Bursting with fun, colour and love, Manchester Pride returns to the city over the August bank holiday weekend and plans are, as expected, well under way. Manchester will no doubt be rolling out the rainbow carpet for the annual four-day LGBTQ+ celebration, which takes quite a different shape this year after event bosses said they wanted Pride to reclaim its activist roots.
While firm fixtures including the Gay Village Party and Candlelit Vigil will remain, the MCR Pride Live Festival has been scrapped following a consultation with residents and visitors. Meanwhile, the much-loved parade will make its grand return after a two year absence, with floats and outfits inspired by a ‘March for Peace’ theme.
The Canal Street neighbourhood will once again be at the heart of the event, with an ‘exciting and diverse’ range of performers including Spice Girls’ Melanie C, Girls Aloud’s Nadine Coyle and Drag Race star Bimini performing. Taking place across three different stages - the Alan Turing stage, the MancUnity stage and the Cabaret Stage - the party will be kicked off in style on the Friday evening by Trans organisations, Trans Creative and Milk Presents.
READ MORE: Manchester Pride 2022 line-up announced, with Melanie C, Nadine Coyle and Bimini
Festivities will stretch across the entire city as the parade weaves its way through the streets, while the free Superbia programme will pop up at venues throughout Manchester. Here’s everything you need to know if you’re joining in the fun at Manchester Pride 2022.
When is Manchester Pride?
Taking its usual spot on Manchester’s busy cultural calendar, over the August bank holiday weekend, the festival returns from Friday, August 26, through to Monday, August 29. Thursday night sees the launch of the Human Rights Forum, which will bring together activists and thought leaders, before the Gay Village Party kicks off on Friday evening.
Alongside entertainment across three stages, the Gay Village will also host the ‘ultimate street party’ with an array of markets, performances and parties across village venues. The party will be brought to a close by the annual Candlelight Vigil on Monday evening in Sackville Gardens with HIV support charity George House Trust.
Other events announced as part of the Pride celebrations include Youth Pride MCR and Family Pride MCR, where young people and families will be able to join in the celebrations with a series of free curated events. Superbia, Manchester Pride’s year-round programme of culture, will host the Superbia Weekend, will also offer a series of alcohol-free events for those who wish to enjoy Manchester Pride in a more tranquil and relaxing environment.
How to get to Manchester Pride Festival
- By Train – the closest train stations are Manchester Piccadilly and Oxford Road.
- By Tram – the easiest and quickest way to get to Manchester Pride is by Metrolink. For Manchester Pride Festival, the nearest stop is either Piccadilly or Piccadilly Gardens. For the parade, the nearest stops are Deansgate Castlefield and St. Peters Square.
- By Bus – take a bus to Manchester Piccadilly Gardens. From there, the Gay Village Party event site is a two-minute walk.
When is the Manchester Pride Parade?
The Pride Parade is the city’s biggest, bringing traffic to a halt as thousands of LGBTQ+ people and their allies march together for equality. The parade aims to highlight the ‘importance of peace in a world where all LGBTQ+ people are free to love and love without prejudice’. Organisers say they hope the event will send the world a ‘big, bright, colourful message’ of hope.
Taking place on Saturday, August 27, it sets off along Deansgate from the junction with Liverpool Road at midday and makes its way to Fairfield Street. The route takes it via Peter Street, Oxford Street, Portland Street, Princess Street and Whitworth Street along the way.
Gay Village Party
The roots of Manchester Pride are definitely in the heart of it’s famous Gay Village. Taking place from Friday through to Monday, the four-day party boasts an impressive line-up, which has been created in collaboration with Manchester’s queer communities in direct response to the Pride In Our Future report.
The opening party on Friday will be a trans-led event -Trans Filth & Joy- and will continue into the weekend with an ‘exciting and diverse’ programme including takeovers from Black Pride MCR, Fat Pride and Queer Women’s Takeover. Headliners, DJ’s and performers will take to The Alan Turing Stage in Sackville Gardens over the weekend, including Melanie C, Nadine Coyle, Charity Shop Sue and Drag Race star Bimini.
The MancUnity stage at Chorlton Street Car Park, meanwhile, will host a variety of takeovers co-designed with some of Manchester’s best promoters and DJs to highlight the best queer talent that Manchester has to offer. Fat Pride will kick off the stage on August 26, celebrating big bodies with an evening of dancing, partying, and feeling good.
Black Pride MCR will celebrate the black roots of house music, disco, funky house, vocal and tribal, with performances from DJs and iconic dancers from the Northern Vogue Ballroom scene. Some of Manchester’s best female talent will also be taking to the MancUnity stage for the Queer Women’s Takeover including DJ Mix-Stress and DJ Róis, founder of What She Said Club.
The cabaret stage at Sackville Car Park will host a number of brilliant cabaret acts, and The Bitten Peach, a gender-diverse, pan-Asian collective showcasing joy and excellence will also perform. There will also be appearances by all-female/non-binary theatre and cabaret company Pecs Drag Kings and Duncan James from Proud Cabaret.
How to get Manchester Pride 2022 tickets
Tickets for Manchester Pride 2022 officially went on sale at the end of April, but don’t fear there’s still some left. Now that Manchester Pride Live has come to a close, the main event to buy tickets for is the Gay Village Party. The following tickets are still available on Ticketmaster.
Gay Village Party - Full weekend - £32.50
Gay Village Party - Friday - £17.50
Gay Village Party - Saturday - £27.50
Gay Village Party - Sunday - £27.50
Gay Village Party - Monday (donation only)
Family Day Pass - Saturday (4 tickets, up to 2 adults with fees) - £49
Family Day Pass - Sunday (4 tickets, up to 2 adults with fees) - £40
According to the official Manchester Pride website the Diamond and Gold VIP passes covering the whole weekend have sold out, but there may be some resale tickets available via the ticket link above. £2.50 from every ticket will go directly into the Manchester Pride Community Fund. And for any queries around accessibility, you can visit Manchester Pride’s dedicated page here .
How and where to get your wristband
Prior to or upon arrival at Manchester Pride, you’ll need to swap your ticket for a Pledge Band. This can only be done at the Box Office, which is located on Minshull Street right next to the Gay Village from Friday, August 26.
The Box Office is open across the weekend, so make sure to check the website for opening times in the days leading up to Pride. Bring your E-ticket on your phone or print it out on paper and the Box Office staff will scan your ticket and place a Pledge Band on your wrist.
Can you enter the Gay Village over Manchester Pride Festival without a wristband?
The Gay Village Party is the only ticketed event, meaning that Manchester Pride's programmed areas within the Gay Village, such as the three performance stages and event spaces, require a ticket to attend. Pride do not operate any events within the Gay Village bars and venues, so you will not be charged by Manchester Pride to enter individual Gay Village bars and venues.
What can you bring in?
While some people may want to bring in a bag to carry your things around, or for personal reasons, organisers ask that you bring a bag only if it’s really necessary, as this may delay entry into the event. Customers with access needs are more than welcome to bring a bag to any Manchester Pride events though.
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