Best events for this year’s Manchester Pride

As the city gears up to celebrate love, diversity, and equality, we’ve curated a sensational list of must-do activities and experiences that promise to make your Manchester Pride journey unforgettable.

From dazzling parades and electrifying performances to heartwarming community events and delectable culinary adventures, this year’s Pride festivities offer a kaleidoscope of delights for everyone to revel in.

The Parade, City Centre

Manchester Pride Festival is a ‘party as protest.’

Join a one of the largest LGBTQ+ liberation movements in the world, celebrating queer people, culture and expression as loudly and publicly as possible in a refusal to hide in shame.

Pride has grown exponentially in its 50+ year history as a movement for queer liberation. But the fight is far from over.

With LGBTQ+ youth increasingly experiencing bullying, self-harm and homelessness and the recent rise in anti-LGBTQ+ hate crimes, it’s more vital than ever that Manchester Pride celebrations remain strong.

The famous Manchester Pride Parade is the city’s biggest parade, grinding traffic to a halt as tens of thousands of LGBTQ+ people and their allies march together for equality.

Thousands more line the streets to spectate on the spectacular parade of colours.

Saturday, August 26 – starting around 12.

The Candlelit Vigil, Sackville Gardens

The Candlelit Vigil is carefully curated by Nathaniel J Hall, Kate O’Donnell, and Cheryl Martin—all accomplished artists and advocates in their respective fields.

Nathaniel J Hall, an award-winning theatre-maker, writer, performer, and HIV activist, shares his autobiographical stories of health and wellbeing to challenge HIV stigma and shame.

Kate O’Donnell, an actor, writer, and maker, is the Artistic Director of Trans Creative, a theatre group amplifying the voices of young trans people.

Cheryl Martin, a poet, director, writer, and performer, has collaborated with refugees and asylum seekers, using art as a powerful tool for community engagement.

The Candlelit Vigil is free to attend, welcoming everyone who wishes to pay tribute, reflect, and stand in solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community.

Together, we can create a future free from stigma and discrimination.

28th of August, Sackville Gardens, 8pm.

King Street Grooming deals

If you’re looking for the ultimate grooming experience in Manchester, you’ll find it at King Street Grooming.

This amazing offer gives you 10% off every service including aesthetics for the remainder of August.

Only appointments in the month of August will be discounted. Book online by clicking here and use code MANCHESTER10

And so you look your best for pride, they are offering a 10% discount this week, so be sure to head down and check them out!

Pints with a difference at Bundobust

This weekend Bundobust will be raising a glass to celebrate Pride and raise some much-needed funds for LGTBQ+ charities. They will be donating £1 from every pint of our summer wheat beer, Dhoop, sold between Thursday and Sunday to the Manchester Pride Community Fund.

Dhoop is a refreshing and vibrant wheat beer brewed especially for sunny days. Expect a big, bold banana character backed up with fruity, fresh Huell Melon hops.

Brewed in Bundo’s Manchester brewery, and available exclusively at their restaurants, Dhoop is packed with juicy banana, clove, and melon flavours.

This hazy, refreshing wheat beer is a little slice of sunshine.

Both Manchester locations will be donating £1 for every pint sold between Thursday – Sunday to the Manchester Pride Community Fund.

The Manchester Pride Community Fund raises essential funds to help LGBTQ+ communities.

Every penny donated goes directly to supporting LGBTQ+ causes and projects in Greater Manchester, causes close to the Bundo team’s hearts.

61 Piccadilly, Manchester M1 2AG or St James Building, 61-69 Oxford Street, Manchester, M1 6EQ

Pride Bottomless Belter

An afternoon of Pride inspired drinks, pizza, music bingo and cabaret games, led by the gorgeous and glamorous Miss Ginger Hunter

It’s time to grab some glitter and get ready for a Pride party full of pizza, prosecco, cocktails, bingo, games and cheesy hits hosted by the gorgeous and glamourous Miss Ginger Hunter for our bottomless belter.

Taking place on Bank Holiday Sunday 27th August, arrive from 12:30pm to enjoy a welcome cocktail on Malibu Beach Club’s outdoor terrace while you gather your gang, then take your seat for two hours of bottomless boozing and bingo and games.

Drinks include a welcome and departure Malibu cocktail and bottomless prosecco, beer and hooch.

Pizza will be served throughout the bottomless and place your drinks order with the team… leave the rest to Pong and Puck to keep the drinks flowing and the drag queens glowing!

Pong and Puck, 12.30pm on 27th August.

