Manchester Village Pride returns on Friday, 28 August 2026, after facing uncertainty following the collapse of the event’s previous organiser in late 2025. Organisers said there was a “real risk that our city’s cornerstone celebration would disappear.”
In response, business owners, residents and activists from the Gay Village formed Manchester Village Pride CIC to keep the celebrations going. The community-run weekend is back from 28th to 31st August, alongside a Pride Fringe of independent events, screenings, tours and parties across one of the world’s leading LGBTQ+ cities.
Manchester Village Pride 2026: Need to Know
The event takes place from Friday 28 August to Monday 31 August in the Manchester Gay Village (Bloom Street, Sackville Street, Sackville Gardens) and venues across the city. It is a community-run Pride weekend with an independent Pride Fringe programme. Some events are free, while others are ticketed.
Manchester's Pride Events This Month
The Manchester LGBTQ+ History Trail: Guided Tour runs from Tuesday 18 August to Sunday 30 August at the Whitworth Locke Hotel. It is a guided walking tour exploring stories from Victorian drag balls and the birth of Canal Street to the Campaign for Homosexual Equality and the city’s Pride Parade.
The Re/Assemble Guided Tour takes place on Saturday 22 August at the People’s History Museum. It is a tour of the Re/Assemble exhibition exploring the 1988 Section 28 protest in Manchester, with commissioned artwork responding to its legacy.
Pose with Pride is held on Saturday 22 August and Sunday 23 August at Manchester Arndale. It features live performances, mini-makeovers and photo opportunities. Darren Pritchard’s Ghetto Fabulous will premiere its new ‘Byoncé’ routine led by Coco Cannelll.
Pride in Ageing Book Club takes place on Monday 24 August on Sackville Street. It is an LGBT Foundation programme bringing different generations of readers together to discuss LGBTQ+ books.
The Schitt’s Show is on Friday 28 August at HOME Manchester. It is a drag celebration of Schitt’s Creek featuring drag performers bringing the sitcom’s characters to life.
Manchester Village Pride 2026: Main Stage and Community Events
The Main Stage on Bloom Street and Sackville Street runs from Friday 28 August. It is the festival’s central stage with performances from Manchester and UK queer talent, with the Gay Village as the weekend’s hub for gathering, dancing and protest.
Proud Fest 2026 takes place on Saturday 29 August at the Great Northern Warehouse. It is a family-focused festival by Proud 2 b Parents, with live performances, arts and crafts, play activities, community stalls and more. It is free to attend, with donation tickets available.
The LGBTQ+ Tour is on Sunday 30 August at Manchester Art Gallery, a free tour exploring artworks connected to LGBTQ+ history. Music and Memory Pride Celebrations also take place on Sunday 30 August at Manchester Art Gallery, featuring free music, art and community including a dementia-friendly disco with LGBTQ+ DJs, refreshments, a guided tour of LGBTQ+ themed artworks and a sound installation by Vivian Cheung.
Manchester Village Pride 2026: The Community Showcase takes place on Monday 31 August in Sackville Gardens, with reflection, acoustic sets and community voices, and a gathering at the Beacon of Hope to remember those lost to HIV/AIDS.
Manchester Village Pride 2026: Community & Family Day is also on Monday 31 August in the Gay Village, featuring a free Lifestyle & Community Expo with drag story time, face painting, bouncy castles and youth workshops.
