Manchester’s much-loved Giant Santa is back home at last this festive season, taking pride of place on Albert Square in front of the city’s magnificent Grade I Listed Victorian Town Hall – and this year he’s got a cracker of a brand-new feature which is sure to be a big hit with Christmas visitors.
Gone is the enormous over-sized Christmas present tied up with ribbon that thousands of Mancunians will remember Santa sitting on top of, and in its place this year is a huge walk-through green Christmas Cracker with golden bows at each end, festooned with fairy lights inside as visitors are invited to walk through the magical tunnel from one end of the cracker to the other, underneath Santa, serenaded as they go by a musical playlist of Christmas classics.
Sure to be yet another selfie sensation amongst visitors to Manchester’s world-famous Christmas Markets, expect a track-list with something for everyone from Dean Martin and the Darkness to Mariah Carey and more.
Manchester’s Giant Santa arrived in pieces on Albert Square last Friday (23 October) where he was carefully put together and placed into position ready for his starring role in Manchester’s countdown to Christmas celebrations.
His slightly earlier than usual arrival in the city this year is down to the logistics of setting up Albert Square ready for Christmas with its iconic wooden market stall chalets and other attractions including the enormous festive Ferris Wheel which at 50m high has also now been installed ready for the Christmas Markets’ opening on Friday 6 November.
Featuring more than 20,000 twinkling LED lights and standing on top of the new-for-this-year and just as twinkly Christmas Cracker, Santa and his Christmas Cracker will be officially lit up and serenading the city from Friday 6 November, the opening day of Manchester’s legendary Christmas Markets.
Passers-by will see him lit up 24 hours a day, all day every day from then until Sunday 3 January, to help make Christmas memories and bring a smile to the faces of everyone visiting the city over the festive season.
Councillor Garry Bridges, Leader of Manchester City Council, said: “Our giant Santa is always a massive hit with everyone at Christmas and this year we’re going one better as Santa brings with him, in a first for Manchester, his magical walk-through Christmas Cracker to add to the festive fun on Albert Square.
“With just over a week to go until the opening of our legendary Christmas Markets, we just can’t wait to welcome everyone to Manchester and to celebrate the countdown to Christmas with them.”
For more information about Christmas in Manchester visit manchester.gov.uk/christmas
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