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Manchester Pride Festival returns for 2023 and tickets are on sale now
Manchester Pride 2023 is back for August Bank Holiday Weekend!
The Manchester Pride Festival is returning for 2023 and tickets are now on sale for the hugely anticipated event.
The city’s Pride — which brings thousands of people onto the streets of Manchester in unity each year to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community — has revealed its huge programme of events and activities. The festival will kick off on Friday August 25th with celebrations rounding off on Monday 28th — that’s one hell of a Bank Holiday weekend!
Manchester Pride is part of a global Pride movement celebrating LGTBQ+ people and challenging discrimination. It is made up of several fringe events, providing opportunities to advocate for LGBTQ+ equality, engage families and young people, and celebrate queer arts and culture. Events include:
Manchester Pride Parade
The city’s biggest parade will be returning to the streets of Manchester city centre on Saturday 26th, with the LGBTQ+ community and its allies marching for equality in front of thousands of spectators.
Gay Village Party
A space for all members of the LGBTQ+ family to come together, the Gay Village Party is the heart of the festival and a real celebration of LGBTQ+ life. The four day street party will see a whole host of performances from LGBTQ+ artists and performers. Tickets are required to enter the Gay Village Party performances.
Candlelit Vigil
The Candlelit Vigil is the culmination of Manchester Pride, closing the four day Festival on Monday 28th with a moment of reflection in Sackville Gardens. The home of Alan Turing, The National Transgender Memorial and the Beacon of Hope, the gardens are transformed into a sea of flickering candles to remember and honour those who we have lost to HIV and those who have been persecuted in the LGBTQ+ community, both here in the UK and around the world.
Superbia Weekend
Superbia, Manchester Pride’s year-round arts and culture programme, offers a culturally rich alternative to other elements of the festival, creating space for all with a series of alcohol free events and premiers of new work from LGBTQ+ performers.
Human Rights Forum
Taking place on Friday 25th, the Human Rights Forum will bring together prominent activists and thought leaders to discuss the challenges that continue to face LGBTQ+ communities today, and what we as individuals can do to bring about political and social change.
Family Pride MCR
Family Pride MCR provides a safe and inclusive space for people of all ages to enjoy Pride celebrations, with a special programme of events designed for little ones.
Youth Pride MCR
A safe and nourishing space for young people to experience Pride in a way designed just for them, Youth Pride MCR is a free event specially curated for those aged 14-18 fusing fashion, music, art, performance and creativity. Manchester Pride is the only UK Pride event to have a dedicated space for young people.
Mark Fletcher, CEO of Manchester Pride, said: “We’re delighted to announce the return of Manchester Pride Festival 2023 with an exciting schedule of events and our partnership with Booking.com.
“We know how important it is to make the festival as accessible as possible, which is why six out of the seven events are free to attend. £2.50 from each ticket sale goes directly to the Manchester Pride Community Fund, details of which can be found on our website.”
Day tickets and weekend tickets are available, with all events scheduled on Monday August 28th free to attend — and low income, family tickets, and VIP options also available.
A donation of £2.50 from every ticket will go to the Manchester Pride Community Fund, with the money going directly to LGBTQ+ causes and projects in Greater Manchester through the distribution of grants.
To book a ticket go to the Ticketmaster website.
What's On
Hawksmoor creates ultimate steak sandwich for huge Manchester barbecue event
Can’t wait for this!
Live From The Grill is returning in 2024 for a third year, bringing with it next level barbecue food, drinks, live music and DJs.
Deansgate Square will once again host a weekend of BBQs from some of Manchester’s best restaurants, including Hawksmoor, who will be serving up the ultimate steak sandwich.
Also serving up some top scran will be Knight’s Caribbean BBQ, Japanese robata by Kitten, Food Sorcery Cookery School, and Chit ‘n’ Chaat with Indian street food.
Manchester’s Finest Group
Plus, there’s £3.50 pints all day and other drinks deals exclusively for Manchester’s Finest subscribers – so make sure you get signed up.
