Winterfest 2023: All the Christmas events taking place at MediaCity

MediaCity and Salford Quays is one area of Manchester that keeps on expanding and the line-up of Christmas events taking place there this year is bigger than ever. 

There have been several new openings there in recent months, including Kargo food hall at Central Bay and 11 Central, the new bar by Seven Bro7hers brewery and Four Sis4ers distillery, as well as a new charity supermarket pop up located at Quayside. 

Visitors to the area can also expect a packed event schedule, including the returning Lightwaves Festival and weekly Makers Markets. Here are some of the events to lok out for and how to get involved. 

Lightwaves 2023

From Thursday 7 December to Sunday 11 December, 15 different light installations will be appearing across Salford Quays and MediaCity in an exciting trail the whole family will be able to enjoy. These artworks include CETUS, a luminescent six-metre whale shark by Berlin-based artists Loomaland; Pulse, an immersive mirrored installation spanning 50 metreby UK-based artists Loop and Play; The Nectory, a multi-sensory experience by artist Alison Smith with Dr Chris Hassall which is all about nature and appreciating delicate ecosystems, and Fire Garden, by local outdoor art experts Walk the Plank.

Quayside Makers Markets

The Makers Market will be taking place every Saturday and Sunday at Quayside Plaza from now until 17 December. Stallholders will be selling a variety of items, including crafts, art and food and drink. 

Kargo.MKT

If you haven’t had the chance to check out the new food hall Kargo.MKT at Salford Quays, now is the time to go. With around 20 different food stalls and a bar, there is something for all tastes. As well as food, there will be a variety of special events taking place, including:

• Bauble painting – All ages are welcome to come and hand paint their own baubles, led by artist Holly Greenwood. It will take place on Thursday 30 November, 6:30-9pm.Tickets cost £29 and must be booked in advance via Eventbrite. 

• Snow Queen Mini Disco – Kids disco, taking place on Sunday 3 December, 10am-12pm. Tickets are free and can be booked online via Eventbrite.

• The Midnight Princess Mini Disco – Kids disco, taking place on Sunday 17 December, 10am-12pm. Tickets are free and available to book Eventbrite.

• Japanese Woodcut Printmaking – Led by Rachel Evans from Little Lion Studios, in this session you will get to make your own Christmas-themed print, carving them into wood and using traditional Japanese ink and materials to transfer them to paper. Tickets cost £27 and must be booked online via Eventbrite. 

• NYE with OKS – This family party for kids, taking place 10am-12pm Saturday 31 December, is run by Our Kids Social, who are known for their excellent children’s events. There will be a DJ and silent disco headsets as well as arts and crafts. Tickets cost £10 and must be purchased online via Eventbrite.

Central Bay Sessions: Disco Christmas

Head down to Central Bay on Thursday 14 December, 6-10pm where local legend Jenna G will be spinning some disco, funk and soul tunes, alongside performances from dancers Natasha Moonshine & Mariella, percussionist Ben Gwynne and brass band Twisted Tubes.

The Botanist

The Botanist also has a couple of special events in the next few weeks, starting with Baubles and Lunch on Monday 18 December. For £20, you get to enjoy a spot of lunch while decorating your own bauble. They also have monthly bingo sessions.

The Lowry

The Lowry theatre always has a diverse and exciting lineup of shows, and Christmas is no exception. These include Life of Pi, Matthew Bourne's Edward Scissorhands, Gingerbread Man – The Panto, and kids shows like The Gruffalo, Zog and Room on the Broom. Plus, Going on a Bear hunt. More information can be found on the Lowry Theatre’s website.