City lights up for Christmas

Yakub Qureshi

November 07, 2008

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10,000 people packed into Albert Sq.

10,000 people packed into Albert Sq. 1/8 Play Slideshow

MANCHESTER gave its warmest-ever welcome to the Christmas season with a spectacular street party.

More than 10,000 people gathered on Manchester's Albert Square to mark the start of the festive season.

Pop star and winner of TV's Strictly Come Dancing Alesha Dixon joined others in switching on thousands of lights throughout the city centre.

Despite struggling with a cold, the singer belted out her single The Boy Does Nothing.

She was joined on the stage by X-Factor winner Leon Jackson and stars of stage shows The Wizard of Oz and Peter Pan, including actress Gemma Atkinson.

Hundreds of families wearing decorative reindeer hats and waving glowsticks sang along to the 90-minute show. Cars were diverted from nearby streets as revellers filled the roads.

Addressing the crowd, Lord Mayor Mavis Smitheman said: “On behalf of Manchester, we hope you enjoy the party. We have tried to ensure there is something for everyone.”

Thousands of elaborate low-energy lights stretching from Albert Square to St Anne's Square were switched on just before 7.30pm.

The centrepiece of the display is a giant six-tonne Santa Claus, which took pride of place on a 10m high pedestal outside Manchester town hall.

In addition, there are 300 decorated trees throughout the city, 200 decorated streetlights and 30 over-road light features.

The celebration ended with a spectacular ten-minute fireworks show, including a feature in which the town hall tower spouted sparks. Police said the party passed without incident.

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Mad Angela, St George's, Hulme , (07/11/2008 at 20:56)

And now we get ripped off from the European Market. Hot Dogs £4.00 each, Bah Humbug.

better off red (07/11/2008 at 21:23)

i see zippy is back

OZZIE2920, urmston (08/11/2008 at 00:35)

Isn't it 2 days past Bonfire Night

gib phill, gibraltar (08/11/2008 at 08:49)

a party for the cyclists, a party for crimbo but nothing for the european champions unforgivable

EricH, Horwich (08/11/2008 at 10:16)

Mad Angela, I know it's an obvious answer, but you don't have to buy one.

angie brown (08/11/2008 at 11:01)

OMG can you hear yourselves, I went to see the light switch on last night with my children who all loved it and thought the fireworks was fantastic isnt that what christmas is about the children not the price of a hot dog think you need to get into the christmas spirit that or get a life and be happy. x

Mad Angela, St George's, Hulme , (08/11/2008 at 14:15)

Angie Brown, Every time you buy one of these hot dogs as we call them, the public are paying for these light bulbs lighting up the City Centre, the reason why, the Council charges these European stall holders a massive fee, and its not the stall holders that lose, its the fools that bought the hot dogs, you can buy a tin of Ye Old hot dogs for 37 pence in a supermarket and enjoy it in your own home, with onions and mustard, without people blowing smoke out of there mouths walking around the Christmas Market, how unhealthy is that.

FAT ED (08/11/2008 at 15:24)

Mad Angela.......I like paying 4 quid for a hot dog and eating it while i'm wandering around the lights in Manchester on a cold night. If you dont like it then you can stick to your 37p dinners.

Seven Stars Smooth Blue, Manchester (08/11/2008 at 15:36)

Mad Angela.........Well said, great comment about the Hot Dogs. To the poster who said you dont have to buy the Hot Dogs: How do you tell four hungry kids that they cannot have them because they will cost sixteen quid? Not much festive spirit there.Rip-off Britain again! I am with you on this one Mad Angela.

MancunianTiger, Radcliffe (08/11/2008 at 15:41)

I was wondering how long it would be before the first Zippy comments appeared! He looks fantastic lit up and definitely looks like Father Christmas but during hours of daylight well - ahem - Er Geoffery!

jennifer harrison (08/11/2008 at 17:01)

I agree with you Angie Brown, i mean it's all about children and seeing their faces light up and i can honestly say that i feel sorry for the kids whos parents would much prefer to stay in with a tin of 37 pence hot dogs. If it's the cost that's a problem as i know a lot of parents are struggling this time of year then take your own treats that way at least the children are happy and like i said the same as you....it's all about the children!

