A landmark event in Manchester’s annual calendar, Manchester Pride rolls into town every August – bringing incredibly fun and unmatched vibes along with it. It’s a time to truly celebrate exactly who you are – no matter how you identify – with epic tributes to our thriving LGBTQ+ community taking place in all corners of the city. And back with a bang for 2022, Mancs can expect huge parties and shows over the long weekend, including hilarious drag shows, bustling dancefloors, and of course, the big festival itself. Here’s our guide to the very best Pride events taking place in Manchester this month.
1. Big Gay Bottomless Brunch at The Black Friar
Manchester’s gastropub, The Black Friar, has announced their Big Gay Bottomless Brunch for Pride, celebrating love, food and music over the three day August Bank Holiday weekend. Fuel up for a weekend of non-stop love around the city by grabbing a seat in The Black Friar garden as live DJs take over outdoors each day, spinning the best of disco to get the party started. There will be a one off brunch menu for the event which includes the likes of the BlackFriar Brekkie Bowl served with couscous, sun dried tomato, pickled cabbage, avocado and poached egg. From Saturday 27th August to Monday 29th August, 11am until 3pm, choose a delicious brunch dish and enjoy bottomless booze for 90 minutes for just £35, with £2 of every bottomless brunch sold going to the AKT Charity. Book your brunch here.
2. Pooches of Pride
Fancy getting your pooches in on the action? Ex-Paw will be returning to Angel Meadow Park this month for a special Pooches of Pride dog show – with a fun Pride-themed competition packed with categories for our dogs to take part in such as ‘Fabulous Fella’, ‘Loveliest Lady‘ ‘Most Alike Pair’, and ‘Best Dressed’, as well as plenty of street food on the go for humans to enjoy, a Pride photo booth, and so much more. Find out more here.
3. Come As You Are at The Refuge
Taking place over Pride weekend, The Refuge is bringing back its beloved Come As You Are celebration, which will see events taking place that celebrates music, love and inclusivity all weekend long. Think DJ sets from The Reflex, Julie Wills, Jimmy Turnbull, John Morales and more, as well as a performance from The Hush Vlub, fresh from breaking the Guinness World Record at Camp Bestival for the World’s Biggest Disco Dance. In true The Refuge style, queens Cheddar Gorgeous, Liquorice Black, Anna Phylactic and Narcissa Nightshade will be making a fabulous appearance to celebrate with fellow pride partygoers each day. Come As You Are is free to attend, and is operating on a walk-in basis only. Kimpton Clocktower Hotel is also offering guests the chance to save 20% off their stay during August 27th and 28th, with code PRIDE20, but book before August 24th as not to miss out. Stay up to date with events here.
4. Queen B Bottomless Drag Brunch
Cara Melle is taking to the stage this August to bring the very best of Beyonce to Manchester, with a host of some of London and Manchester’s best drag queens in tow. Expect all the hits, plenty of dancing, and, of course, tasty brunch dishes and free-flowing booze. There’ll be games, competitions, dance-offs and immersive performances for four whole hours, making for the perfect day out with friends. Get tickets here.
5. Pride Weekend at Pong & Puck
It’s time to grab some glitter and get ready for a Pride party full of pizza, prosecco, cocktails, games and cheesy hits hosted by the gorgeous and glamourous Miss Ginger Hunter. Taking place on Bank Holiday Sunday 28th August, arrive from 12:30pm to enjoy a welcome cocktail on Pong & Puck’s outdoor terrace while you gather your gang, then take your seat for two hours of bottomless boozing and bingo. Choose your favourite pizza topping from the menu and place your drinks order with the team, whether it’s prosecco, beer or frozés… leave the rest with Pong & Puck to keep the drinks flowing and the drag queens glowing! Tickets are £45 per person and you can book your spot here.
6. ‘Freedom to Be’ parties at Ducie Street Warehouse
Ducie Street Warehouse will be hosting free to attend ‘Freedom to Be’ parties across two consecutive weekends. ‘Freedom to Be’ will kick off on August 20th from 5pm until late, where the warehouse will welcome a very special headliner – the sensational national presenter and DJ Gok Wan and supporting act from Manchester queer collective Queer Latifah. Completing the style for ‘Freedom to Be’, the warehouse glass lift tower will feature vinyl art in collaboration with Sally Gilford, founder of the independent art collective Salford Markers. Carrying on the party over August bank holiday weekend, there will be plenty of DJs in charge of the sound system to keep the groove going, as well as performances and Ducie Street Warehouse’s disco brunches. Find out more here.
7. ‘Love is the Message’ at Escape to Freight Island
Like any normal weekend at Escape to Freight Island isn’t fun enough already, the venue has big plans for Pride weekend, with tons of parties to enjoy over three whole days. Expect live music and entertainment from some of the best artists and DJs, plenty of dancing, fantastic food and drink from the venue’s many traders, and even a film screening of Paris Is Burning. Find out more here.