The Laughienda Pride Special

The Laughięnda Comedy Club is a weekly new act/new material night based in Manchester, showcasing the freshest talent from all over the North West, alongside pro-headliners trying out new jokes.

For pride, they are pulling out all the stops with a specially curated list of LGBTQ+ comics from Manchester.

Lions Den Bar, 7.30pm, 24th August.

Get your tickets here. 

LGBTQ Salsa Class and Social

Get on your dancing shoes!

LGBTQ Salsa is proud to offer a free Salsa Class and social dance in Revolucion de Cuba every Monday evening.

Learn to dance the way you want to. Everyone gets a chance to lead, everyone gets a chance to follow.

Absolute beginners are welcome and you don’t have to bring a partner.

Revolucion de Cuba 21st, 24th

Get your tickets here.

LGBTQIA+ Pride Social Night at Rock Over Climbing

This is a relaxed social climbing night for anyone identifying as part of the LGBTQ+ community.

Our aim is for you to learn new skills, make new friends, get coaching from our amazing and friendly staff and most of all HAVE FUN!

See the Facebook page for extra details by clicking here.

Rock Over Climbing 6pm, 25th Aug

Trek Bikes Manchester LGBT+ History Tour

Trek’s LGBT History tour is back for 2023. It’s a relaxed road tour that celebrates key sites related to LGBT culture and activism in our city as well as celebrating some of our LGBT icons.

The ride is led by tour creator, Trek ambassador Sarah Galligan and this year the ride is supported by ride leaders from LGBT+ cycling club Rainbow Riders.

They are asking all riders to make a donation to the work of tiny charity Micro Rainbow who work with LGBT+ asylum seekers. 100% of monies from ticket purchases will be donated to the charity.

The ride is a very leisurely 8-mile bike tour using cycle lanes on roads and all riders should be confident about riding on roads but pace will not be an issue! The ride is suitable for all types of bikes and lycra is not required. Please dress for the weather.

The group will be meeting at the Trek Bike shop in the Northern Quarter at 10 and can enjoy coffee, bananas, doughnuts and Pride treats and we’ll share some goodies before riding off around 10:30.

Trek Bicycle Manchesdter Piccadilly 10am, 27th Aug

Manchester LGBTQ+ Trail: Discovery Walk

Discover centuries of LGBTQ+ Manchester history with a walking trail and guided tour hosted by local playwright and guide, Chris Hoyle – and some very special guests.

From Victorian drag balls to Canal Street, the Campaign for Homosexual Equality and the city’s famous Pride Parade, Manchester has always led the way with queer activism. Follow the trail to explore LGBTQ+ stories whist celebrating and reflecting on the city’s activism, resilience, and progress.

Guided tours will take place on Tuesday 22nd August (6pm), Wednesday 23rd August (6pm) & Thursday 24th August (1pm & 6pm).

The 2-hour city centre walk takes in locations to be proud of such as the Gay Village, The Beacon of Hope, Alan Turning Memorial and The Hacienda to name a few.

Tickets: £10

Low Income Tickets: £5

Proceeds go to Manchester Pride Charity.

Whitworth Locke, 22nd – 24th August

The Sunday Boys: Queer British Voices

Fresh from their European tour, The Sunday Boys – Manchester’s low-voiced LGBTQ+ choir are proud to present Queer British Voices, a journey across the many musical genres the UK has to offer.

Featuring music by Sigala/MNEK, Self Esteem, Rina Sawayama as well as a World premiere from Fraz Ireland and Ella Otomewo, this concert will show off a mix of contemporary classical, musical theatre and pop artists from here in the UK and across the globe.

The event will also feature readings by Ella Otomewo, Andrew McMillan and Rachel Mann.

6pm – Pre-concert talk

‘When queer words meet queer voices: a discussion on poetry in choral song’. A discussion with writers Ella Otomewo, Andrew McMillan and Rachel Mann will take place in The Stoller Hall for all ticket-holders, chaired by composer Anna Appleby.

6.45pm – Pre-concert performance

Blackpool’s LGBTQ+ Community choir Electric Pink Voices will perform in the atrium.

Queer British Voices is supported by public funds from Arts Council England.

Please note that some of the songs being performed will include explicit language.

As part of our Pride programming, they will also host Loud and Proud: Vocal Connections Workshop, an inclusive workshop for trans and queer voices.

The Stoller Hall, 7.30pm 25th August

You can get your tickets here.

Qweer Shorts

Qweer Shorts is Manchester’s newest, boldest, LGBTQ+ new writing project.

This is our first full run of short qweer plays, collated from pieces which have been developed through our very own new writing scratch nights ‘Qweer Shorts: Introducing’.

