Manchester Village Pride, one of the city's most anticipated cultural events, is now three days in and has not disappointed. Thousands turned out for the magical parade despite the rain, embracing this year's theme of 'No Place Like Home', a nod to the Wizard of Oz.
Alongside Dorothy, the Tin Man, the Cowardly Lion and the Scarecrow spotted among parade-goers, there were touching tributes to the late Dolly Parton, alongside hundreds of LGBTQ+ organisations, activists and allies.
Esther Ghey's Powerful Speech
One of the most poignant moments came from Brianna Ghey's mother, Esther, who on Saturday afternoon delivered a powerful and emotional speech on the Manchester Village Pride stage, telling crowds to 'remember her and to keep saying her name'.
Esther, from Warrington, appeared on stage on Saturday afternoon (August 29) to talk about her daughter's legacy and the work she has done since her tragic death three years ago. She told the crowd: "Our children cannot flourish on the love of one person alone. They need schools where they feel safe, communities where they are welcomed, and adults who listen."
Esther Ghey was one of the Inspirational Speakers to take to the stage during this year's event, with the aim of uniting the community with the reasons behind the Pride celebration. Russell T Davies, Ali & Adam, footballer Joshua Cavallo, and Hollyoaks actress Annie Wallace will also deliver speeches over the weekend.
New Leadership and Performances
While this year's Pride celebrations may look similar, taking place in and around the Gay Village, there has been a big change. The company behind Manchester Pride for the last few years went into voluntary liquidation last October after bosses said the event was no longer financially viable, citing rising costs and lower ticket sales. A new Community Interest Company (CIC) was set up to protect the event's future, with the support of the many venues and bars that make up the Gay Village. All profits raised will be split towards five core LGBTQ+ charities and organisations.
On Friday night, Danny Beard and B*Witched performed on the main stage, which was kicked off by DJ Mario Kyriacou, who played hits from Lady Gaga, Geri Halliwell and Kylie Minogue. The main stage also featured a powerful performance from Lola Lasagne as they de-dragged in front of their audience in a song challenging masculinity, followed by a lively house set from Freemasons & Katherine Ellis.
Saturday's live performances included Cleopatra, who delivered their own 90s girl band anthems as well as a 'Cleopatra Karaoke' session featuring renditions of Spice Girls, So Solid Crew and even Oasis. Gareth Gates brought four of his friends for a Boybands In The Buff show, which headed into Magic Mike territory at times. During their rendition of Blue's All Rise, shirts were lifted just teasingly as the chorus was sung before N*Sync's Pop saw them all dress down to just their boxers.
Sunday's Line-Up
On Sunday (August 30), the celebrations continue with big performances from music stars like Cascada and Kate Nash, as well as the likes of Manchester legends including DJ Paulette, Misty Chance, Misha B, and more.
