Manchester Pride will be returning to the city this summer, complete with the legendary parade, a party in the Gay Village, and the annual candlelit vigil.
The LGBTQ+ celebration’s future had been thrown into doubt following the collapse of the Manchester Pride Events Ltd company last year.
But now it’s been announced that the beloved event will return, delivered by a not-for-profit, Community Interest Company with a board of unpaid directors. t
Every pound of profit will go to supporting LGBTQ+ charities, grassroots organisations and community services.
Manchester Village Pride will have the backing of key partners including Manchester City Council, Marketing Manchester, Cityco and Equity, alongside LGBTQ+ organisations, charities and community stakeholders.
ADVERTISEMENT
Plans are now in place for Pride to return over August Bank Holiday weekend again, between Friday 28 and Monday 31 August.
Over four days, Mancs will be able to gather together for the parade, the Village party, and the vigil, plus a vibrant Pride Fringe of arts, culture and nightlife events.
ADVERTISEMENT
Manchester Village Party has received £120,000 from village venues, reflecting the determination of local LGBTQ+ businesses to safeguard Pride and ensure it remains rooted in the community which created it.
Carl Austin-Behan, one of the founding board members and spokesperson for Manchester Village Pride CIC, said: “Manchester Village Pride is built around a simple belief. Pride has a home – and that home is the Village – but Pride belongs to everyone.
“This is a really exciting time for our community. We have a chance to start again. 2026 is a year of rebuilding, reestablishing trust, reconnecting with Pride’s origins and reinforcing the role of the Village as the heart of the celebration.
ADVERTISEMENT
“From 2027 onwards MVP plans to develop a wider programme of citywide activity around Pride.
“Bringing Pride home to the Village is about more than location. It is a commitment to responsibility: paying artists properly, funding community groups, supporting charities, protecting LGBTQ+ heritage – and building a sustainable future for Pride in Manchester.”
Deputy Council Leader Cllr Garry Bridges said: “Pride is vital for Manchester, as a symbol of our welcoming and inclusive city, a chance to celebrate our LGBTQ+ communities and to highlight injustices which still exist.
“The Council have always been clear that Pride must happen this year. Manchester Village Pride came to us with a strong and credible plan which we are happy to support. Who better to organise our city’s Pride than the people who work with our LGBTQ+ communities all year round?”
Rachel Bottomley, Managing Director of the LGBT Foundation, said: “We’re proud to stand alongside Manchester Village Pride as it rebuilds a celebration shaped by and for the community. This renewed focus on community and transparency is an opportunity to ensure LGBTQ+ people across Greater Manchester feel supported, represented, and empowered. We look forward to playing our part in continuing to spread hope and joy, with our Village Angels helping keep people safe over the Manchester Village Pride weekend.”
ADVERTISEMENT
Darren Knight, Chief Executive of George House Trust, said: “George House Trust’s history is built on the passion and determination of Greater Manchester’s LGBTQ+ community. For the last 40 years, the August Bank Holiday weekend in Manchester has been about inclusion, voice and making life better for people! Everyone at George House Trust is proud to stand in solidarity to ensure that for 2026 and beyond, there’s no change in that.Pride has always been, and will always be, for everyone.
“It’s great to see this community response and we hope we see you at the vigil.”
Karen Lockney, Equity’s North West Official said: “Equity is delighted that Manchester Village Pride will be signing an Equity agreement – the first ever UK union agreement for a Pride event. Not only will this guarantee fair pay and professional industry standards for all performers, but it also provides the workers of a Manchester Village Pride with a meaningful dialogue and a say over the terms of their work.
“Pride events fight for the rights of the LGBT+ community and that must include workers’ rights. We hope other Pride organisations will follow Manchester Village Pride’s fantastic example. This is testament to the work of members of Equity’s Drag Network, staff, and Equity members in the Village and our Greater Manchester branch.
“We have consistently called for unionised terms and conditions for Pride, and this positive development will restore the trust of our members in the event. They can be confident they will be paid and treated fairly in future. These are exciting developments, part of giving Manchester the Pride it deserves. An Equity Pride agreement is something for which the city should be truly proud.”
Niall Horan at Co-op Live, Manchester – tickets, times, and more for UK tour
Thomas Melia
Former One Direction member now-soloist Niall Horan is making his return to Co-op Live as part of his UK shows: ‘Dinner Party Live On Tour’.
Known for his work alongside One Direction bandmates Harry, Louis, Liam and Zayn, Horan has since started a solo career and continued to have a large fanbase.
His singles include ‘Nice To Meet Ya’, ‘Heaven’, ‘Drive Safe’ and ‘This Town’ with the latter amassing over 1 billion streams since its release in 2017.
Collaborating with the likes of pop artist Anne-Marie, Myles Smith, Maren Morris, the Irish-born musician’s style fuses both acoustic and country sounds.
Niall’s most recent LP Dinner Party dropped earlier this summer with the album title inspired by his initial encounter with his long-time girlfriend.
Gig guide – Niall Horan at Co-op Live, Manchester
Niall Horan UK tour dates
Tue 22 September – Birmingham, UK – Utilita Arena
Wed 23 September – Newcastle, UK – Utilita Arena
Fri 25 September – Manchester, UK – Co-op Live
Mon 28 September – Glasgow, UK – OVO Hydro
Tue 29 September – Sheffield, UK – Utilita Arena
Fri 2 October – London, UK – The O2
Sat 3 October – London, UK – The O2
Are there any tickets left for Niall Horan at Co-op Live in Manchester?
