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Manchester Pride confirms the festival will be happening this year

Some more good news

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Manchester Pride has today confirmed the good news that it will be going ahead this year.

Plans for a physical festival to celebrate LGBTQ+ life in Greater Manchester are coming together for the August Bank Holiday weekend.

The charity is planning to hold the Manchester Pride Festival, in partnership with Virgin Atlantic, in its regular spot from Friday August 27th until Monday August 30th. 

On Monday Boris Johnson outlined England’s roadmap out of lockdown, with the plan that live events will be able return this summer. 

But with the pandemic always front of mind, Manchester Pride has revealed that it has alternative exciting plans which can be activated if the proposed dates for the roadmap out of lockdown change.

The four day event, which brings thousands of people to the city centre each year, is set to return for another weekend of campaigning, celebrating and fundraising for LGBTQ+ life, featuring activism, equality, youth and family, arts and culture, community and partying.

The team behind the festival is working towards a programme of events that includes all of the traditional elements, with some tweaks and allowances for the new restrictions as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The biggest difference will be a reduced capacity MCR Pride Live, which in response to audience feedback will be held at a smaller venue to ensure that the event is accessible, safe and viable. 

To ensure the safety and comfort of festival-goers, artists and the Manchester Pride team the event’s capacity will be reduced by 50% – the venue will be revealed later this year.

Manchester Pride Festival 2021 will be made up of:

  • THE GAY VILLAGE PARTY, 27th–30th August 2021
  • MCR PRIDE LIVE, 28th– 29th August 2021
  • MANCHESTER PRIDE PARADE, 28th August 2021
  • THE CANDLELIT VIGIL, 30th August 2021
  • SUPERBIA WEEKEND, 28th- 29th August 2021
  • HUMAN RIGHTS FORUM, 29th August 2021
  • YOUTH PRIDE MCR, 29th August 2021
  • FAMILY PRIDE MCR, 28th August 2021
  • + MORE TO BE ANNOUNCED

Mark Fletcher, CEO of Manchester Pride, said: “Manchester Pride is proud to part of a global Pride movement that celebrates advancements in equality and challenges discrimination faced by LGBTQ+ people. As both a charity and organisers one of the UK’s largest Pride festivals, we had to fight for our survival throughout 2020.

“Having to postpone the Manchester Pride Festival in 2020 was necessary but extremely hard for myself and the team and I am so pleased that we are able to plan for an event in 2021. Naturally there is some uncertainty over what will happen in the coming months but we have to plan now in order to be able to deliver a festival of this scale.

“We are confident that by reducing the capacity of MCR Pride Live we can deliver the event, as long as the government’s plans for vaccinations and reopening of events and hospitality remain on track. With the health and safety of everyone involved our key priority, we remain cautiously optimistic and have plans in place to respond to a number of potential scenarios.

“Whatever happens Manchester Pride will deliver a celebration of LGBTQ+ life in Greater Manchester this August and we will do everything we can to make it a Covid safe, live, in person event across the city. 

“If this just isn’t possible then we will host an alternative, innovative, world class celebration that incorporates socially distanced events and digital elements to ensure that LGBTQ+ people in Greater Manchester can come together to celebrate and ensure that our campaign for greater LGBTQ+ equality continues at this vital time.”

Juha Jarvinen, Chief Commercial Officer at Virgin Atlantic added: “We’re delighted that the Manchester Pride Festival is back for 2021 uniting people to celebrate LGBTQ+ culture. It’s been a difficult year for everyone and we look forward to working with Mark and the team to bring this much-loved festival safely back to the heart of Manchester.

“Virgin Atlantic has long been staunch supporters of LGBTQ+ rights and we strongly believe in making our business as inclusive and welcoming as possible. Although we haven’t been flying as many passengers as we’d like over the last year, we certainly haven’t been sitting still. 

“We are working with Open for Business to show the economic impact that anti-LGBTQ+ laws have on countries around the world and how these laws restrict tourism and limit growth.  In a post-Covid world, as travel and tourism recovers, it’s more important than ever for destinations to be open and welcoming to everyone.  

“It’s an exciting time for us and as travel restrictions relax, we look forward to welcoming people back onboard Virgin Atlantic, flying them safely from Manchester to their favourite destinations including  Orlando, Barbados, New York , Los Angeles, Islamabad and Atlanta.”

Tickets for all events, from Superbia Weekend to Youth Pride MCR, will be released over the next few months so keep your eyes peeled.

For those who bought tickets for the events due to take place in 2020, tickets were automatically rolled over to 2021. 

Should the event be cancelled or rescheduled, all tickets will be automatically rolled over to 2022, and anyone who doesn’t want to roll forward their ticket will have the option for a refund at face value. 

For more information about the festival, head over to the website here.

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What's On

Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds are coming to Manchester this autumn

Make sure you don’t miss tickets for this!

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Nick Cave is heading to the UK for the first time since 2017, and the good news is he’ll be stopping in Manchester.

The Australian rock legend and his band the Bad Seeds will be playing the AO Arena on November 5th, as part of a full European tour.

And in even better news the tour coincides with the release of the band’s 18th studio album, Wild God, which is set to be released on August 30th.

