Christmas guide: festive things to do in Sale
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Let the Christmas in Sale 2024 holiday season begin!
From festive light switch-ons to the annual canal boat parade, here is a list of things to do in Sale to keep your spirits merry and bright.
Ashton on Mersey Village Christmas Light Switch On 2024
🗓️ Saturday 23 November, 11am-5pm.
Always a lovely community event, expect stalls, entertainment, Santa on his sleigh plus - of course - the switch on itself!
Reusable advent calendar workshop
📍 Slug & Lettuce Waterside, Sale M33
🗓️ Sunday 24 November, 1-3pm
🎟️ £35
Join Common Room Social Workshops and craft a beautiful, reusable advent calendar that you can enjoy year after year. Starting with a plain 25-drawer Décopatch Mache Advent Calendar, you'll have the opportunity to transform it into a stunning, bespoke festive centrepiece.
Whether you want a classic Christmas theme, a modern twist or something entirely unique, this workshop will provide you with all the materials and guidance you need.
© The Royle Tearoom
Christmas wreath making & festive afternoon tea
📍 The Royle Tearoom, 135 Northenden Road, Sale Moor, M33 3HF
🗓️ Dates: Sunday 24 November (1-3pm) | Thursday 28 November (evening) | Thursday 05 December (evening) | Sunday 08 December (1-3pm)
Get into the festive spirit with a Christmas wreath-making workshop and afternoon tea at The Royle Tearoom. Secure your place with a £5pp deposit. Book into the tearoom to book or call 07951 822053.
The Sale Artisan Christmas Market
📍The Sale, 131 Marsland Road, Sale M33 3NW
🗓️ Sunday 24 November 2024
🎟️ Free entry
The Sale is hosting its first family-friendly Christmas market this year, in conjunction with The Trader Markets. Expect a live band, mulled wine, hog roast, over 40 festive artisan market stalls plus the pub’s Christmas light switch-on!
Pray Tell © Life in Sale
Christmas wreath making workshop
🗓️ Monday 25 November from 7.30pm
📍 Pray Tell, Stanley Square
🎟️ £60 (limited to 10 spaces, so hurry!)
Learn the art of making an eco-friendly Christmas wreath with Oates Floral to get you into the festive spirit. All materials provided, as well as a little tipple and festive treats to tickle your taste buds!
Christmas sing-a-long, festive crafts and two-course roast dinner
🗓️ Sunday 01 December, 1-3pm
📍 Ashton on Mersey Cricket Club, Little Ees Lane, Sale M33 5GT
🎟️ £15 (adults) and £13 (children - including activities)
Kick-off the Christmas month with this family-friendly event! Activities for children include festive paint-a-pot, Christmas crafts and a chance to decorate their own Christmas cupcakes.
To book, WhatsApp Andrea Fitzgerald on 07557 051322.
Illuminated Boats Cruise 2024
🗓️ Date TBA
The annual festive boat cruise from Sale Cruising Club is back for 2024. Starting at The Bridge Inn, festively decorated boats will glide up the Bridgewater Canal past Sale Town Hall. Always a popular, busy event, so please be careful if you’re standing next to the canal!
The Belmore Christmas Light Switch On
🗓️ Thursday 28 November from 5pm
📍The Belmore, 143 Brooklands Road, Sale M33 3QN
Magic Voices Choir will sing all your favourite Christmas carols. Plus, there's the Abberettes take you back to the '70s and '80s.
There will be an outside bar and hot food stalls. If you'd prefer to stay warm, The Belmore is serving a festive three-course meal for £29.95 in their restaurant area.
The Christmas light switch-on will take place at 7pm.
Manchester Made Craft Fair
🗓️ Saturday 30 November, 11am - 5pm
📍 The Chambers at Waterside
🎟️ Free entry
You chance to purchase high-quality contemporary crafts made by designer-makers from Greater Manchester. Expect a varied mix of crafts including jewellery, ceramics, textiles, print and woodwork.
© Paul Blakemore
The Bear
Waterside, Sale M33 7ZF
01-29 December | Various times
Tickets £14.50-19.50
Ever wondered what it would be like to sit on a polar bear's lap? Or ride on its back? Have you ever tried to give a bear a bath? Or clear up its poo?! Looking after a bear is exhausting stuff.
One night when she's fast asleep, an enormous snowy white bear climbs into Tilly's bedroom. It has a big black tongue and a yawn as big as your head. But Tilly's not scared.
With dazzling puppetry, delicious music, dreamy storytelling, and dozens of laughs, The Bear is an unforgettable experience for the whole family and a perfect introduction to theatre. So come join Tilly and her great big white friend on a wild and magical adventure.
Suitable for children 3+, running time 55 minutes (no interval).
Based on Raymond Briggs’ book The Bear c.1994 published by Puffin Books.
Licensed by the Raymond Briggs Estate c/o The Agency (London) Ltd.
Festive wreath making workshop & festive afternoon tea
🗓️ Friday 06 December, 6.30-9pm
📍 Ashton on Mersey Cricket Club, Little Ees Lane, Sale M33 5GT
🎟️ £55 per person (pre-booking and pre-payment essential)
Led by Andrea's Kitchen, every attendee will go home with their very own 12” wreath made under expert tuition from Bloom & Gorgeous.
