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Manchester Pride Festival announces stage splits for 2023 lineup

This year's lineup is the most inclusive roster of local and international queer talent to date.

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 26th May 2023

Manchester Pride Festival has just announced its day-by-day lineup of artists and events for 2023.

In case you missed it, the UK’s leading LGBTQ+ charity event revealed its highly-anticipated 2023 lineup back in March, and it’s set to be the iconic Festival’s most inclusive roster of local and international queer talent to date.

Undoubtedly back with a bang this summer, and co-created in collaboration with Manchester’s diverse queer communities, Festival organisers say this year’s lineup champions “representation, inclusivity, and community celebration” over the four-day extravaganza.

The legendary Gay Village Party is back, and will light up with performances across three stages – The Village Stage, MancUnity Stage – which is in partnership with Gaydio – and the Alan Turing Stage.

Drag sensation Pabllo Vittar is headlining this year’s Gay Village Party, as is singer-songwriter and Scissor Sisters frontman Jake Shears, RuPaul’s Drag Race UK winner Danny Beard, and a mystery headliner still yet to be announced.

Aside from those headline performances, the four-day August bank holiday weekend Festival also includes a whole host of other special events including Queer Asian Takeover headlined by Gok Wan, Trans Filth & Joy headlined by drag artist BIMINI, Black Pride MCR headlined by Raven Mandella, and the Queer Women’s Takeover headlined by Monki.

Here’s a quick run-down of the official Manchester Pride Festival stage splits for 2023.

Manchester Pride Festival is back for 2023 this August bank holiday weekend / Credit: Manchester Pride

Friday 25 August

Village Stage – Headlined by BIMINI, with additional performances from Tito Bone, Midgitte Bardot, Cyro, The BollyWitch, An0maly, Finley Odin, Darnell, Denon, Xzan, and DJ Jess Rose. 

MancUnity Stage, in partnership with Gaydio – You can expect an evening of “dancing, partying, showing off and feeling good” with Fat Pride, featuring The Niallist, Ivy Profemme, The Fat Britney, Joe Spencer, Miss Lei-Lei, Sam Buttery, and Joanna Cuddle.

Alan Turing Stage – hosted by Donna Trump, with La Discothèque Orchestra, Queeriosity Cabaret, Pecs Drag Kings, The Enby Show featuring Cyro, Flick, and Carrot.

Saturday 26 August

Village Stage – Headlined by Pabllo Vittar, with additional performances from Jodie Harsh, Black Peppa, Monopoly Phonic, Tom Aspaul, Violet Blonde, and Jsky – and a special multi-platinum selling headliner soon to be announced.

MancUnity Stage presents Black Pride MCR, all brought together by Darren Pritchard with headliner Raven Mandella, as well as Swagga, Kele Le Roc, DJ Stacy Bee, DJ NKay, DJ KL, Queens in Kicks, Goodie Magnum, and Dymond.

Alan Turing Stage welcomes the Queer Asian Takeover hosted by Lucky Roy Singh, with headliner DJ Gok Wan, alongside Gracie T, Reeta Loi, The Bitten Peach, Bollyqueer, House of Spice, Club Zindagi and more.

The UK’s leading LGBTQ+ charity event announced its diverse lineup earlier this year / Credit: Manchester Pride

Sunday 27 August

Village Stage – Headlined by Danny Beard and Friends, alongside Jake Shears, Natasha Bedingfield, Lisa Scott-Lee, Cheddar Gorgeous, Barb, Kelly Llorenna (N-Trance), Jonbers Blonde, Bailey J Mills, Lady Bushra, Banksie, The BollyWitch, Lill, and Ginny Lemon’s Dog Show.

MancUnity Stage presents the Queer Women’s Takeover with Monki, Kim Lana, Blasha and Allatt (Meat Free + Frixxxion), Mix-Stress and Friends, SWAGGA featuring DJ Stacy Bee, Queens in Kicks, Freequency3, Club Clam, What She Said, Vanilla, and Fat Camp.

Alan Turing Stage – Cutie-POC Cabaret hosted by Rikki Beadle-Blair, Angie Brown, The Cocoa-Butter Club, NoirTones, and Ghetto Fabulous, as well as Your Manchester hosted by Belinda Scandal.

Monday 28 August

Village Stage – Closing the festival with the Misty Chance and Friends, and Disabled Queer Joy Cabaret.

MancUnity Stage – THE RUNWAY by Banksie, and Firehouse with Dakota Schiffer.

Alan Turing Stage ends the event with Disney Classics performed by The Untold Orchestra.

