Greater Manchester Police has confirmed an increased police presence in the city centre for Manchester Village Pride this weekend. The LGBTQ+ celebration runs from this evening (August 28) to Monday night (August 31), featuring performances from Danny Beard, Kate Nash and Cascada. Over 30,000 people are expected across the four days.
Coinciding events and planning
The event coincides with three live shows at Wythenshawe Park, each drawing 35,000 attendees, and Manchester United's first home match of the season against Ipswich Town at Old Trafford on Sunday afternoon. Chief Superintendent Dave Meeney, District Commander for GMP's City of Manchester Division, said officers will be on hand throughout the weekend to respond to any incidents.
Ch Supt Meeney explained: “We have a number of events across the city, we’ve got Pride and we’ve also got Wythenshawe Live, so where there will be a large number of people, we will put on extra resources to make sure people feel safe and that they can enjoy themselves at these events.”
Community focus and parade details
This year's Pride is the first Manchester Village Pride, following the voluntary liquidation of the company behind Manchester Pride last year. A new Community Interest Company, backed by partners including Gay Village Venues, aims to raise money for five LGBTQ+ charities. The Saturday afternoon parade, themed ‘No Place Like Home’, will feature over 12,000 participants across 177 walking groups and floats.
Ch Supt Meeney confirmed GMP will not walk in the parade again this year, a decision in place since 2023. In 2025, Assistant Chief Constable Stephanie Parker had informed officers they would not participate ‘in a manner that represents the force’ after other forces' involvement at Pride events breached impartiality rules.
Security review and public advice
GMP reviewed its approach following the terrorist attack in Germany in July, which killed one person and injured 29 at Berlin Pride. Ch Supt Meeney said: “The attack was a stark reminder of the threats that can face crowded public events. We’ve got robust plans in place, we have specialist resources available and well-established partnerships to keep people safe.”
He added: “I would just encourage everyone attending to remain alert, trust their instincts, and report anything that doesn’t feel right. Following the attack in Germany, we reviewed our plans just to make sure we’re happy with everything we have in place and we are comfortable with that.” Ch Supt Meeney emphasised the importance of police presence for community confidence and advised attendees to plan transport ahead and remain vigilant, while also encouraging them to enjoy the weekend.
