This year’s festive decor has been designed with Manchester at its heart
(Image: Mark Waugh Manchester Press Photography Ltd)
With Christmas just around the corner, Manchester city centre is pulling out all the stops. If you’ve been for a stroll around the bustling St Peter’s Square, or ventured into the Christmas Markets themselves, you will have seen a host of festive lights and installations.
This year’s lighting scheme has been designed with Manchester at its heart, including lots of displays that are themed around Manchester’s history and heritage, including bees and honeycomb patterns.
The walk throughout the city centre is decked out with a Honeycomb Tree, a Walkthrough Honeycomb Arch and ‘Bee Merry’ motifs strung across streets. And, of course, there is a massive Worker Bee, the symbol of Manchester, who has settled in for the selfie seasons.
The iconic Christmassy Worker Bee in St Peter’s Square(Image: Mark Waugh Manchester Press Photography Ltd)
There is also a sparkling giant globe which reflects Manchester’s standing and recognition around the world, whilst the city’s great industrial past and gothic architecture is celebrated through an enormous Steam Punk Reindeer and Snowman, as well as twinkling walk-through arches.
Trees throughout the city centre are also aglow with festive lights both on streets including St Ann’s Street, Peter Street, Brazennose Street and Deansgate, and in the city’s squares including Cathedral Gardens, Piccadilly Gardens – which both feature colour changing tree lights – as well as St Peter’s Square, St Ann’s Square, and Albert Square.
A Honeycomb Arch destined to be walked through(Image: Mark Waugh Manchester Press Photography Ltd)
As well as giving a nod to Manchester in their design, in keeping with the city’s zero carbon ambitions all of the lights have been designed with low energy use in mind, a long lifespan and maximum reusability.
Councillor Pat Karney, Christmas spokesperson for Manchester City Council, said: “Everyone knows this is my favourite time of the year and I just can’t get enough of all the twinkling lights we’ve got helping bring an extra special sprinkle of Manchester Christmas magic to the city. I’m pretty sure that if I stood on the moon right now, I’d have no problem at all spotting Manchester lit up in all its festive glory amongst all the other stars in the night sky.
“Star of the show back down here on Earth of course has to be the iconic big red man himself, our fabulous Zippy Santa, who has featured in more selfies now than any of us could possibly count, and continues to bring a smile to everyone’s face when they spot him. With loads of other brilliant new light installations this year also for families to discover and enjoy, if you haven’t seen them yet, you’re in for a treat, so wrap up warm, come on down after dusk, and take a look!”
A giant steampunk reindeer on Albert Square(Image: Mark Waugh Manchester Press Photography Ltd)
This year’s lighting scheme which is bringing all the festive feels across the city centre has been designed and delivered by local company MK Illumination, using lighting sculptures made from low carbon aluminium which translates to a carbon reduction of between 75-90% during the production phase.
Based in Blackburn the company also use local installation teams, transport and suppliers, helping reduce the city’s seasonal carbon footprint even further. The lighting scheme they’ve designed includes 89 lamp post motifs, 15 cross street motifs, lights in 79 trees, 7 floor based light sculptures and the traditional nativity scene located in St Ann’s Square. With around 300,500 LED lights in the festive scheme it’s no wonder that Manchester after dark is sparkling this year.
Matt Couzens-Davies, Managing Director, MK UK, said: “We’re extremely proud to be a long-standing partner, helping bring festive light and joy to the heart of the city year after year. The festive scheme we’ve created across the city centre is about more than decorations – they’re experiences that bring people together, spark wonder, and celebrate the spirit of Manchester, and it’s a privilege to help make the city shine during the festive season and to help make magical moments for residents and visitors alike.”
Zippy is back in St Peter’s Square(Image: Mark Waugh Manchester Press Photography Ltd)
In addition to all the bee-themed lights and installations, no visit to the city centre is complete without spending a few minutes appreciating man of the moment himself, Manchester’s iconic Zippy Santa, who is keeping a close watch over the city this festive season from his lofty perch on St Peter’s Square.
Delivered in partnership with Northern company Blachere Illuminations, and sitting on top of an enormous Christmas parcel, the big red man alone boasts more than 20,000 LED lights and will be twinkling his way through the night skies in the city until twelfth night in January, to help bring the Christmas magic and a smile to the faces of young and old as they visit the city.
Where to see Manchester’s festive light installations:
St Peter’s Square
Honeycomb Walk-through Arch with bees – a glowing 4.8m high x 3m wide archway visitors can walk through, celebrating Manchester’s iconic worker bee
Manchester Bee – a 3.3m high illuminated bee
A giant golden globe in St Peter’s Square(Image: Mark Waugh Manchester Press Photography Ltd)
Giant Light Globe – a 2.8m illuminated glob
Zippy Santa – sitting on high atop an enormous Christmas parcel keeping an eye on everyone down below
Albert Square
Honeycomb Tree – standing 10m high on a raised platform with warm honey-coloured illumination
Steampunk Reindeer – a 5.4m high x 4m wide installation blending traditional festive themes with Manchester’s industrial heritage
Steampunk Snowman – a 5.6m high x 3.6m wide illuminated feature in steampunk style
The steampunk snowman on Albert Square(Image: Mark Waugh Manchester Press Photography Ltd)
Bee Merry floor motif – 2.6m high x 3.6m wide freestanding festive message featuring decorative bees
Twinkling colour changing Walk-through Tunnel – 6.45m illuminated tunnel
MCR letters – freestanding illuminated letters spelling MCR and featuring the worker bee
St Ann’s Square
Traditional nativity crib scene – 2.4m high x 3m wide with a refreshed backdrop and lighting for this year
Piccadilly Gardens
Over-sized Manchester letters – colourful freestanding illuminated letters spelling MANCHESTER
Lamp post and cross street banners
King Street
Deansgate
John Dalton Street
Peter Street
St Mary’s Gate
The ‘Bee Merry Manchester’ sign on Deansgate(Image: Mark Waugh Manchester Press Photography Ltd)
Mount Street
Oxford Street
St Ann’s Street
Cathedral Gardens
Piccadilly Gardens
To find out more about Christmas in Manchester visit manchester.gov.uk/christmas