The Manchester Pride annual festival returns this weekend, with a huge programme of events and activities planned to celebrate. The parade, the Gay Village party and Candlelit Vigil are all set to come back with a bang over the August bank holiday. And now Manchester Pride has revealed its most diverse line-up to date for this year’s Gay Village Party, which has been co-created with Manchester’s queer communities.
Taking place between Friday 25th and Monday 28th August, the event, which was awarded ‘Best Large Festival’ at the UK Festival Awards in 2022, is an annual celebration of LGBTQ+ life and brings together the community and its allies to celebrate and protest. The events of Manchester Pride Festival 2023 are free to attend with the exception of the Gay Village party.
How much are tickets to Manchester Pride Festival 2023?
Day tickets and weekend tickets are available, with all events scheduled on Monday 28 August free to attend, and low income, family tickets, and VIP options available. £2.50 from every ticket will be donated to the Manchester Pride Community Fund, with the money going directly to LGBTQ+ causes and projects in Greater Manchester through the distribution of grants.
Ticket options and prices include*:
-
Weekend: £37.50
-
Friday ticket: £21.00
-
Saturday ticket: £31.00
-
Sunday ticket: £31.00
-
Monday ticket: Free plus £2.50 donation
-
Diamond VIP (weekend): £182.50
-
Gold VIP (weekend): £122.50
To ensure the Manchester Pride Festival is accessible and inclusive, in response to the cost of living crisis, more Low Income Tickets have been made available. Low Income Ticket options and prices include*:
-
Weekend: £20.00
-
Friday ticket: £11.75
-
Saturday ticket: £16.75
-
Sunday ticket: £16.75
Family tickets are available priced at £57.00 for Saturday and £53.00 for Sunday. These tickets give access to a family of up to four people. As part of our accessibility scheme, Manchester Pride offers one free personal assistant per ticket holder. Details can be found on the Accessibility section of the Manchester Pride website.
*All tickets are subject to a 10% booking fee, fee is applied to the ticket only and not the £2.50 fixed donation.
What events will take place at Manchester Pride Festival 2023?
The Festival is made up of several fringe events, providing opportunities to advocate for LGBTQ+ equality, engage families and young people, and celebrate queer arts and culture. These include:
Manchester Pride Parade
The city’s biggest parade will be returning to the streets of Manchester city centre on Saturday 26 August, with the LGBTQ+ community and its allies marching for equality in front of thousands of spectators – the parade is now at capacity, but why not join the streets of people cheering it on?
Gay Village Party
A space for all members of the LGBTQ+ family to come together, the Gay Village Party is the heart of the festival and a real celebration of LGBTQ+ life. The four day street party will see a whole host of performances from LGBTQ+ artists and performers, including Jake Shears, Alison Goldfrapp and Conchita Wurst. Tickets are required to enter the Gay Village Party performances.
Candlelit Vigil
The Candlelit Vigil is the culmination of Manchester Pride, closing the four day Festival on Monday 28 August with a moment of reflection in Sackville Gardens. The home of Alan Turing, The National Transgender Memorial and the Beacon of Hope, the gardens are transformed into a sea of flickering candles to remember and honour those who we have lost to HIV and those who have been persecuted in the LGBTQ+ community, both here in the UK and around the world.
Superbia Weekend
Superbia, Manchester Pride’s year-round arts and culture programme, offers a culturally rich alternative to other elements of the festival, creating space for all with a series of alcohol free events and premiers of new work from LGBTQ+ performers.
Human Rights Forum
Taking place on Friday 25 August, the Human Rights Forum will bring together prominent activists and thought leaders to discuss the challenges that continue to face LGBTQ+ communities today, and what we as individuals can do to bring about political and social change.
Family Pride MCR
It’s never too soon – or young – to start celebrating pride. Family Pride MCR provides a safe and inclusive space for people of all ages to enjoy Pride celebrations, with a special programme of events designed for little ones.
Youth Pride MCR
A safe and nourishing space for young people to experience Pride in a way designed just for them, Youth Pride MCR is a free event specially curated for those aged 14-18 fusing fashion, music, art, performance and creativity. Manchester Pride is the only UK Pride event to have a dedicated space for young people.
What is the line-up for the Gay Village Party?
Visitors to the four-day festival can look forward to a plethora of exciting local and international artists performing over three stages: the Village stage, Mancunity stage and Alan Turing stage. The line-up symbolises the importance of changing the conversation, elevating and showcasing the world’s biggest queer artists, and focusing on community-led performances, as 96% of performers are queer, 54% are women, 51% are people of colour and over 42% are from trans and non-binary communities, in response to Manchester Pride’s Pride In Our Future report. Here are just some of the performers who will be at the Gay Village Party:
- Alison Goldfrapp
- Raven Mandella
- Conchita Wurst
- Pabllo Vittar
- Jake Shears
- Natasha Bedingfield
- Danny Beard
- Jodie Harsh
- Gok Wan
- BIMINI
- Lisa Scott-Lee
- Cheddar Gorgeous
- Black Peppa
- Jonbers Blonde
- Monki
- Gracie T
- Angie Brown
- La Discotheque Orchestra
- Kelly Llorenna (N-Trance)
- Dakota Schiffer
- Ginny Lemon’s Dog Show
- Blasha and Allatt (Meat Free/Frixxxion)
How do I get tickets for Manchester Pride Festival 2023?
Tickets for Manchester Pride Festival, including entry to the Gay Village Party, are still on sale via the event website here.