Get together with friends or family, have some delicious food and drinks and enjoy getting creative. Bar will be open for fizz, Christmassy cocktails, alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.
📲 To reserve your place, WhatsApp Andrea Fitzgerald on 07557 051322.
Carols Around the Dovecote
📍 Walkden Gardens, Derbyshire Road, Sale M33 3EL
🗓️ Saturday 07 December 2024 from 12.30pm
🎟️ Free entry
Friends of Walkden Gardens’ annual event returns for 2024, with local school choirs performing across the afternoon. Includes stalls, German beers, sausages and mulled wine.
Brooklands Health Club Christmas Market
📍 Whitehall Road, Sale M33 3NL
🗓️ Sunday 08 December 2024, 12-4pm
🎟️ Free entry
Expect a range of stalls, music and perhaps even the chance to meet Santa (if he's not too busy!)
📍 Brooklands Health Club, Whitehall Road, Sale M33 3NL
Friends of Ashton Village Christmas Party
🗓️ Saturday 14 December from 7.30pm
📍Ashton upon Mersey Golf Club, Sale M33 5QQ
🎟️ Tickets £25 (includes food and entertainment)
Help to raise valuable funds for Ashton Village’s Christmas lights!
Christmas Shopping Nights at Emporium M33
Dates TBC
Emporium M33 is set to host Christmas shopping nights. Your one-stop shop for inspiring, creative gift ideas!
📍 Emporium M33, 3-7 Tatton Road, Sale M33 7EB
Christmas Tree Festival
📍 St Martin's Church, Sale M33 5QQ
🗓️ Dates TBC
Free entry, seasonal refreshments available.
Walton Park Train ‘Santa Special’
Date TBC
Walton Park Trains is hosting its ‘Santa Special’ rides. Only 250 tickets in total are available and are sure to sell out quickly. If you’d like to take a ride, you can buy tickets from neighbouring Walton Perk (who will also be open on the day to serve the grown-ups mulled wine and hot cider!)
Santa's Grotto
St Paul's Church, M33 7YA
Dates TBC
St Paul’s Santa's Grotto has been running for decades in Sale and is a very popular event in the festive calendar.
Each child will not only get to meet Santa, but they will also receive a Christmas craft pack and a gift.
Breakfast with Santa
Saturday 21 December, 11am-1pm
📍 Ashton on Mersey Cricket Club, Little Ees Lane, Sale M33 5GT
🎟️ £14 (adults) and £12 (children) - includes activities and a present from Santa plus breakfast & sweet treat table.
📲 To reserve your place, WhatsApp Andrea Fitzgerald on 07557 051322.
ComedySportz Improvised Adult Panto
📍 Waterside, Sale M33 7ZF
🗓️ Saturday 21 December 2024
🎟️ Tickets £10 (16+)
Bored of the same pantomimes every year? ComedySportz is back this Christmas for more totally improvised pantomimes! Heroes, villains, songs and silliness are guaranteed as the gang create brand-new pantomime adventures using audience suggestions... and a sprinkling of fairy dust. Oh yes they do!
Christmas Sunday dinner with Santa
🗓️ Sunday 22 December
📍 Ashton on Mersey Cricket Club, Little Ees Lane, Sale M33 5GT
📲 To reserve your place, WhatsApp Andrea Fitzgerald on 07557 051322.
Walkden Gardens, Sale © Life in Sale
Christmas walks
If you’re going to eat your body weight in mince pies, you might as well try to walk some of them off! Sale is lucky to have some fantastic green spaces to stroll around. Which one will you choose?
Wander around Worthington Park (M33 2DQ) and take in its natural beauty. The park has some lovely features including the JP Joule memorial, the sunken garden and a playground. Extreme Coffee is usually parked up to deliver a caffeine hit too!
You probably don’t want to walk the entire 65km route along The Bridgewater Way, but why not take in some fresh air on part of the route? Pop to Walton Perk for a pick-me-up while you’re there!
Walkden Gardens (M33 3EL) looks great whatever the season, it’s a tranquil beauty spot on hand to help you escape from festive stresses this year!
Explore Sale Water Park(M33 2LX); it has a lake, woodland, meadows and the River Mersey.
Christmas shopping
Sale has loads of great independent shops for you to choose from this festive season. Highlights include…
If you like to do all your Christmas shopping at once, head over to Emporium M33, Sale’s ‘shop small’ destination. There you’ll find a wide selection of local, independent businesses, including Shine, Flair Boutique and Off Ye'r Rocker.
If you want to buy a beautiful gift for someone, you can’t go wrong with something from The Sculpts. This independent company designs and makes exquisite hand-illustrated gifts that include decorative alphabet tiles, bone china mugs, stunning art prints and gorgeous tote bags.
Images © The Sculpts
Treats for the grown-ups
You should have no shortage of festive food and drink options in Sale this Christmas.
Treat yourself to dinner at one of Sale’s best restaurants: The Perfect Match on Cross Street. After all, it is the season to eat well and be merry.
Looking for a gift for a beer lover? Hops & Boogie have you covered, with a wide selection of takeaway ales available.
Christmas stressing you out? Prepare yourself with a self-care treat at The B Company on Washway Road.
And if the thought of cooking your own Christmas dinner fills you with dread, treat yourself to a festive lunch at a Sale restaurant!
