The Manchester Pride Festival, crowned the ‘Best Large Festival’ at the UK Festival Awards 2022, has successfully concluded its grand celebrations over the August Bank Holiday weekend (25 – 28 August).
Partnered with Booking.com, this year’s festival amplified its advocacy for LGBTQ+ equality with a stellar lineup of local and international artists.
The Gay Village Party, co-designed with Manchester’s vibrant queer communities, stood out as the beating heart of the festival. Its artist lineup celebrated unparalleled diversity: 96% queer performers, 54% women, 51% people of colour, and a significant 42% representation from the trans and non-binary communities. World class performances from Brazilian drag artist Pabllo Vittar, global sensation Jake Shears, the mesmerising Alison Goldfrapp, and RuPaul’s Drag Race UK winner, Danny Beard, excited audiences.
Innovative stage takeovers, like the debut Queer Asian Takeover with Gok Wan, The Bitten Peach, and Lucky Roy Singh, and other showcases such as Trans Filth & Joy, Black Pride MCR, and the Queer Women’s Takeover, added depth to the festival’s offerings.
Complementing the musical spectacle were a series of events that celebrated LGBTQ+ life in Manchester, the famous Manchester Pride Parade, the insightful Human Rights Forum, the welcoming arms of Family Pride MCR and Youth Pride MCR, and the moving Candlelit Vigil in Sackville Gardens.
Mark Fletcher, CEO of Manchester Pride Festival, added: “From the immensely attended Parade to the vibrancy of the Gay Village Party and the solemnity of the Candlelit Vigil, it’s been an honour to witness such a phenomenal outpouring of love and support.”
Manchester Pride Festival 2024
With 2023’s echoes of celebration still resonating, preparations for the Manchester Pride Festival 2024 are already in full swing. To celebrate the community’s continued support, a limited number of ‘first release’ weekend tickets for next year’s Gay Village Party are now available at:
£35 + £2.50 donation + £3.50 service charge
Secure your tickets early for the best prices, exclusively at www.ticketmaster.co.uk/
