Featuring after-hours science exhibitions, fusion cuisine string concerts, a dazzling choice of parties and, yes, bottomless brunches hosted by legendary drag queens, Manchester’s Pride Weekend offers a world of entertainment beyond the main parade in celebration of the local LGBTQ+ community.
Here are some of the best alternative pride events going on around the city.
Billed as a triumphantly unapologetic space ‘for every heart to celebrate freely’ this Pride, Ducie Street Warehouse’s four-day programme kicks off with Feel Good Club’s inclusive, cathartic and irresistible Friday night rave, featuring sets from Crop Radio’s Monoko, Meme Gold, Aiden Francis b2b Fastlove, DJ Kizzi and headliner Darkstepper.
On Saturday, Ducie and the famous Micky’s Sandwich host an exclusive brunch party, before the Lounge transforms into ‘Dance To Your Own Pride’ from 5pm until 11pm, featuring LGBTQIA+ DJs from across the city.
Across both Sunday and Monday, the wildly popular All-Day Brunch delivers feel-good community dining to round off a weekend of unrivalled Pride celebrations.
Click below for more info.
Promising a sophisticated celebration of timeless Pride anthems ahead of the Bank Holiday festivities, opulent Asian-fusion dining restaurant Grand Pacific hosts a memorable four-course meal set to two hours of breathtaking musical renditions by electro-acoustic instrumentalists String Infusion, who cover a sonic history of defiant, empowering songs from ABBA, Beyonce and others.
Tickets are priced at £60pp. Book yours below.
On Sat 24 Aug, The Great Northern hosts a free and fully inclusive event in celebration of Family Pride. Families with children of all ages can enjoy a fabulous view of the main parade while taking part in a dazzling variety of activities, co-curated by Proud 2 B Parents in support of LGBTQ+ parents and carers. This year’s distinctly Mancunian theme, ‘Buzzin’ to be Queer – A Hive of Progress’, recognises the unity and resolve of the local queer community, reflecting on the incredible work of groups around the city and major steps taken to expand and secure inclusivity for all.
Click below for the full schedule.
Taking place on the eve of Pride, the Science and Industry Museum’s special After Hours Pride event celebrates inclusivity and representation in science with a diverse programme of adults-only activities, demonstrations, performances and talks from LGBTQ+ professionals in STEM.
Guests are invited to experience the power of authentic spoken experiences as LGBTQ+ professionals in STEM share their journeys, while Heard Storytelling hosts a lineup of unique live performances alongside the inspirational audio-visual exhibition, PROUD.
There will also be an opportunity to contribute to a community craft project inspired by the museum’s textiles collection and the colourful traditions of the LGBTQ+ social movement. Visitors can lend their creativity to a bespoke banner that will be proudly carried by the Science and Industry Museum team during the Manchester Pride parade.
A pop-up bar will be selling a range of wines, beer and non-alcoholic drinks throughout the evening.
Find out more and book tickets below.
From 12pm on Pride Sunday, Spinningfields’ hottest new seafood haunt Sexy Fish stages an extravagant sushi-laden Drag Brunch featuring unlimited maki, sashimi, nigiri and more, with a complimentary cocktail followed by free-flowing drinks and show-stopping performances from RuPaul’s Drag Race UK stars Krystal Versace and Jonbers Blonde.
Packages begin from £58 per person. Find out more below.
Manchester’s world-famous indie retail emporium throws another bumper bank holiday Pride weekender from Sat 24 Aug, with all five floors dedicated to pre-parade parties and queer-inclusive joy.
Free to enter from 10-12pm on Saturday and 11am-1pm on Sunday, the full-force extravaganza features a Pride & Polished pop-up makeup station, giant mirror selfies at American Graffiti, a ‘Shake Your Sequins’ dance session on the first floor and even ‘Pride Pap’ photographers in the Oldham Street arcade.
