18 amazing Christmas events taking place in Greater Manchester this year

Keep up to date with all the big stories from across Greater Manchester in the daily Mancunian Way newsletter. You can receive the newsletter direct to your inbox every weekday by signing up right here.

Sub-zero temperatures have swept the UK this week, including parts of Greater Manchester. This weekend will see temperatures slip below freezing once again.

Police have arrested 12 males - including a 16-year-old boy - in connection with a huge brawl that broke out following the Bolton Wanderers v Wigan Athletic football match earlier this year.

Parts of Greater Manchester could be hit with snow this week as temperatures turn subzero once again.

With the smell of mulled wine in the air and the sight of wooden huts strewn with twinkling fairy lights, you can’t deny that Christmas markets bring plenty of festive cheer. Even if you’re not the biggest fan of them, they do have a certain charm.

A criminal family who ran a meth-making lab in Ashton are amongst those who have been jailed in Greater Manchester this week.

It’s less than five weeks until Christmas Day, so it’s time to start thinking about buying gifts if you haven’t already started. While Christmas shopping usually fills people with dread, it doesn’t have to be that way.

Nestled in the Peak District is a beautiful historic hall which is hosting a Christmas market with a difference this festive season. Shoppers can immerse themselves in the magical setting of a 900-year-old fortified manor house and browse artisan stalls.

New figures reveal a huge rise in animals being left abandoned in Greater Manchester amid the cost-of-living crisis. In one shocking case, a pair of kittens were dropped in a park and left, while inside a box and a bin bag.

All of the following businesses have paid to feature in this listicle: Waterside Arts, The Hallé, Storyhouse, Cockfields Farm, Octagon Theatre, Clonter Opera Theatre.

British Gas is set to hire hundreds of new staff for its energy contact centres at five locations across the UK - including one in Greater Manchester.

Manchester Christmas Markets may have only just opened, but they've already been welcoming thousands of punters over the weekend. And that includes the first sighting of celebrity visitors.

An ‘evil’ couple who found their friend dead and dragged her body ‘face down through the mud’ before dumping her by a primary school are amongst those who have been jailed in Greater Manchester this week.

Manchester City are Champions of Europe and have won five trophies over the last two seasons. Manchester United are the 20-times Champions of England and experienced unprecedented dominance under Sir Alex Ferguson. Teams like Stockport and Bolton are on the rise again, while Greater Manchester holds two of the top women's clubs in the Women's Super League. This city is the capital of football, however much London may argue.

This year's Manchester Christmas Markets have got off to a rousing start - with plenty of festive cheer already filling the city centre.

Sizzling sausages, piping hot mulled wine and hot chocolates with mighty whipped cream peaks can only mean one thing - the Manchester Christmas Markets are back.

The Met Office has announced that fortunate stargazers could catch a glimpse of the Northern Lights this weekend.

A Northern Quarter café bar will be handing out free coffee on Saturday morning as part of a collaboration with a Mancunian fashion brand.

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas at the Arndale - with the centre unveiling its decorations for this year’s festivities. The shopping centre has a new display this year, called ‘The Flight Before Christmas’.

Temperatures across Greater Manchester are set to plummet this weekend, according to forecasters.