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 2024, 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. ‘Come As You Are’ at The Refuge
Taking place over Pride weekend (Saturday 24 and Sunday 25 August), 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. This year’s CAYA will be a collaboration and celebration of local legends. The Refuge is keeping it Manchester by celebrating the homegrown LGBTQIA+ talent and allies that the city knows and loves.
Three iconic club nights that were forged in Manchester which are now nationally and internationally celebrated − Flash Ibiza, Sticky Heat and Supernature Disco − will be coming together to create a weekend of amazing tunes with lots of DJ friends to create a ‘Refuge’ of love and togetherness where everyone is welcome – come as you are.
And if that’s not enough, The Refuge is hosting a Disco Flow Yoga session on the terrace with Thorlby Yoga on Saturday at 10am − bring a mat and ease yourself into the bank holiday debauchery with a little yoga (but make it disco).
📍The Refuge, Kimpton Clocktower, Oxford St, Manchester M60 7HA.
2. Big Pride Bash with Miss Ginger Hunter at Pong & Puck
Get ready for an electrifying afternoon filled with music, laughter, and some jaw-dropping performances by the incredible Miss Ginger Hunter. Arrive at 12:30pm and receive your welcome drink, then take your seat at 1pm for two hours of bottomless boozing, music bingo, a loo roll runway and a cocktail pong tournament. Drinks include fizz, selection of Malibu cocktails, pints and Hooch as well as 1/2 a pizza per person, which will be served across the afternoon.
It’s going to be an event to remember, so gather your friends and get ready to party in style! The Big Pride Bash is on Sunday 25 August, and you can find tickets here.
📍Pong & Puck, Great Northern Warehouse, 235 Deansgate, Manchester M3 4EN.
3. ‘Freedom to Be’ parties at Ducie Street Warehouse
There’ll be a series of Pride parties at food, drink and destination hub Ducie Street Warehouse once again this year. Bringing in their famous ‘Make Me Feel’ club night, Feel Good Club has invited headliner Darkstepper, alongside Monoko from Crop Radio, Meme Gold, Aiden Francis b2b Fastlove, DJ Kizzi plus dancers Gert, Trayvaughn, and BolliBubbles.
A Ducie Street x Micky’s Saturday Brunch Party will be hosted on Saturday 24 August with a menu curated by Ducie Street’s current kitchen residency, the famous Micky’s Sandwich. Post-brunch on the Saturday, the Lounge is transformed into ‘Dance To Your Own Pride‘ from 5pm until 11pm, featuring LGBTQIA+ DJs from across the city playing unmissable beats. Ducie Street Warehouse continues ‘Freedom To Be’ with its much-loved All-Day Brunch on Sunday 25 and Monday 26 August, for those looking for a good-feed with a community feel after celebrating with style. You can find tickets here.
📍Ducie Street Warehouse, Ducie St, Manchester M1 2TP.
4. Manchester Pride
Of course, we need to mention Manchester Pride itself, with all the official events it comes along with. As usual, the festival will focus its efforts on activism, putting an emphasis on the annual Gay Village Party, starting on Friday 23 August with headliners including Jessie J, Loreen, Sugababes and recently announced, the iconic Gok Wan.
The Parade, 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. You can find out more and put together your itinerary here.
5. Queer Roots Collective presents Alternative Pride
Queer Roots Collective are a regenerative grassroots group based in Manchester who are shifting the focus of Pride to community, away from capitalist corporations, by running events, meetups, walks and gardening socials which are accessible and fun for all. On 7 and 8 September, Platt Fields Market Garden will host queer owned street food vendors, including a queer booze stocked bar (‘dry’ on Sunday) from The Queer Brewing Project, and queer-led crafts and activities including lino printing, life drawing in the polytunnel and zine making.
Local organisations and stall holders will be running the show, with other activities for all the family such as yoga, forest school, and talks and workshops covering all things queer in nature including mushroom growing, queer ecology, seed saving, history, storytelling and more, making this alternative Pride event something truly educational and enlightening for all. DJs, open mic and live music will be keeping the Pride going across the weekend, and you can book tickets here
📍Platt Fields Market Garden, Platt Fields Park, Fallowfield, Manchester M14 6LT.
6. Afflecks celebrates Manchester Pride
A Pride takeover across all five floors of Afflecks will create the perfect place for Pride prep and pre-parade party vibes over the weekend. Pride revellers are encouraged to embrace every inch of their fabulousness and explore all floors of Afflecks – getting Pride ready and in the spirit along the way, and even getting snapped with Afflecks’ own Pride Paparazzi on the way out!
