Manchester Pride has confirmed the return of the annual parade this summer after the pandemic forced it to be cancelled two years in a row.
The charity has announced details of the hugely popular event, which this year will be a ‘March for Peace’.
It’s set to take place on Saturday 27 August – the bank holiday weekend – as part of the wider Manchester Pride weekend.
The usual Manchester Pride Live event has been scrapped this year as the charity ‘refocuses its efforts’.
Tens of thousands of LGBTQ+ people and allies gather to walk in the parade every year, as the city streets become awash with colour and celebration.
Thousands more are expected to head out to watch the parade for the first time since 2019.
The March for Peace theme has been chosen to highlight the importance of peace, and work towards a world where all LGBTQ+ people can live and love without prejudice.
Mark Fletcher, CEO at Manchester Pride, said: “In 2020 we had decided to theme the parade as our March for Peace. Sadly the pandemic took hold and we were unable to take to the streets.
“As we look around the world today, this theme has become even more relevant.
“Conflict within and outside of our communities is rife and we are calling on our LGBTQ+ communities and allies around Greater Manchester to join in and support us as we March for Peace.”
Returning after two years, the Manchester Pride Parade will be a feel-good procession that organisers say will ‘wow crowds across Manchester and send the world a big, bright, colourful message that everyone deserves to live and love with peace’.
Mark continued: “LGBTQ+ people have achieved so much in recent history, however, homophobic and transphobic hate crimes have increased in recent years, with many people still facing discrimination because of their identity.
“We are calling on our communities and its allies to come together, embrace differences, and to recognise that everyone deserves the right to be who they are and live their lives in peace.
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“Our Parade message is loud and clear this year: No one is really free unless we are all free, and no one gets left behind.”
Registration is open for organisations to take part in the Parade, with entry categories refreshed in 2022 to enable more LGBTQ+ organisations and groups to participate for free, subsidised by larger organisations to wish to participate.
Manchester Pride is also striving to make its events greener, and so are encouraging groups to register the parade as walking entries rather than floats.
For more information can be found at manchesterpride.com/parade.
Featured image: Supplied
