Who said Pride is supposed to last just one day? This year Manchester is preparing an entertaining line up of events that will take over the city for more than a week. Let’s do this!
Manchester Pride will reach its climax during the August bank holiday weekend (22-25 August); however, it will kick off way earlier with Scene Festival 2025, which will start on the 15th August and will celebrate queer stories on the screen. The festival will run as an official partner event to Manchester Pride, showcasing the best of both new and classic LGBTQ+ cinema and television.
Scene Festival 2025 has got everyone sorted. Gay classics will be shown such as: To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar, Some Like It Hot and The Wizard of Oz. That’s not all, as the festival is a place for new and upcoming filmmakers and storytellers to debut their art to a world that is truly in need of queer stories. Expect previews of brand new features and short films, TV shows, documentaries and more.
Manchester Pride 2025 and Eurovision
Eurovision fans heading to Manchester during the August bank holiday weekend will be excited to hear that Olly Alexander, the UK’s Eurovision 2024 star, will be one of the headliners during the city’s Pride events. British modern-day icon Olly has been in the music scene for over a decade, first rising to fame as the frontman of the iconic Years & Years, which became Olly’s solo project in 2021. The voice behind hits “Dizzy,” “King,” “Desire,” and “If You’re Over Me” recently released a new album, named after the form of slang commonly used by the gay community in Britain prior to the decriminalisation of homosexuality – ‘Polari’. Olly is gracing the stage at Manchester’s Depot Mayfield on Sunday, August 24th.
Another exciting addition to Manchester’s weekend of love celebrations will include a star from the Emerald Island — Samantha Mumba. The singer is most familiar to Eurovision audiences after taking part in this year’s Irish national pre-selection with her song “My Way,”though ultimately lost out to eventual winner Emmy. The early ’00s pop icon will take to the stage on Friday, August 22nd, during the Gay Village Party.
Manchester Pride 2025’s line-up of events
The celebration weekend this year will include a number of established UK artists, including former Little Mix sweetheart Leigh-Anne, UK pop scene diva Tulisa, plus Tony and Emmy Award winning living legend – Billy Porter.
But that’s not all! Strictly Come Dancing winner Tayce, Gok Wan, The Danny Beard Show, Angie Brown, The X Factor UK winner Louisa Johnson are all set to perform throughout the weekend.
If you’re in town for the weekend, Manchester Pride will kick off the bank holiday weekend with a protest. The Rally will bring community members, activists and leaders together to reflect on history, and inspire action. The parade will take place on Saturday and everyone is invited!
The weekend will finish on Monday with a Candlelit Vigil — a moment for LGBTQ+ communities and allies to remember and mourn every beautiful soul that has lost their life due to HIV, and to stand against the persistent stigma that surrounds it.
Manchester Pride is an event for everyone in the city to come and enjoy the feeling of unity, refusal to hide in shame and, simply, to have a great party. Additionally, the invite is not only allocated to Mancunians, but everyone around the UK and the world. Manchester Pride 2025 is special — 40 years ago Manchester City Council awarded a £1,700 grant to put on a two-week celebration, the event that would eventually become Manchester Pride.
Fast forward to the summer of 1991, the Village Charity established Manchester Mardi Gras, where £15,000 was raised for HIV and AIDS causes during the celebrations. Manchester Pride had many names, starting with the most iconic Mardi Gras (‘The Carnival of Fun’), it was known as ‘Gayfest’ between 2000 and 2001. In 2007, Manchester Pride became a registered charity. As one of the leading LGBTQ+ charities in the UK, the organisation aims to fight against homophobia, biphobia and transphobia.
As one of the major UK Pride events, it has been showing love to Eurovision artists for years. Last year Loreen was the headline act for the event alongside Jessie J and other UK stars. Eurovision royalty Conchita Wurst performed at Manchester Pride 2014, following the spectacular drag queen’s win in Copenhagen. Conchita came back to headline Manchester Pride in 2023.
Buy tickets for Manchester Pride Festival 2025
Tickets for Manchester Pride Festival 2025 can be purchased via the Manchester Pride website.
Are you excited for this year’s Manchester Pride? Which artists are you looking forward to seeing? Let us know in the comments below.