Guests should start on the third floor, where the Afflecks Pride & Polished pop up makeup station will be open, providing guests with plenty of fierce looks ahead of the celebrations. Visitors will also have the chance to check out and capture their new looks with a £1 huge mirror selfie pop-up and plenty of American Graffiti Pride themed props on the second floor. The first floor will be hosting a ‘Shake your Sequins‘ session with Afflecks’ resident DJ’s bringing fabulous tunes to the emporium. On the way out, the ‘Pride Pap’ will be on hand in the Afflecks arcade on Oldham Street to capture all the looks created. These activities will take place from 10am − 12pm on Saturday and 11am − 1pm on Sunday of Pride weekend.
📍Afflecks, 52 Church St, Manchester M4 1PW.
7. Try Dakota’s special edition Pride cocktail
Luxury boutique hotel Dakota Manchester have launched a limited-edition cocktail – Strawberries & Cream – paying homage to the city’s Pride celebrations. A taste of the tropics, Strawberries & Cream combines strawberry puree, banana and lime for a beautifully balanced fruity tipple.
Embodying the flavours of a classic Pina Colada – with a Dakota twist – Strawberries & Cream features tequila, pineapple and coconut cream, and is topped with pink peppercorns. For the third consecutive year, Dakota Manchester have partnered with The Proud Trust – an LGBT+ youth charity, dedicated to the empowerment of young people within the community. For every cocktail sold, Dakota Manchester will donate £1 to the charity.
📍 Dakota, 29 Ducie St, Manchester M1 2JL.
8. Bottomless Drag Brunch at Sexy Fish
Sexy Fish Manchester will be throwing a very special bottomless ‘Drag Brunch’ on Sunday 25 August from 12pm. The bottomless sushi brunch, priced at £58 per person, will feature unlimited sushi, drinks packages and fierce performances from dazzling drag artists, Krystal Versace and Jonbers Blonde, both jaw-dropping stars of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK.
Guests will be treated to a complimentary cocktail, L’Savage designed by Assistant Bar Manager Cressida Lawler which will feature Santiago de Cuba Añejo 8 Years Old Rum. The ticket price also includes unlimited sushi from the Sexy Fish Sushi Station, alongside shared starters such as smoked salmon bao buns, and Chicken karaage & sesame, as well as a main course and side dish including Grilled Half Baby Chicken, Crispy Pork Belly or Salmon Teriyaki. To finish, there are shared desserts featuring the famous Sexy Fish donuts. You can book a table here.
📍 Sexy Fish, 1 The Avenue, Deansgate, Manchester M3 3AP.
9. Kampus Bank Holiday line-up
Kampus is throwing one heck of a party to celebrate Pride this year. The inclusive celebration will include:
Wednesday 21 August
- 5.30pm – 9pm: Nell’s – Session in the Garden
Friday 23 August
- 6pm – 9pm: Private Joy – DJ session in the garden
Saturday 24 August
- 10.30am – 12.30pm: Pollen x Born to be Wild Child – Pride special
- 2pm – 11pm: Love Party
Sunday 25 August
- 11am – 4pm: Pop-Up Market Co and Family Crafting – Pride special!
- 6pm – 11pm: Red Light Pride Street Party
All weekend
- 1pm – 11pm: Sunset sessions with Makers Quarter
Find tickets for events and more information here.
📍 Kampus, Aytoun St, Manchester M1 3GL.
10. Studio 24 Unleashed at MAYA
MAYA is throwing open the doors to their most extravagant event yet – their inaugural Pride Weekender inspired by the decadent legacy and iconic hedonism of Studio 54. From August 22 to 25, MAYA is bringing four nights of untamed energy, fierce fashion, and dance-floor magic that will echo through the streets of Manchester.
They will take place as follows:
- Thursday 22 August: CASHMERE − A Night for the Dolls
- Friday 23 August: GUESTLIST – The Runway Afterparty
- Saturday 24 August: STUDIO 54 MEETS MAYA’S STUDIO 24 – The Ultimate Throwback
- Sunday 25 August: CAVALCADE – Where Fantasy Becomes Reality
Find more information and tickets here.
📍 MAYA, 40 Chorlton St., Manchester M1 3HW.