The free event is taking place on Saturday August 31st and Sunday September 1st, down at one of the city centre’s most exciting new neighbourhoods, New Jackson.
Both Saturday and Sunday’s day-long parties are free to attend with tickets. Saturday will feature Rinse.FM residents Habitat, DJ G2 & Friends, soulful drum and bass from Rare Groove, and Manchester’s longest-running club night, Funkademia.
Manchester’s Finest Group
Sunday is curated by Gigpig and is all about the bands, including rising jazz superstar Kemani Anderson, electro-soul singer Yemi Bolatiwa, 60s and 70s-inspired blues duo Corduroy Moustache, singer-songwriters Ruby J and Grace Kelly, as well as a set from DJ Lenny.
Live From The Grill 2024 is happening at Deansgate Square, New Jackson, M15 4TN, from 12pm till 8pm both days.
Tickets are free, grab them here.
What's On
Manchester’s biggest after work drinks with FREE pints happening this week
Get yourself down!
What promises to be Manchester’s biggest after work drinks is happening this week, and you can head down for a pint on us.
Manchester’s Finest is serving up complimentary drinks at a secret location in town, and you’re invited to enjoy an after work drink on the house.
This is in collaboration with the new ChinChin app, which helps you organise nights out with your mates.
Manchester’s Finest Group
The massive after work social is happening this week, on Thursday August 15th.
Simply head to the secret location from 5.30pm to enjoy one of 400 pints being given away – choose from Amstel, Inch’s cider or a soft drink.
The fastest and easiest way to make plans with friends, download the ChinChin app to find out where to head and join in the fun.
Manchester’s Finest Group
To secure your invite (and free pint), create your ChinChin account, click the link to let us know you’re coming, and head to the secret spot – which will be revealed on the app.
And if that’s not enough, ChinChin will also throw in £5 Uber credit for attendees to safely get home too – redeem it when you first check-in on ChinChin.
Please drink responsibly.
What's On
The North’s best street food is coming to Manchester this weekend
The best street food is coming to Manchester
The British Street Food Awards Northern heats are coming to Freight Island this weekend, bringing with it some of the region’s best street food.
Part of the largest street food competition in the world, the free event arrives in the city this summer this weekend, August 17th and 18th.
The Northern champion will be selected by a panel of judges: Matty White, known for his work on Manchester’s Finest and Steph’s Packed Lunch, Luke Payne, chef at The Pack Horse in Hayfield, and British Street Food Awards founder and food journalist Richard Johnson.
Hello Oriental
The participating traders have now been released, along with their taster dishes which are all available at £6.50, as well as an additional ‘killer dish’.
You can sample Caribbean food from Back-a-yard Jamaican, Baldy’s artisan pies, Burgerism, Colombo Street’s Sri Lankan street food, and Asian fusion from Fuku, and Hello Oriental.
There’s Greek classics from Mega Gyros, Mia’s Arepas, Pattersons fried chicken, Indian street food from Payal, Rio-Mex’s fusion of Brazilian and Mexican street food, and BBQ from Smoking Coal.
British Street Food Awards
Don’t miss traditional Malaysian cuisine from Syiok-Lah, That Ziki’s Greek street food with a modern twist, and Zapp, who are bringing traditional Polish street food.
Past winners of the prestigious award include MEATliquor, Wingmans and BAO. The winner of this year’s competition will head to London for the UK finals in September.
And in even better news, you can head down yourself and try all of the North’s best street food over the weekend.
Colombo Street
You can also have your say in the People’s Choice award, with the winners of both announced on August 18th.
The awards coincide with Freight’s summer of top tier – and free – music programming too, with Alexis Taylor from Hot Chip headlining Sunday’s line-up, alongside the Body Heat DJs.
Grab your free tickets here.
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Hawksmoor creates ultimate steak sandwich for huge Manchester barbecue event
Manchester’s biggest after work drinks with FREE pints happening this week
The North’s best street food is coming to Manchester this weekend