Day-by-day stage splits for the 2023 Festival have been announced today / Credit: Manchester Pride

Closing the four-day Festival is the Candlelit Vigil with George House Trust, which is a moment of reflection in Sackville Gardens.

As the home of Alan Turing, The National Transgender Memorial, and the Beacon of Hope, the gardens are set to be transformed into a sea of flickering candles to remember and honour those lost to, and stand in solidarity with, those who are living with HIV.

It also provides the space to reflect on and remember those who have been persecuted in the LGBTQ+ community, both here in the UK and around the world.

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Find out more about Manchester Pride Festival 2023 and grab tickets here.

Featured Image – Manchester Pride

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Country star Tyler Childers is coming to town for his biggest Manchester show to date

Danny Jones Danny Jones Tyler Childers Manchester tickets

US country music star Tyler Childers is returning to Manchester for his biggest ever show in this city, and tickets go on sale very soon.

Fresh off the back of his new album, Snipe Hunter – which was only just dropped back in July – the 34-year-old singer-songwriter is riding a fresh wave of excitement after years of hard work within the genre, mixing in plenty of classic bluegrass and folk into his modern take on the classic American sound.

As one of the most-streamed and well-respected contemporary country musicians on the scene right now, the Kentucky-born solo star and understated acoustic guitarist often falls into that category of your favourite artist’s favourite artist.

Now Tyler Childers is coming to our most legendary arena as part of his UK and European tour early next year, and we’ll certainly be queuing online for tickets.

As far as AO Arena shows booked in for the new year go, we’re very excited about this one.

His seventh studio album has been well-received by his die-hard followers and newcomers alike, delivering that same traditional Appalachian storytelling and hard-bitten humour, as well as plenty of attitude and anecdotal idiosyncrasies, not to mention plenty of vocal range as always.

Having not long come back from a pilgrimage to India, Lawrence County king teamed up with legendary producer Rick Rubin (along with some help from Sylvan Esso’s Nick Sanborn) to create one of his most eye-opening, broad and best records yet.

Post-release, the Associated Press went on to label him “one of country music’s most compelling and unpredictable artists”, and we tend to agree.

The LP immediately spawned plenty of fan favourites, and we certainly have ours – and the video has definitely had a hand in it:

It may just be his best work yet.

Experimenting with his current unique take on country rock sound more than ever, you couldn’t ask for a better time to go and see him live.

To quote the words of Rolling Stone magazine, he’s “one of his generation’s most important voices”, and you really should see him live if you can.

Once again, Tyler Childers comes to the AO Arena in Manchester on Sunday, 8 March 2026, with an official pre-sale available via Three+ from 9am on Wednesday, 10 September.

As for general admission, tickets go live at the same time on the following Friday (12 Sep); you can get ready to grab yours HERE.

We don’t know about you, but we’re very much enjoying our country moment at the minute…

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Featured Images — Press shots (supplied)

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Lil Baby cancels entire European tour including Manchester Co-op Live date

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson Lil Baby cancels entire European tour including Manchester Co-op Live date

A major act at Co-op Live has cancelled their gig today, just weeks ahead of their scheduled appearance.

Rapper Lil Baby has called off his entire European tour, which included a massive gig here in Manchester.

Fans have been notified via email that the shows will no longer be going ahead.

The Grammy award-winning artist was set to play the Co-op Live on Friday 26 September as part of his WHAM World Tour.

But Lil Baby will no longer be performing in Manchester – along with cancelled shows in London and across Europe – due to ‘unforeseen circumstances’.

A statement from AXS sent to fans said: “The event organisers have been in touch to let us know that due to unforeseen circumstances, Lil Baby’s performance has now been cancelled.

“We will be automatically refunding your tickets to the method of payment you used to buy your tickets, so you don’t need to do anything further.

“Thank you for your patience and understanding.”

Lil Baby has released four chart-topping albums, with his seminal album My Turn going seven-time Platinum.

Fans have been voicing their dismay at the cancellation of the tour, with one writing on X: “All rappers do is cancel SMH. Lilbaby cancelled tour cba.”

Another wrote: “Why the hell has lil baby cancelled his show.”

Someone on TikTok said: “I woke up to this email now my day is ruined cos Wdymm.”

And someone else posted: “I PURPOSELY TOLD MY PEOPLE NOT GOING ON HOLIDAY FOR MY BDAY BECAUSE LIL BABY PERFORMING IN LONDON ON 27 THE NEXT DAY! FOR HIM TO CANNNNCEEELLLLL 2 WEEKS BEFORE.”

Lil Baby has not yet addressed the cancellation.

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