It’s been touch and go whether Manchester Pride weekend would go ahead this year. But with the lifting of restrictions and the mass roll out the vaccine programme we can safely say it’s game onby now.
Despite the annual Pride parade becoming another victim of COVID-19 after being cancelled down to safety concerns, the city has still got us covered with a range of other events starting as soon as Wednesday to really get us in the Pride mood.
So, if you’re not heading to the official Manchester Pride Live festival down at Homeground or are keen to experience Pride outside of the village this year, here is our hefty roundup of music events happening across the city centre.
Escape to Freight Island
Escape to Freight Island are set to embark on a five day Pride extravaganza. Image credit: Escape to Freight Island.
Really making the most of the weekend is Escape to Freight Island which is kicking off its Pride celebrations from Wednesday 25 August.
Across a whopping five days, the popular al fresco dining and drinking hotspot is putting on a full jam-packed programme of music, DJs, live performances, drag shows and more to coincide with Manchester Pride Festival.
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Renowned UK party starters High Hoops will be opening the show on the Wednesday. Expect to hear the signature disco, acid, psychedelic house and electro sounds that High Hoops are known for.
Then the funky vibes will continue into weekend from Friday with a takeover from Manchester collective Rebecca Never Becky who are all about championing emerging and LGBTQ+ artists.
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Whilst on Saturday, the soul, reggae and afrobeat sounds of the So Flute DJs will switch things up, before Katbrownsugar and special guests take control.
Freight Island’s very own Amuse Bouche will take over on Sunday as well. Hosted by Mix-Stress, the day will see a whole load more DJs followed by a special drag show courtesy of Performance is Power.
Escape to Freight Island | 25 – 30 August | 11 Baring St, Manchester M1 2PZ
‘Something For Everyone’ at Ducie Street Warehouse
Also kicking Pride off early at Native Manchester on 26 August is the ‘Something For Everyone’ event presented by Ducie Street Warehouse.
There’s a whole five-day programme in place. It’ll be packed with performers, artists, live music and DJs in what will be Ducie Street’s first Pride Weekend event.
Mix-Stress and Friends will take care of the music on the Thursday, followed by four days of parties curated by Kiss Me Again, with takeovers from some familiar LGBTQ+ collectives.
Marking the midway point in the festivities on Saturday will be Manchester’s own Gina Breeze, Luke Solomon and Krysko who will expertly soundtrack the evening with their years-worth of DJing experience.
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Ducie Street Warehouse | 26 – 30 August | 51 Ducie Street, Manchester, M1 2TP
The Refuge’s Come As You Are Weekender
The Refuge’s Come As You Are event has become a Pride weekend institution. Credit: The Refuge
The Refuge’s annual ‘Come As You Are’ event is not to be missed – and this year the weekender is back and bigger than ever.
The venue’s stunning spaces will be opened up for a three-day and three-night spectacular from Friday to Sunday.
Local legend DJ Paulette, Abigail Ward, Queer Latifah and Jamie Bull will provide all your house and disco mixes and everything in between across the weekend.
It’s all free and walk-in only too so no need book tickets, just get yourself down there.
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The Refuge | 27 – 30 August | Oxford St, Manchester M60 7HA
Feel Good Club
Northern Quarter café and bar, Feel Good Club, have announced their own plans for the weekend, too.
Kicking things off on Thursday will be the launch of their monthly LOUDER music residency. It’ll focus purely on celebrating LGBTQ+ musicians making Pride the perfect time to launch the series. The inaugural evening will be in collaboration with Incantation Records, and will see SOFT LAD, The Elephant Trees and HUSK with The KTNA headlining.
Other Feel Good Club highlights across the weekend include a rebrand of their greenhouse to ‘Queen House’, which will become a safe space to meet and chat with likeminded individuals. And on Sunday afternoon, get some Pride pre-drinking in from 12pm-4pm.
Feel Good Club | 26 – 29 August | 26-28 Hilton St, Manchester M1 2EH
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Cottonopolis
There’ll be music, food and dancing at Cottonopolis all weekend. Credit: Cottonopolis
It’s full-on party mode at Cottonopolis this bank holiday. From Friday to Monday there’s is something different going on each day.
Music highlights include live DJs, bongos and live sax players as they dust off the disco ball and transform the venue into a glittering extravaganza on Saturday.
All the music and festivities will be accompanied by some cracking Japanese-inspired food, including a drag brunch, dining experiences, bottomless booze options and all of those famous Cottonopolis small plates and more.
Square One | 28 August | Cakebread Street, M12 6HF | 2pm-11pm
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Garden Party at Afflecks
There’s even more fun to be had at Afflecks, too.
With a nod to the original Pride parade theme for this year, Manchester’s iconic emporium will be hosting their very own ‘Garden of Freedom’ party celebration in its place on Saturday 28 August.
The whole building will be looking the part, adorned in heaps of glitter, decorations and all things garden party.
Meanwhile inside, drag DJs and queens will be roaming the venue for our entertainment throughout the day.
Afflecks | 28 August | 52 Church St, Manchester M4 1PW | 10am-6pm
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StreamGM and The Manc have teamed up to show some serious love and support to the region’s renowned theatres, nightclubs, and live-music venues with the launch of SeeGM – a digital campaign to shine a bright spotlight on many of the amazing events, club nights, gigs and shows in our region.