8. Manchester Pride
Manchester Pride is back, however it has a bit of a rehaul this year with the charity going back to its roots, removing the ‘Live’ element altogether and focusing on the elements of the weekender that are the most important to the community. The festival will now refocus its efforts on activism, putting an emphasis on the annual Gay Village Party instead of Manchester Pride Live. The Parade, The Candlelit Vigil, Superbia Weekend, Youth Pride MCR, Family Pride MCR and Human Rights Forum will also continue to proceed this year, helping to reflect the areas of the festival that the LGBTQ+ community care about the most. Kicking off on August 26th, the event will take place throughout the Gay Village with a line-up featuring Bimini, Ginny Lemon, Kitty Velour, Nadine Coyle and Queeriosity Cabaret. Get tickets here.
9. Manchester Pride Festival Special at Peru Perdu
Announcing a ‘glittering’ array of events throughout the August bank holiday weekend, Peru Perdu is kicking off Pride weekend on August 26th with a Pisco Disco, with frozen Pisco sours on offer all day from 12pm. Saturday 28th August will see the bottomless drag brunch, with unlimited Chandon Garden Spritz (Argentinian sparkling wine, blended with natural extracts from orange peels, herbs and a mix of spices) for 90 minutes taking place between 12pm – 4pm and hosted by Drag Queens Chastity Stone et al. On Sunday, there’ll be a bottomless Blood Marys from 10am in the bar and Sunday roasts all day – complete with unlimited cocktails in the fun, pink surroundings. Plus Monday, Peru Perdu returns with their hangover roasts and bottomless Bloody Marys.Find out more here.
10. Make Your Move at MOTLEY
Fancy getting your flirt on this Pride? Partnering with speed dating company Original Dating, MOTLEY at YOTEL Manchester Deansgate has launched summer speed dating on the terrace. The bar will host two one-off events to celebrate Manchester Pride, with lesbian speed dating on Wednesday 24th August and gay speed dating on Thursday 25th August. Marking Original Dating’s first events for gay and lesbian speed dating in Manchester, Make Your Move at MOTLEY will welcome up to 24 guests each night, meaning those looking for love can enjoy up to 12 dates. Tickets are priced at £15pp, including a complimentary Didsbury Gin summer spritz cocktail. Book your spot here.
11. Marc Jacobs Perfect Pride Sensorial Experience
This summer, Marc Jacobs Fragrances is bringing a scented Perfect Pride sensorial experience to Manchester. Join the Pride celebration at the Cabaret Stage at NCP carpark Central Manchester between August 27th and 28th to celebrate Manchester Pride weekend. There will also be a scented Marc Jacobs Perfect Pride rainbow welcoming everyone to join the Pride celebration by creating their own Perfect Pride moment at the fragrance company’s sensorial experience, using a unique Marc Jacobs Perfect TikTok branded effect to create their own spotlight moment. Complimentary Marc Jacobs Perfect fragrance samples will also be handed out to offer passers-by a chance to experience the scent. Find out more here.
12. FunnyBoyz Manchester Presents: Benidorm Bingo & Live Drag Cabaret
FunnyBoyz are on a mission to bring laughs and luxury drag to your Saturday nights this month with Benidorm Bingo. Forget grandmas in a dusty old hall, this is a unique bingo experience with a hysterical twist and big prizes up for grabs. Sip on a glass of complimentary fizz and mingle with the finest drag queens around, as they entertain you with the cheesiest of tunes, hilarious comedy and a sensational live cabaret. Let the queens help you make this the crowning jewel of your weekend! Find tickets here.
13. Pride 2022 at HOME
Adding to the Pride events is HOME, with the Manchester events space and cinema celebrating throughout August with a selection of films exploring the experiences of the LGBTQ+ community across the generations. Choose from the likes of tartly satirical comedy about coming of age and coming out But I’m A Cheerleader, sparkling romantic comedy Anaïs In Love or a documentary about abandonment and struggle Turning 18, which follows the experiences of two indigenous Taiwanese teenage girls. Tickets are now on sale here.
14. Proud audio visual exhibition
To celebrate the city’s LGBTQIA+ community an audio visual exhibition, known as Proud, is taking to the shopping streets. Commissioned by Manchester Business Improvement District (BID) and curated by Heard Storytelling, visitors will be able to listen to the true spoken stories of 20 LGBTQIA+ people who live or work in the city. The exhibition is free to access and all of the spoken stories will be accompanied by beautiful large-scale portraits of the storytellers, forming a trail of ‘Living Portraits’ through the city centre.