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Manchester Pride Festival is held across August bank holiday and has become one of the UK’s most popular and longest running celebrations of the LGBTQ+ community.
Manchester Pride will consist of multiple events this year, and CitySuites is here to help you make the most of your weekend. Here’s what not to miss:
Manchester Pride Live
Pride Live is a new addition to the Manchester Pride celebrations. Pride Live will be held at Mayfield Depot over the Saturday and Sunday of the bank holiday weekend. With a world class line-up of pop and dance artists, Manchester Pride Live is expected not only to be a ground-breaking new event for the venue but, also for the city itself.
The line-up features 30 artists across two stages with huge international artists including Ariana Grande, Years & Years and Bananarama.
Mayfield Depot is just a 20 minute walk from CitySuites.
Manchester Pride parade
The Manchester Pride parade is one of the festival’s most highly anticipated events, with thousands of people marching proudly through the streets of Manchester in front of tens of thousands of supporters.
The parade takes place on Saturday 24th August. Although timings and the exact route have not been announced yet, the parade usually starts around noon on Liverpool Road, a 15 minute walk from CitySuites.
Gay Village gathering
The origins of Manchester Pride and the festival are rooted in the heart of the city’s world-famous Gay Village. Taking place over the 4 days of the Bank Holiday Weekend, 23rd-26th August, this year will deliver another eccentric and unforgettable street party. You can reach the Gay Village in 15 minutes from CitySuites via bus and a short walk.
With community performances in Sackville Gardens, plus markets and parties across the village’s venues, the Gay Village will continue to be home to the hub of the festival’s celebrations.
Candlelit vigil
As in previous years, the four days of celebration will close with the candlelit vigil in Sackville Gardens. The space, which is home to the Alan Turing memorial and the Beacon of Hope, will be transformed into a sea of flickering candles as attendees take time to remember those lost to HIV. The candlelit vigil also provides a space to remember those within the LGBTQ+ community who are suffering and those who are persecuted. The event presents an opportunity to stand together in a united front as we recognise the many challenges that are still faced by LGBTQ+ communities, both here in the UK and around the world.
Sackville Gardens is located just next to the Gay Village, which you can reach in 15 minutes from CitySuites.
Details on Manchester Pride Festival tickets can be found here, with a number of options depending on what Pride experience you are looking for.
For availability enquiries over Pride bank holiday weekend click here, or explore our apartments here.
