After a spectacular Friday night kick-off, day two of Manchester Pride certainly needed to deliver - and that it did. After a cracking start on Friday night - which saw Trans Filth & Joy open the Alan Turing Stage - revellers turned out in their thousands to celebrate Manchester's LGBTQ+ community.
The starting point for Saturday? A walk down Liverpool Road, just off Deansgate, to get a sneak peek at the final preparations being put on the flamboyant floats and outfits for the much-loved Manchester Pride Parade.
It’s not often that you see a JCB, a steam train and a bus full of Corrie taking to the streets of Manchester City Centre, but today was all about going that extra mile, and as the clock struck 12, the Pride parade was well and truly underway. Making its grand return after a three-year hiatus, this year's parade was a march for peace - a theme that ran throughout the entirety of the proceedings.
Over 10,000 participants in both marching and riding floats were involved this year, including firefighters, NHS workers, local councillors and even some famous Manchester faces. While crowds showed their support and appreciation for all involved, a particularly poignant moment arrived when staff from the NHS marched with banners, flags and t-shirts sporting a Pride theme.
As the parade made its way past the Great Northern Warehouse and Central Library, those in the crowd were witness to some incredible scenes. Stopping only for trams, an an echo of cheers filled the air. It was a celebratory and emotional parade for all involved.
Over in the Gay Village, the party was well underway. Every side street, garage and makeshift stage was packed out from mid-afternoon. While it might have been difficult to navigate your way around Canal Street, everywhere you looked people were in high spirts, dancing and singing as music from one stage merged into the next.
On the Alan Turing Stage over in Sackville Gardens - hosted by Danny Beard and Friends - crowds were treated to stellar performances from Tia Kofi, Ginny Lemon and Manchester-based Lady Bushra, who was was a firm crowd favourite as she returned to the main stage in the late afternoon. Bushra's take on a Bradford girl is nothing short of hilarious, as she fuses together her Bradford roots with her South Asian heritage and British sensibilities.
She addresses serious issues with a light-heartedness that only few can manage, building half of her show around a skit where she is erased from Ru Paul's Drag Race because producers were worried the show was becoming 'too diverse'. Over on the MancUnity Stage, meanwhile, the Black Pride MCR Takeover was going off with DJs like Jade Jaxson, Pops Roberts and Suriya bringing the party vibes.
Some bold and brilliant fashion inspiration was served up today as well - a beautiful display of the self-expression that has always been at the heart of Manchester Pride. Leather, tartan and some taffeta for good measure did the rounds, and there was naturally plenty of glitter, rainbows and wonderful fancy dress.
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