Manchester Pride has today announced that the theme for the 2023 Manchester Pride Parade will be Queerly Beloved, as the charity aims to show the power of love, and celebrate love for ourselves and for the LGBTQ+ community, placing those more marginalised at the forefront.
The Queerly Beloved theme has been chosen to celebrate love in the 10th anniversary year of marriage equality in the UK after the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act was passed on 17th July 2013. The act enabled civil partners to convert their partnership to a marriage, if they wish; and enabled individuals to change their legal gender without having to end their marriage.
The Parade is one of Manchester Pride Festival‘s most highly anticipated events, with thousands of people marching proudly together through the streets of Manchester in front of tens of thousands of supporters cheering them along the way.
Last year saw hundreds of young LGBTQ+ people, including the charity’s own Youth Pride MCR group, and their allies lead the parade through the city.
With many more expected to join in this year’s celebrations, Manchester Pride is actively encouraging walking entries in an aim to make the Manchester Pride Festival even more environmentally friendly.
Mark Fletcher, CEO of Manchester Pride, said: “We’re very excited to announce this year’s theme for the Parade. Queerly Beloved celebrates the wins for the LGBTQ+ community but also poses the question: how far have we really come?
“We will be marching for love, and our message is clear: our love is powerful, our love is resistance, and love should be celebrated for all.”
The Manchester Pride Parade starts on Liverpool Road, passing by the Town Hall and the Gay Village before finishing on Whitworth Street, on 26th August.
You can apply here to take part in the parade.