Elsewhere, visitors can shop at the UK’s Largest LGBTQ+ store, Gay Pride, before sampling a selection of vegan Pride specials at Desert Island Dumplings. Soul Cherry are on hand with exclusive handmade Pride jewellery, while Crazy Pedro’s joins the fun with a bottomless brunch on the Sunday.
Find out more via the Afflecks socials below.
Whether it’s an unforgettable Pride city break or a lavish pre-party drinks reception, the Hyatt Regency marks the August Bank Holiday with an array of room offers and dining discounts for overnight guests and daytime visitors.
Book a Weekend Rooms Package for Pride and get 20% off with a later checkout time of 2pm. Once settled in, you can kick off the evening in style with 2 cocktails for £10 in the Graduate Bar from 3-5pm, as well as 2-for-1 appetisers every day and the perfect Pride hangover cure with 2-for-1 pizzas on Mondays.
Book your package below.
Billed as ‘four nights of untamed energy, fierce fashion and dancefloor magic’, MAYA presents a riotous Pride programme from Thu 22 – Sun 25 Aug inspired by the bacchanalian mayhem of Studio 54.
On Thursday, CASHMERE celebrates the trans icons who shaped Manchester’s world-famous nightlife, with a sparkling cavalcade of music and live performances hosted by Angel Pinks and Kynn De Lynn.
Kicking off Pride Weekend proper on Friday, GUESTLIST stages the official afterparty for the city’s most glamorous runway show, curated by RuPaul’s Drag Race UK star Banksie and Drag SOS legend Lill.
Saturday channels the timeless spirit of NYC’s epochal nightclub with Disco Dance Extreme, a triumphant evening of floor-filling 70s classics which guarantees high-energy dancing until 4am.
On Sun 26 Aug, MAYA rounds off its Pride programme with CAVALCADE, a psychedelic dive into fetish and fantasy packed with daring performances, latex-clad dancers, fire-breathing and more in an unapologetic distillation of nightlife itself.
Promising a fresh twist on traditional Pride pageantry, Diecast’s weekend schedule adds a gleefully off-kilter spin to the usual brunch-and-club fare, beginning with a Friday night electronic dance party in Club Leno led by Lil Miss Jacke and a cohort of celebrated DJs.
The following afternoon, the Brooklyn Beer Hall welcomes the return of the infamous Battle Royale Brunch, where Drag Race meets Bottomless (meets Gladiators), hosted by the soulful Sam Buttery. Performers face off over rounds for crowd approval, with prizes on hand for the participants and the ‘pride’ of victory for the eventual queen of of the voices.
On Sunday, the Ghetto Fabulous takeover platforms the best of Manchester’s queer talent with a dazzling display of fashion, dance and music.
- Words:
- Wolf McFarlane
- Published on:
- Fri 16 Aug 2024
Developed and hosted in collaboration with Manchester’s LGBTQIA+ community, Kampus’ three-day Pride weekender returns with a sparkling lineup of family-friendly entertainment, street soirees, live music, exclusive culinary creations and the return of its iconic Love Party.
Head down on the Friday evening for a soul-infused garden DJ session hosted by vocalist, composer and producer Private Joy, aka Pops Roberts, before stopping by the Pollen x Born to be Wild Child Pride family crafting session on Saturday morning. From 2pm, Kampus’ beloved pay-what-you-can Love Party transforms the garden into a miniature festival opposite Canal Street, with DJ sets from Thom DockinG, local icons Kiss Me Again and many more, alongside a variety of live performances and a camp flag procession.
On Sunday morning, the Pop Up Market Co and Family Crafting Pride Special hosts an eclectic array of local queer makers, traders and artisans selling everything from fresh food, handmade ceramics and prints to homewares, jewellery and unique accessories. From 6pm, the Red Light Street Party promises a free closing bash for the ages with late-night music and endless cocktails in a vibrant, queer-inclusive atmosphere.
Click below for the full programme.