The best Oktoberfest events in Manchester where you can drink steins, toss pretzels, and dance on tables
Daisy Jackson
September is the month where beer fever grips Europe, as the annual Oktoberfest celebrations get underway in Germany.
The tradition has spilled way beyond its native Bavaria in recent years, and cities across the world host their own Oktoberfest celebrations – including Manchester, naturally.
As you might expect, our city’s own Bavarian Bier Palace, Albert’s Schloss, is going big on the festivities for the coming weeks.
But there are plenty of other venues throwing open their doors, pouring steins, and getting the bratwursts going.
Here are some of the best Oktoberfest celebrations in Manchester for 2026.
Albert’s Schloss
Manchester Bavarian bier palace Albert’s Schloss will pull out all the stops for Oktoberfest. Credit: Supplied
Oktoberfest is back at Albert’s Schloss Manchester, and it’s bigger than ever.
From 19 September to 25 October, the Bier Palace will serve up five weeks of, Bavarian feasting, live entertainment, and Munich’s Big Six biers – the only venue in only venue in Manchester pouring all six official Oktoberfest biers.
You can also dig in to a proper Bavarian feast with Schweinshaxe, currywurst, paprika roasted half chicken and new slow cooked beef goulash.
No ticket is required, so grab a stein and join the celebrations.
Freight Island
Freight Island’s huge Oktoberfest celebration is back in Manchester
This one will be Manchester’s biggest Oktoberfest celebration, inspired by the world’s biggest beer festival.
Taking place over a whopping eight days from 1-4 October, and 8-11 October, Freight Island will feature great beer, and entertainment including live music, comedy, drag performances, DJs, and immersive entertainment.
As for drinks there’ll be Paulaner Oktoberfest, Hacker-Pschorr Gold and Steigl Grapefruit on the menu, alongside party kegs and specialty cocktails.
And on each Sunday, children can enjoy arts and crafts, shadow puppet making and a Brothers Grimm-inspired trail.
Society Manchester’s Oktoberfest includes a menu of Bavarian specials from their food traders. Credit: The Manc Group / Supplied
The Manchester food hall with a seriously impressive beer range will be ranging a stein this September, transforming its waterside venue into a Bavarian-inspired celebration.
There’ll be live performances from The Bavarian Trumps, who’ll be bringing oompah beats from classic Bavarian tunes to pop favourites with a German twist.
Society’s many food traders will all be putting their on spin on Oktoberfest classics, like a bratwurst bao dog, a pretzel special burger, and loaded currywurst hash browns.
Everything will kick off on 24 September, with your £10 deposit for a table including a stein of one of Society’s exclusive Oktoberfest specials.
Lawn Club
Lawn Club will host an Oktoberfest bottomless brunch in Manchester. Credit: Supplied
When Oktoberfest and bottomless brunch collides, it could only be Lawn Club.
The Spinningfields venue will be getting into the spirit of the Bavarian celebrations with a month-long menu of food and drink specials like frankfurters, currywurst-loaded fries, a German pulled pork bun, and giant pretzels.
The Oktoberfest-themed bottomless brunch features one main and one side dish, plus 90 minutes of themed entertainment and bottomless drinks, where guests are encouraged to dance on the tables.
Council announces return of FREE firework displays in Manchester parks
Emily Sergeant
The skies over Manchester will light up once again, as free firework displays are set to return to several of the city’s parks.
You may remember that major fireworks events throughout the city had been paused following the COVID-19 pandemic, due to funding challenges, with Manchester City Council choosing to invest in a range of other community-focused events across throughout the autumn season instead, rather than one-off firework celebrations.
But now, once this November rolls around, all of that is set to change.
That’s because, on Saturday 7 November, free fireworks events will return to Heaton Park, Wythenshawe Park, and Platt Fields Park.
First up, there will be a reduced-noise, low-impact display at 5pm for families and SEND audiences, and a main fireworks display then to follow a little later at 8pm.
The Council has announced the return of free firework displays in Manchester parks / Credit: Unsplash
Each of the three parks will host lantern making workshops in the weeks leading up to the events too, with family-friendly lantern parades taking place ahead of the 8pm firework shows.
The Council says that the return of the free fireworks events reflects residents’ recent feedback about what they want to see in their community and how they want funding to be distributed.
“It’s a chance, at the start of the shorter days and beginning of the dark winter months, to come together and resume a much-loved annual tradition as well as enjoying an evening of safe entertainment and spectacular fireworks displays,” Manchester City Council said in a statement.
Councillor Basat Sheikh, who is the Executive Member for Neighbourhoods, added: “We are delighted to announce and welcome the return of our much-loved fireworks celebrations.
It’s the first time they’ve returned since the COVID-19 pandemic / Credit: Elisha Terada (via Unsplash)
“Our parks should be shared spaces that create opportunities for Manchester people to gather, which is why bringing back the fireworks displays was top of our agenda. And we also recognise the importance of community which is why we will also continue to invest in a wide range of activities in our parks throughout the year.
“The return of these events is a wonderful opportunity for families and communities to create lasting memories and enjoy the long-standing tradition of fireworks in our parks in a safe way.”
Hannah Starkie -
24th August 2021 