Marc (08/11/2008 at 17:19)

Mad Angela, what a ray of sunshine you are. Handfuls of cold gravel all round at your place on christmas morning eh?

angie brown (08/11/2008 at 20:33)

Mad Angela, well what can i say if i wanted to stay at home and buy myself a tin for 37p i would have done that but wanted to take my children out for a fun evening we didn't have a hot dog we ate before we came out however if one of my children had asked for one i would have gotten them one as i feel its my right as a parent to do this. As for the stall holders thats their choice to have one and if they couldn't afford it then they wouldn't have one, if it wasn't for the Manchester people buying these hot dogs then they would be out of business. Finally i think that you have totally missed the point on what last night was all about which was the Manchester people all being together with their family and friends enjoying a fun packed evening which is the reason why we attended and thought it was amazing and will be going again next year like i have done for the last few years.

nicki cooper (08/11/2008 at 20:56)

i attended the switch on last night with my little girl we really enjoyed it, the fireworks were fantastic,
i don't normally add comments on these things but with all the people moaning about hotdogs felt the need to. what relevance do the hotdogs have surely they are optional and as a tax payer im sure i contribute to the cost of last nights events so why should i miss it by sitting at home with a can of hotdogs.
christmas is all about fun and family and thats what last night was about, so all you moaners stay at home next year with your 37 pence can of hotdogs, dread to think what your xmas dinner is like (turkey roll by any chance )

Andy Gagae (08/11/2008 at 22:16)

Indeed angela. And with the advent of the internet it's now possible to complete your vision and live your entire life with no human contact whatsoever! Huzzah!

Pentest 2, Hyde (09/11/2008 at 14:42)

Thats a sure signal for the big supermarket to start filling the shelves with Easter Eggs.
We're only just past the first week in November, what are MCC up to wasting tax payers money on this extravagance, and so early too.
I think someone has lost the plot.

keyjockey, Manchester (09/11/2008 at 15:31)

Hmm, good to see the word "Christmas" returning to our festivities. For next year, dump that pile of crap at the town hall masquerading as Santa - not since the Russians and Chinese began airbrushing discredited figures out of official photographs has there been such a nakedly overt attempt to decommission the central figure of western Christmas celebrations. You can imagine the discussion at the town hall - "we can keep the colours - red and white - but it must look as unlike father christmas as possible." It makes me vomit and you can well imagine all the heartbroken kids asking on Friday night, "mummy/daddy/non-gender-specific responsible adult in an equal relationship; "Why haven't they got a Father Christmas here tonight?" It makes me vomit, and with a bit of luck when the elections come round in May, another hitherto prominent town hall figure will be decommissioned by the voters.

Mad Angela, St George's, Hulme , (09/11/2008 at 19:23)

Tell you what, you must have money to throw away some of you, a quick run down to a great night out in Manchester City Centre, Mum and Dad and two Children, a ride on the big wheel for 5 minutes, £5.00 each, four hot dogs from the Christmas Market £4.00 each a can of Cola £1.50 each, a cigarette burn in the sleeve of your regatta coat, £55.00, and to round it off a parking ticket for parking where you should not have parked £60.00 total price for a great night out £157.00 for the kids smiling faces,not to mention petrol to get them there,so parents don't mind paying out £157.00 to see the kids smiling, but they will argue with other motorists at the pumps the day after over I'm first to get 2 pence of a litre of petrol. My Christmas day dinner will be a box of KFC on the 24th Dec, warmed up the next day with a tub of gravy.
What Credit Crunch!!!

Marc (09/11/2008 at 20:54)

Sad Angela, I'd pay a lot more than £157 to see my kids happy and YES I can afford it! hahaha!!!!

Deborah Manley, Vermont (09/11/2008 at 21:37)

An absolute stunning display of the festive season. I love it even if a bit early!

Bean B4, manchester (10/11/2008 at 08:51)

Seven Stars Smooth Blue, Manchester said

" ... How do you tell four hungry kids that they cannot have them because they will cost sixteen quid?"

It's very easy. Give then their tea before leaving home next year. People who give their kids whatever, whenever they demand it are the ones causing the problems in society.

Next time they demand a £4.00 hot dog, slap them for being cheeky and sends them home on the the bus alone. That'll teach 'em.

wayneold, manc (10/11/2008 at 10:30)

Christmas lights turned on, on the 7th November?!

Thatchers Britain, its not Christmas till December the 23rd at the earliest!

citycentre, manchester (10/11/2008 at 12:49)

"not since the Russians and Chinese began airbrushing discredited figures out of official photographs has there been such a nakedly overt attempt to decommission the central figure of western Christmas celebrations."

"and thought the fireworks was fantastic isnt that what christmas is about "

and i thought it was about jesus, the son of god, sent to pay for our sins

must be old fashioned

Alan Tidman (10/11/2008 at 15:06)

its the start of November - so we have to be in the Christmas spirit for approx 2 months then do we - 1/6 of the year = Christmas - stupid - keep Christmas in December - but then the council wouldn't be able to get all that money from the stall holders then would they. its all about money - 1/6 of year = Christams spirit = money

Bean B4, manchester (10/11/2008 at 15:59)

wayneold, manc:

Did nobody pop down to your gave to tell you that The Blessed Margaret left office in 1990. Surely we are now in Blair/Brown's Britain.

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