Manchester Pride is planning to go ahead in 2021, organisers have confirmed.
The LGBTQ+ festival – which historically takes over the city for a whole weekend every summer – had its 2020 edition cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
But following the government announcement that most COVID regulations could be lifted by June 21, Manchester Pride representatives said they are “doing everything they can” to ensure the event returns this summer.
The festival, held in partnership with Virgin Atlantic, is scheduled to take place in the Gay Village and surrounding areas – running for four days from August 27 – 30 (Friday to Monday).
The programme will include “all of the traditional elements”, albeit MCR Pride Live will have a 50% smaller capacity.
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Manchester Pride Festival 2021 will include:
THE GAY VILLAGE PARTY, 27 – 30 August 2021
MCR PRIDE LIVE, 28 – 29 August 2021
MANCHESTER PRIDE PARADE, 28 August 2021
THE CANDLELIT VIGIL, 30 August 2021
SUPERBIA WEEKEND, 28 – 29 August 2021
HUMAN RIGHTS FORUM, 29 August 2021
YOUTH PRIDE MCR, 29 August 2021
FAMILY PRIDE MCR, 28 August 2021
🌈MANCHESTER PRIDE FESTIVAL 2021!🌈
We’re delighted to announce our plans to host our world-class Manchester Pride Festival over the August Bank Holiday Weekend 2021.
Mark Fletcher, CEO of Manchester Pride, said the postponement of the festival in 2020 was “necessary but extremely hard”, and expressed his joy at being able to plan for a new edition.
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“Naturally there is some uncertainty over what will happen in the coming months but we have to plan now in order to be able to deliver a festival of this scale,” he admitted.
“We are confident that by reducing the capacity of MCR Pride Live we can deliver the event, as long as the government’s plans for vaccinations and reopening of events and hospitality remain on track. With the health and safety of everyone involved our key priority, we remain cautiously optimistic and have plans in place to respond to a number of potential scenarios.”
The CEO stated the team will attempt to make Pride a Covid-safe, live, and in-person event that sprawls across the city.
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“If this just isn’t possible then we will host an alternative, innovative, world class celebration that incorporates socially distanced events and digital elements to ensure that LGBTQ+ people in Greater Manchester can come together to celebrate and ensure that our campaign for greater LGBTQ+ equality continues at this vital time,” Fletcher added.
Tickets for all events, from Superbia Weekend to Youth Pride MCR, will be released over the coming months.
Tickets for 2020 events have been automatically rolled over to 2021.
Man jailed following series of ‘violent’ knife attacks in Wigan town centre last summer
Emily Sergeant
A man has been sentenced this week following a series of ‘violent’ knife attacks in Wigan town centre last summer.
Charles McMurray, of Satchel Close in Wigan, appeared at Bolton Crown Court yesterday where he pleaded guilty to multiple counts of Section 18 wounding with intent, threatening a person with a bladed article, and threats to kill following a distressing incident in Wigan town centre last summer.
The court heard that McMurray arrived on Wallgate at around 6:33am on 9 August 2025 before entering a taxi office, where he stabbed two men without warning.
The victims fled, and McMurray pursued them towards the town centre.
McMurray then went on to threaten a passer‑by at Wigan bus station and held a knife to the man’s stomach. A short time later, he located the injured victims on Standishgate and assaulted one of them again. Following that assault, he chased after another member of the public with the knife shouting that he was going to kill him.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) officers arrived shortly after 6:50am and found McMurray in possession of the knife, before he was subsequently quickly arrested at the scene.
McMurray has now been sentenced to nine years and nine months behind bars, which police say is a ‘testament to the brave victims’ who gave their accounts.
Speaking following McMurray’s sentencing this week, Detective Constable Harris from Wigan CID, who led the investigation, said: “This was an entirely unprovoked attack which left multiple victims requiring hospital treatment. McMurray is a dangerous and violent offender who is now safely behind bars.
“Knives have no place on our streets, and we hope today’s sentence shows just how seriously we take knife crime. Our communities should feel safe where they live and work, and we are committed to tackling knife crime to ensure no family has to face their loved ones being harmed.
“It is a testament to the brave victims who not only endured this attack but had the courage to provide detailed accounts together with the impact this has had on them, that we have been able to ensure McMurray has been brought to justice.”
Featured Image – GMP
News
Family pay tribute to father-of-two killed in Rochdale plane crash
Daisy Jackson
The family of a man killed in a light aircraft crash in Rochdale have paid tribute to a ‘deeply loving father and devoted husband’.
36-year-old Arian Abbasi was one of two men killed when an aircraft crashed into farmland in Littleborough in Rochdale last week, after travelling from Birmingham.
Emergency services rushed to the scene shortly after 11am on Tuesday 3 February, but sadly pronounced both men dead at the scene.
It’s believed there was no one else on board the aircraft, and there were no reported injuries on the ground.
Now, Arian’s family have issued a moving tribute to him. He was a pilot from Harrow in Greater London.
They described him as being a ‘deeply loving’ family man, whose passion was flying.
He was about to embark on a new chapter with a commercial airline in just a few weeks’ time.
His family said: “He lived his life for his family and friends, giving them his constant love, strength, and support.
“Flying was his passion, and he was on the brink of beginning an exciting new chapter with a commercial airline on 23 February; a dream he had worked toward with immense pride and determination.”
GMP investigations are now focused on finding part of the parachute system which contains propellant and hasn’t yet been located.
Finding the device has been ‘very difficult’ due to the nature of the terrain and the wide area over which it may have travelled.
It measures approximately 10 cm in diameter and 30 cm long and has a red anodised finish. It weighs less than 2 kg. It may have a silver metal collar attached at one end.
GMP said: “Please do not handle the device if you see it. If discovered, contact the police immediately via 101 or our Live Chat at gmp.police.uk, quoting log 1056 of 03/02/26.”
The Manc -
26th February 2021 
