Dates and details confirmed for this year’s Manchester Christmas Parade

Manchester Council has confirmed that the city’s much-loved annual Christmas parade will return this year.

Since launching in 2022, the celebration has proved a hit, with thousands expexted to head into the city to enjoy the festivities.

This year’s edition will take place on Sun 8 Dec from 1pm, and will feature more than 400 participants. At the centre of the 2024 parade will be Manchester’s own Elf Express – a spectacular train with carriages full of elves that will be making a special stop in Santa’s favourite city on its way to the North Pole.

Elsewhere, there’ll be mistletoe dancing mice, Christmas horse-riding Elves on stilts, an oversized Polar Bear with playful giant paws and Christmas Robins, or the Aurora Borealis Stilt Walkers, Robot Drummers and toe-tapping Hip Hop Elf.

Ski Sunday sees one-of-a-kind segway skiers swoop and slide along the parade route, donned in vibrant retro ski gear, complete with cheeky personalities and blasting out 80s tunes and festive Christmas classics, creating an illusion of ‘downhill fun in a flurry of entertainment!’

Expect spellbinding and beautiful airborne puppetry of Cloud Travellers Nimbus and Cumulus who from their illuminated clouds cast magical raindrops from the tips of their fingers, and enjoy a singalong with Elton Wrong piano man as he rides along on his portable stadium stage whilst playing the piano and crooning his way through his top ten of pop hits and show tunes.

The enchanting Snow Queen will also return, gliding through the city streets from the comfort of her snowglobe.

The council is working with a range of partners including outdoor arts organisation Walk the Plank, Global Grooves, Handmade Parade, and Fools Paradise.

This year’s Manchester Christmas Parade will start at 1pm and follow a longer route that starts and ends at Manchester Cathedral.

This year’s route includes:

• Manchester Cathedral
• Victoria Street
• Deansgate
• John Dalton Street
• Cross Street
• Market Street
• St Mary’s Gate
• Deansgate
• Victoria Street
• Manchester Cathedral

Councillor Pat Karney, Christmas spokesperson for Manchester City Council, said: “Everyone knows that Manchester is the place to be at Christmas and our unmissable, fabulous Christmas Parade promises even more this year of all the festive flair and fun you’d expect from Santa’s favourite city.

“Santa’s been spoken to – and is definitely coming – the reindeers are on standby, and we can’t wait for everyone to join us for what promises to be the Manchester Christmas Parade of the century.  It’ll be a cracker!”