Manchester Pride Festival has today revealed the final headliners for 2023’s star-studded LGBTQ+ celebration.
Taking place, as always, over the August bank holiday weekend, the charity has added big names to the existing line-up that includes Jake Shears, Pabllo Vittar, Gok Wan, Danny Beard, Natasha Bedingfield, Lisa Scott-Lee and Jodie Harsh.
Joining them at Manchester Pride Festival will be Alison Goldfrapp and Raven Mandella, plus celebrated drag artist and musician Conchita Wurst.
The celebrations will run across the Gay Village from Friday 25 until Monday 28 August, culminating as always in the candlelit vigil at Sackville Gardens.
Alison Goldfrapp is best-known for her vocals with electronic duo Goldfrapp, whose hits have included Strict Machine, Ooh La La, Ride A White Horse, and Rocket.
She’ll be performing hot off the success of her debut solo album The Love Intention, and the single So Hard So Hot, on the Saturday of the Manchester Pride Festival.
Joining her on 26 August will be the ‘unapologetically Black and queer’ dancer, drag performer and DJ Raven Mandella, who will headline Black Pride MCR on the MancUnity Stage.
Raven Mandella. Credit: Publicity pictureAlison Goldfrapp. Credit: Publicity pictureConchita Wurst. Credit: Publicity pictureNew acts have joined the Manchester Pride 2023 line-up
Mandella has performed on stages with Honey Dijon, Groove Armada, Kelly Rowland, and Nile Rodgers, and has become a crowd favourite through his flamboyant performances at Heaven in London, the Ministry of Sound, and Glitterbox.
Conchita Wurst, former Eurovision champion with the song ‘Rise Like A Phoenix’, will join Booking.com in the Manchester Pride Parade before taking to the Village Stage later that night.
Also known as Tom Neuwirth, Conchita became a figurehead of the queer community overnight after that iconic Eurovision win, and has released albums, hosted TV shows, and used his platform to support socio-political causes.
The Saturday line-up also includes Black Peppa, Jodie Harsh and international drag icon Pabllo Vittar.
This year, a staggering 96% of Manchester Pride performers identify as queer, as the festival continues its dedication to fostering diversity, inclusivity, and community celebration.
🎉 SPECIAL GUESTS ANNOUNCED 🎉
Prepare to be amazed!! We couldn't be more thrilled to reveal our incredible special guests for the Gay Village Party 2023! ⚡️
Joining us this year are the legendary performers Alison Goldfrapp, Conchita Wurst, and Raven Mandella! 🌈
54% of performers are women, 51% being people of colour, more than 42% from trans and non-binary communities and 34% of performers being disabled or neurodivergent.
Mark Fletcher, CEO of Manchester Pride, said: “This year, more than ever, we are thrilled to be presenting such a diverse lineup that truly reflects the vibrancy and diversity of our communities.
“Alison Goldfrapp’s powerful performances, Raven Mandella’s unapologetically queer stage presence and Conchita’s inspiring music and message will undoubtedly make this year’s festival an unforgettable celebration.”
Tickets for the Gay Village Party are available to purchase through Ticketmaster, and for each ticket sold, £2.50 will be donated to the Manchester Pride Community Fund, which directly supports LGBTQ+ causes and projects in Greater Manchester via grant distribution.
More information about Manchester Pride Festival 2023 and ticket purchasing can be found at www.manchesterpride.com.
There’s a World Gravy Wrestling Championship near Greater Manchester
Thomas Melia
Just on the outskirts of Greater Manchester, there’s a country pub set in a rural village that hosts a world gravy wrestling championship.
Leave it to us northerners to organise a world gravy wrestling championship because let’s face it, there’s nothing more northern than plummeting yourself into bucket loads of gravy.
At The Rose ‘N’ Bowl in the village of Stacksteads, it’s not just their meals they’re drenching in the brown nectar; they drench any willing guest in this beige saucy goodness too as part of the World Gravy Wrestling Championships.
Here’s a little taster from nearly a decade ago.
Participants are expected to wrestle in the gravy for two minutes, with the winner being judged not only on their play-fighting skills but also on their choice of fancy dress, comedy effect and entertainment.
Past wrestlers have rocked up as zebras, racehorse jockeys and famous TV characters like Ali G and Mickey Mouse.
Each wrestler is encouraged to raise money on behalf of a charity of their choice, but if you don’t have one, donations will be sent to East Lancashire Hospice, which has helped people countywide suffering from life-limiting illness for the past 30 years.
The World Gravy Wrestling Championships have been held outside this very pub for over a decade, with the first ever event taking place at a car park in Wigan before it found a permanent home outside The Rose ‘N’ Bowl.
And if swimming in a pool of gravy isn’t for you, don’t fret because there’s a handful of sauce-free activities you can get involved with spread throughout the pub’s car park.
Fret not, past events have included bouncy castles, cheerleading performances, craft beer stalls, cake and tombola stands and even a BB gun shooting range that are all completely gravy-free.
There will even be help from a local fire brigade who will be on hand to wash down wrestlers in between their gravy-filled tournament, so they can wander round all the stalls too.
The 2025 World Gravy Wrestling Championships are coming to The Rose ‘N’ Bowl in Stacksteads on 25 August, with tickets available in person only, but plenty of information about the event HERE.
If you’re after signing up to be one of the wrestlers at this event, applications are still open and you can get stuck in with all the details you need HERE.
And if that wasn’t enough Northern food competitive action, we’ll catch you at the World Black Pudding Hurling Championships, innabit.
Manchester’s wine festival dedicated to all things rosé is back by popular demand this summer
Emily Sergeant
Nothing says Saturdays in summer quite like sipping on a chilled glass of wine in the garden.
It’s a simple pleasure but not one that’s always possible for those who live in the city centre, or aren’t lucky enough to have some outside space of their own where they live… but luckily, Manchester’s very-own wine festival dedicated to all things rosé is back by popular demand next month, and it’s set to be a sparkling summer celebration.
The Beeswing’s Rosé Festival will be returning to the gardens of the stunning canalside Kampus neighbourhood, offering an afternoon of pink-hued indulgence, live music, and good vibes under the Manchester sun.
The Rosé Festival invites wine lovers to sip their way through more than 20 rosé and sparkling wines, from crisp Provençe pours to playful pét-nats.
All wines are handpicked by The Beeswing team, alongside some of their favourite wine suppliers.
Festivalgoers can meet the experts behind the bottles on offer, enjoy exclusive event-only discounts on orders placed during the afternoon, and discover some new favourites along the way.
Some of the festival’s participating partners and pourers include Boutinot Wines, Raymond Reynolds Portuguese Wines, Graft Wine Company, and Alliance Wines – with the lineup showcasing a diverse and delicious range of styles, meaning there’s something for everyone to enjoy.
Manchester’s popular Rose Festival is returning this summer / Credit: The Beeswing | Corina Rainer (via Unsplash)
There’ll also he live music from singer Lucy Hope to listen to while you’re sipping on your rosés, creating a laid-back mini festival atmosphere.
The Beeswing’s Rosé Festival takes over the leafy Kampus Gardens on Saturday 9 August, from 1pm through to 3pm.
Tickets are now on sale at £30 per person, which includes all wine tastings, so not matter whether you’re a rosé aficionado or you’re just wine-curious, this is a summer Saturday not to be missed.
Daisy Jackson -
2nd August 2023 