If you’ve got ‘Slow Hands’ then you better get booking tickets to Niall Horan’s upcoming concert at Co-op Live in Manchester now as they’re selling pretty quickly.
You can find tickets for both seated and standing options starting from £50.75 HERE.
Although the official setlist for Niall Horan’s upcoming Dinner Party Live On Tour is yet to be revealed, here’s the tracklist for his most recent LP of the same name:
Tastes So Good
Dinner Party
Monochromatic
She Gets It From Her Mother
Better Man
Little More Time
Flowers
Boys Are Fun
Fighting Over Nothing
Pretty
Die If I Don’t
End of an Era
What are the stage times for Niall Horan in Manchester?
Doors for Niall Horan open from 6.30pm and expect to fall in love with singer-songwriter flowerovlove who will take to the stage just before.
Co-op Live has a strict curfew of 11pm meaning you have a ‘Little More Time’ to lie in before the clock hits twelve.
How to get to Co-op Live
Tram
For those of you heading to Co-op Live, you’ll be glad to know it’s right next door to a rather famous big blue stadium and its integrated Metrolink stop.
Head along the light blue or orange lines directly to the Etihad Campus or Ashton-under-Lyne, and you can get off the tram literally spitting distance from the arena. You can find the full map HERE.
Trams run frequently on the Ashton-Eccles line to the Etihad stop, with services leaving every six minutes from the city centre and until 1am on Fridays and Saturdays.
Bus
You can find the full list of bus routes HERE, with the one in closest proximity to the venue being the 53 bus, which runs from Cheetham Hill through to Higher Crumpsall, Old Trafford and Pendleton, leaving just a two-minute walk to Co-op Live.
If you’re driving, there is limited parking available at the venue, but this must be pre-booked ahead of time, and there are designated drop-off areas.
The postcode is M11 3DU, and you can follow the signs towards the wider Etihad Campus as you get closer; directions to the adjacent drop-off points will also be signposted.
Keep in mind that congestion on the roads close to the stadium is expected to gather around two hours prior to any event, so if you are travelling on the road, these are the suggested times they provide on event day, though estimates will obviously vary:
Alan Turing Way (both directions): plan an additional 20 minutes into any journey by road.
Hyde Road (eastbound): expect an additional 15 minutes to be added to your journey.
Mancunian Way (westbound): plan for an extra 10 minutes of travel time.
There are also three park-and-ride facilities near Co-op Live, but be advised that the Velopark and Holt Town stops will be closed post-event to help safely manage crowds:
Ashton West (Ashton line) – 184 spaces and 11 disabled spaces
Ladywell (Ashton-Eccles line) – 332 spaces and 22 disabled spaces
Walk/cycle
Lastly, Co-op Live is only a half-hour stroll from Manchester Piccadilly, and you could even walk along the canal all the way to the front door if you fancy taking the scenic route.
Greater Manchester now also offers the option to hire bikes on the Beryl app, with riders able to locate, unlock, get to their destination and then safely lock up the bike all through an easy-to-use app. There are hire points just near the south-west corner of the Etihad Stadium on Ashton New Road.
For more information on all travel options, you can check out the enhanced journey planner.
Featured Images – Publicity Picture (via Supplied)
News
Opening date finally confirmed for new Uniqlo store at the Trafford Centre
Emily Sergeant
Uniqlo is preparing to open its second store in Greater Manchester, and the official launch date has finally been confirmed.
The popular Japanese high street fashion retailer currently operates 24 stores in the UK, with its first British store having opened its doors all the way back in 2001, and its first European flagship store opening on Oxford Street in London in 2007 – but it was revealed earlier this year in April that Manchester was set to get a second helping.
Uniqlo announced that it would be opening its second Greater Manchester inside the Trafford Centre this autumn, following the huge success of its city centre store opening on Market Street in 2019.
The Trafford Centre store is set to make Manchester the first location outside of London to have two Uniqlo stores.
When news broke that the hoardings had officially gone up inside the shopping centre, elated shoppers raced to the comments to say things like: “No way! I’ve been waiting years for this.”
Uniqlo is preparing to open second its Manchester store inside the Trafford Centre next month / Credit: | The Manc Group
“Uniqlo in Trafford Centre would be a dream come true,” another person said on Instagram, while a third added: “I will never have to step foot on Market Street again,” and plenty others chimed in with comments like ‘finally’ and ‘can’t wait’.
And now, we officially have an opening date to share with you.
Uniqlo will open in the Trafford Centre for the first time on Thursday 15 October, with plenty of events happening across its extended opening weekend.
Traditional Japanese Taiko drumming performances will be happening throughout the day on Thursday 15 and Saturday 17 October, while the first 300 customers to spend over £69.90 in store on the Thursday (15 October) will get a special Uniqlo Manchester goody bag.
Uniqlo’s arrival at the Trafford Centre follows the opening of several other high-profile stores in recent months, like Urban Outfitters, White Company, Stradivarius, and many more.
Daisy Jackson -
30th January 2026 
