THE BIG WEEKEND
24TH – 27TH AUGUST 2018
One of the most electrifying parts of The Festival, The Big Weekend takes place in Manchester’s world famous Gay Village over the August Bank Holiday Weekend. Tens of thousands of people come together to celebrate, with pride, some of the biggest names in music and entertainment.
THE PARADE
25TH AUGUST 2018
With close to 150 entries, and over 4000 participants, The Manchester Pride Parade is for many, a highlight of The Manchester Pride Festival. The city of Manchester is turned into a kaleidoscope of colour, as floats and marchers weave their way throughout the city centre in front of tens of thousands of spectators who are out to show their support to the LGBT+ communities.
Manchester Pride is a charity which campaigns for equality; challenges discrimination; creates opportunity for engagement and participation; celebrates lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender life; and fundraises to enrich and empower LGBT organisations, charities and communities in Greater Manchester.
The charity delivers an annual programme of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans (LGBT+) events in Greater Manchester. This includes the Manchester Pride Spring Benefit, events recognising International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia (IDAHOT), our year-round calendar of culture, Superbia and our flagship event, The Manchester Pride Festival.
THE CANDLELIT VIGIL
27TH AUGUST 2018
The culmination of The Manchester Pride Festival is The Candlelit Vigil in which Sackville Gardens is turned into a sea of flickering candles as we take a minute to remember those we’ve lost to the HIV virus and join together to fight the epidemic worldwide and the stigma that still exists.
The Candlelit Vigil also provides you with a space to remember those close to you who may no longer be with us and presents an opportunity to stand together in a united front as we recognise the many challenges that still exist and face LGBT communities from Manchester to the rest of the world.
The Candelit Vigil is the spiritual heart of the Manchester Pride Festival and there is a truly magical and moving atmosphere of quiet reflection in the gardens.
THE SUPERBIA WEEKEND
24TH – 27TH AUGUST
The latest addition to The Manchester Pride Festival, The Superbia Weekend is a free to attend alternative to The Big Weekend.
Superbia aims to support, curate, fund and celebrate LGBT life across Greater Manchester with debate, film, comedy, literature, music, sport, theatre, family- and community-led projects – all with the aim of encouraging engagement and well-being, and to culturally enhance the community.
The Superbia Weekend showcases its aims, in a family friendly dry space.
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