The show is guaranteed to be filled with vibrant, unique LGBTQ+ voices.

A celebration of all the letters of the rainbow! Short qweer stories, that have delighted previous audiences, re-written and re-worked for this, our first-ever showcase.

And, of course, we’ll be adding one or two new pieces to keep things fresh!

Come and join us and celebrate Manchester Pride Week with a night of qweer shorts!

Get your tickets here.

Hope Mill Theatre, 22nd – 26th August

Get Your Pride On

Celebrate Manchester Pride at Trafford Centre, with an inclusive range of events to support and celebrate LGBTQ+ communities.

24th, 26th & 27th August 2023 – See more dates here

Their Summer Daze event will have themed crafting activities over the August bank holiday weekend, as well as family entertainment, glitter face painting, live music and more!

24th August 12 – 4pm
Rainbow kite crafts
Make your own family picture frame
Face painting/hair braiding

26th August 12 – 5pm
Family entertainment
Glitter face painting/ hair braiding

Sunday 27th August 12 – 5pm
Live music
Glitter face painting and make-up by Claire’s Accessories, as well as special appearances from the Claire Bear Mascot!

They will also be collecting donations across the weekend for Manchester Pride Charity, which are committed to improving the lives of LGBTQ+ people in Greater Manchester and beyond.

Summer Daze, Trafford Centre

24th, 26th, 27th August

Get your tickets here. 

Celebrate Pride at the Arndale

From 25-26 August, experts from some of your favourite beauty stores at Manchester Arndale will be offering glitter face art, Pride-themed eye makeup, hair braiding, glitter beards and more – so you look and feel amazing for the weekend.

In return for a £2 donation to the Manchester Pride charity, the team from Supercuts, The Body Shop and Boots will be out on the mall and ready to give you the ultimate Pride makeover.

Join them at the makeover stations from 12pm-7pm on Friday and Saturday and once you’ve had your makeover, snap and share a selfie in front of their giant PROUD letters. Don’t forget to tag Manchester Arndale for your chance to feature on our social channels!

You can get your tickets here.

Outside Lego, Manchester Arndale 25th – 26th August

Lego Pride Parade Recreation

Manchester has been overcome with pride ahead of the upcoming Pride weekend (25^th – 28^th August), with colourful celebrations of the LGBTQ+ community even making an appearance in mini-form – made of LEGO®!

The playmakers at LEGOLAND Discovery Centre Manchester have been working together to build the tiny version of the parade to show their support and partake in the festivities.

The lively LEGO scene features 16 brightly coloured parade floats trailing through the city centre to mirror the full-scale Manchester Pride parade that will be taking place on Saturday 26^th of August.

The parade is just one part of a bank holiday weekend full of celebrations when thousands of people will proudly march through the streets in front of tens of thousands of supporters.

This year’s theme – Queerly Beloved – aims to show the power of love and mark the 10^th anniversary of gay marriage being legalised in the UK, as well as trans individuals being allowed to legally change their gender without having to end their marriage.

This theme, of celebrating universal love and acceptance, has been fully embraced and replicated in the LEGO model, which features the trademark of the Pride movement and the universal symbol of love in the form of more than 60 rainbow flags and 16 colourful hearts.

BARKPRIDE

Get ready to celebrate with your pooch at BARKPRIDE, an in-person event where dog lovers come together for fun, laughs, and prizes!

This marks the second BARKPRIDE taking place at Kampus Gardens.

Their chosen Charity this year is The Albert Kennedy Trust which supports lgbtq+ young people aged 16-25 in the UK who are facing or experiencing homelessness or living in a hostile environment.

The dog show/competition kicks off at 11am and will be hosted on the catwalk by the fabulous drag queen Alexa Tuppence and our groomers will be onsite from 10am to help ‘glow up’ your pooch in preparation.

There are five categories to enter:

1. Loud and proud – (Best Dressed) all the rainbows, colours of pride, glitter.
2. Sassiest b*tch – Waggiest Tail/ Bottom
3. Best Duo – Dog that looks most like their owner (dress up if you choose)
4. Prettiest Pup – Dogs under 1 years of age
5. Yaas Queen – Best Drag name or outfit.

You can book your tickets here.

Superbia Cinema: Pride and Joy

Join Cultplex on Thursday 24th August as they kick off our Superbia celebrations at Manchester Pride Festival with a special Pride film screening.

This month’s theme is Pride and Joy, and attendees will be celebrating the work of talented queer filmmakers with another spectacular programme of films to get your Manchester Pride Festival weekend started.