11. Diecast Pride Weekender
Beginning on Friday 23 August, Diecast’s Pride Weekend promises to be a fresh alternative to the cities traditional Pride celebrations. Throughout the weekend, the Diecast team has curated a big hitting, diverse line-up of events that includes clubbing, brunching, and a spectacular night session, ensuring big queer party vibes.
Expect Drag Queens, bottomless brunch and incredible queer DJs taking over the entire site for Pride weekend. Whether you’re a Pride veteran or just dipping your toes into the scene, this is the weekend for you. Find tickets here.
📍 Diecast, 51 Ducie St, Manchester M1 2JQ.
12. Lamb of Tartary Pride Celebrations
Chic new restaurant Lamb of Tartary will also be getting involved with a bright and colourful pride weekend. Kick start the weekend in true Pride style, with ‘The Request Line’ brunch on the Saturday, hosted by Manchester Drag Queen, Narcissa Nightshade.
Enjoy an array of dishes from the recently launched Silk Road-inspired menu, with the option of adding the bottomless drinks offering. Bottomless brunch is available for £35pp, and includes one brunch dish and 90-minutes of unlimited cocktails, prosecco or beer. No brunch is complete without the perfect playlist – guests can also request their favourite Pride anthems throughout.
Get ready to go again on Sunday 25 August, with the L.o.T bottomless brunch, with DJ Joey T on the decks, easing you into day two of the celebrations. See out the weekend on Bank Holiday Monday with chilled Bank Holiday drinks from the newly curated L.o.T cocktail menu, accompanied by the soundtrack of vinyl DJ XX, and taste the delights of the new food menu. Book a table here.
📍 Lamb of Tartary, 16 Newton St, Manchester M1 1AE.
13. SCENE: Celebrating Queer Stories on Screen
This August, the City of Manchester welcomes SCENE, a new and glittering LGBTQ+ Film and TV Festival. Showcasing the magic of LGBTQ+ Film and TV, SCENE will light up the city from Friday 16 August to Thursday 22 August, extending the vibrant spirit of Manchester Pride Festival. A diverse array of events will be hosted in iconic venues across the city, including HOME, as well as The People’s History Museum, Aviva Studios, New Century Hall, and the Gay Village.
HOME is celebrating legendary queer filmmaker John Waters with screenings ofPink Flamingos and Female Trouble, and on Saturday 17 August, The Filthiest Carnival Alive’ comes to HOME, featuring drag queens, performers and attractions inspired by the films of ‘The Pope of Trash.’
As part of SCENE’s Queer Music Icons on Screen programme, HOME is also bringing back Don’t Ever Stop: Tony De Vit following a sold out screening in May 2024. Presented in partnership with Doc’n Roll, Don’t Ever Stop is a powerful documentary telling the story of iconic DJ and hard house pioneer Tony De Vit. See all events and get tickets here.
📍 HOME, 2 Tony Wilson Pl, Manchester M15 4FN.
14. Pooches of Pride
We wouldn’t want to leave out our furry friends, and the Pooches of Pride event at Angel Meadows is perfect for getting them involved. Angel Meadow Park is set to be full of joyous barks and wagging tails from hundreds of dogs as it hosts the return of the popular Pooches of Pride on Saturday 17 August. This vibrant festival, a joint venture between Manchester’s dog community Ex-Paw and Far East Consortium (FEC), provides the city centre with a place to celebrate Pride with your four legged friends.
With so much activity for you and your furbulous friends to get involved with on the day, the main attraction is our dog show. With Manchester Pride month in full swing, the dog show will feature a Pride twist… The categories will be: Drag Kings of Manchester, Summer of Love Queens, Animal Kingdom Realness, Pride Eleganza Extravaganza and Shantay You Stay!
Pooches of Pride is completely free to enter, but you can enter your dog into the show for £4 here.
📍 St Michael’s Flags & Angel Meadow Park, Old Mount Street, Manchester M4 4TF.
15. Everyone Welcome: Manchester LGBTQ+ Walking Tour
Celebrate Manchester Pride Festival and discover centuries of LGBTQ+ Manchester history with a walking trail and guided tour hosted by local playwright and guide, Chris Hoyle, also part of the SCENE festival. Dates and times available are: Saturday 17 August at 1pm, Sunday 18 August at 1pm, Tuesday 20 August at 6pm and Wednesday 21 August at 6pm. Book your place here.
📍 Meeting point: Whitworth Locke Hotel, 74 Princess St, Manchester M1 6JD.