls.
There will also be street theatre, including grumpy Christmas grandads, a gigantic balloon man and water show.
Matthew Nichol Photography
Produced by carnival arts organisation Global Grooves and organised by Stockport Council, Totally Stockport, Merseyway and Stockport Market, the town centre will be buzzing with Christmas excitement.
Events will be happening in iconic Stockport locations like Market Place, Underbanks, Merseyway, Redrock and Suffragette Square.
A grand finale in Merseyway will bring together the brass bands of Stockport, ending the day with a huge flash mob and rendition of All You Need Is Love.
Cirq Delight
Cllr Singleton, Cabinet Member for Communities, Culture and Sport, said: “We’re so excited to bring this event back after last year’s amazing success.
“It’s such a fun way to get everyone in the festive spirit and really shows off what makes Stockport special – our sense of community and joy.
“With loads of free performances and activities, plus a chance to enjoy the newly improved areas of Merseyway, it’s a perfect day out for families.
“Stockport’s Spectacular Sunday is all about having fun, making memories, and starting the holiday season in style.”
Spectacular Sunday is happening from 11am to 5pm on Sunday November 17th – find out more HERE.
The prestigious Manchester Art Fair is back in town for its 16th year next month, bringing with it a vibrant gallery space showcasing thousands of works from over 500 artists.
One of the biggest and most significant events in the UK art world calendar, it’ll take over Manchester Central for three days, from Friday November 15th to 17th.
The city will be flooded with art from all corners of the world, championing everything from local heroes to new emerging talent, as well as international artists with worldwide acclaim.
Manchester Art Fair
A wide range of artistic disciplines will be represented at the event, from painters, illustrators, and sculptors to graffiti artists and everything in between.
Expect exhibitions, workshops, Q&A sessions, demos, book signings and parties happening across the event.
Tickets include free access to art workshops and talks from leading artists and cultural experts, and are on sale now.
You can grab them HERE.
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The new FREE Christmas night market with over 40 traders from across our region
Free one-day Christmas festival returning to Stockport to kick off festive season
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The prestigious Manchester Art Fair is back in town for its 16th year