@nickcaveofficial / Instagram


About the tour, Cave said: “I never think about how a record is going to go live, it never, ever occurs to me

“The lyric writing process is way too hard to take ideas like that into consideration. But, when I listen to Wild God now, I think we can really do something epic with these songs live.

“We’re really excited about that – the record just feels like it was made for the stage.”

The Bad Seeds will be supported by art rock band Black Country, New Road throughout their UK tour.

@nickcaveofficial / Instagram


Cave added: “Wild God…there’s no f**king around with this record. When it hits, it hits. It lifts you. It moves you. I love that about it.

“I hope the album has the effect [on listeners] that it’s had on me. It bursts out of the speaker, and I get swept up with it. It’s a complicated record, but it’s also deeply and joyously infectious.

“There is never a masterplan when we make a record. The records rather reflect back the emotional state of the writers and musicians who played them. Listening to this, I don’t know, it seems we’re happy.”

The full UK dates for Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds:


  • 2 November – Leeds, First Direct arena
    3 November – Glasgow, OVO Hydro
    5 November – Manchester, AO Arena
    6 November – Cardiff, Utilita Arena
    8 November – London, The O2
    12 November – Dublin, 3Arena
    15 November – Birmingham, Resorts World Arena

Grab your tickets here

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Music legend Stevie Nicks is coming to Manchester’s Co-op Live this summer 

The legendary singer-songwriter is coming to Manchester this year!

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Co-op Live

Legendary singer-songwriter Stevie Nicks is coming to Manchester’s Co-op Live this summer.

The front woman of the iconic band Fleetwood Mac will take to the stage at the brand new arena – set to open this spring – to the delight of her adoring fans on Tuesday, July 9th.

Nicks will perform in Manchester ahead of her upcoming appearance at BTS in London’s Hyde Park on July 12th.

Co-op Live

Speaking about her upcoming show in London, Nicks said: “Anything that draws me back to London – and therefore to England – fills my heart with joy. And to be able to visit and make music… is always a dream come true…”

Nicks joined Fleetwood Mac in 1975 along with her then partner and fellow Mac band member, Lindsey Buckingham. 

She introduced to the band her distinctive voice, poetic songwriting, and captivating stage presence, winning over the love of audiences worldwide.

Co-op Live

Her impact on Fleetwood Mac’s success during the late 1970s and early 1980s, particularly with the release of the highly acclaimed album Rumours, solidified her as a musical powerhouse. 

This record sold over 40 million copies worldwide, making it the 5th best-selling album of the 1970s and the 9th best-selling album of all time.

Beyond her contributions to Fleetwood Mac, Nicks has had a significant solo career that further cements her enduring influence. 

Co-op Live

Hits including ‘Edge of Seventeen’ and ‘Stand Back’ showcase her versatility and unique style. 

Her ability to transcend musical boundaries, coupled with her trailblazing role as a woman in rock, has inspired generations of artists.

Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with Fleetwood Mac in 1998 and as a solo artist in 2019, Stevie Nicks continues to be celebrated not only for her musical prowess but also as a symbol of resilience and creativity in the ever-evolving musical landscape.

Co-op members will be first in line for tickets at Co-op Live before they go on general sale, including other exclusive benefits – get signed up HERE.

Co-op member presale tickets go live at 12pm on March 20th

General sale tickets go live at 12pm on March 22nd.

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LEGO hosting series of FREE interactive workshops for kids in Greater Manchester

Children will be encouraged to get creative and ‘play unstoppable’

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LEGO & dollyhaul / Flickr

LEGO is set to host a series of FREE interactive workshops in Greater Manchester next month.

From next month, youngsters who love to build things with Lego can take part in the workshops held at the LEGO Toy Shop in Manchester Arndale and LEGO Store at the Trafford Centre, as part of a new campaign aimed at championing and standing up for girls’ creativity.

The LEGO Group wants to encourage kids across Greater Manchester and the rest of the UK to ‘play unstoppable’.

The first in-person ‘Creativity Workshops’ are set to kick start in Greater Manchester for the last two Sundays of April.

The workshops will be held on Sunday April 21st and 28th – with online options available for those who are unable to make it in person.

Aimed at young creators aged 6-12, the workshops are focused on themes such as Entertainment, Space, Imagination and Gaming.

Here, young creators can ‘celebrate their star power’ by building a photo frame to display a picture of an achievement, friends and family, or anything they wish to celebrate. Other builds include a name sign, jewellery stand and more.

dollyhaul / Flickr

Staff at the stores will be on hand to help and guide children as they use their imaginations and build away.

For those children who are unable to make the workshops in-person, there will also be online workshops as part of the ‘Creativity at Home’ series – with the first ones set to be hosted by Strictly’s Dianne Buswell.

These are all about ‘fun and entertainment and decorating your room’ to reflect a piece of you.

The celebrity professional dancer will show children and show families how to create fun LEGO builds to decorate their home with.

Tickets to the workshops are FREE, but make sure to book them in advance on the LEGO as they are expected to be snapped-up fast. For tickets, click HERE.

The online Creativity at Home workshops are available now at www.LEGO.com/Creativity-Workshops.

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