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Manchester Pride Festival headliner Bimini pulls out of LGBTQ+ celebration

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson - 2nd August 2024

Bimini, one of the headliners of this year’s Manchester Pride Festival, has pulled out of performing due to the event’s main headline sponsor.

The drag artist, who placed as runner-up on RuPaul’s Drag Race UK, said in a statement this week that they ‘cannot in good conscience perform at this year’s event’.

Bimini wrote that the ‘tough decision’ had been taken because of Manchester Pride Festival’s headline sponsor Booking.com, which is alleged to have profited from the occupation of Palestine (it’s been reported that the platform had listings in the Occupied Palestinian Territory between March 2021 and May 2023).

They said in their statement that ‘as an artist and activist, I stand for justice and accountability’.

Bimini is a familiar and popular face at Manchester Pride, having also nabbed a triumphant headline spot last year.

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The line-up for Manchester Pride 2024 also includes Sugababes, Jessie J, Eurovision star Loreen, Rita Ora, Katy B and Keala Settle, alongside a staggering list of LGBTQ+ performers and talent.

Bimini is the fourth artist to pull out of this year’s huge celebration, with BollyWitch, Felix Mufti and Dan Chan also refusing to perform for similar reasons relating to the event’s headline sponsor.

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Booking.com has said it’s ‘incredibly disappointed’ to head that Bimini has pulled out of Manchester Pride Festival.

Manchester Pride, the charity behind the huge August bank holiday festival, added that it ‘respects and understands’ Bimini’s decision and added that it continues to ‘engage in meaningful dialogue’ with Booking.com.

Bimini said in their statement: “After careful consideration, l’ve made the tough decision to withdraw from headlining the Friday night at Manchester Pride this year. This choice is not taken lightly; I deeply value the Manchester community and the celebration of love and diversity that Pride represents.

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“However, after learning of allegations against one of the event’s sponsors, Booking.com, I have decided I cannot in good conscience perform at this year’s event.

“Booking.com list vacation homes in disputed territories and has been blacklisted by the United Nations Human Rights Council as a company that has human rights violations concerns.

“As an artist and activist, I stand for justice and accountability. Bimini”

BIMINI. Credit: Publicity picture
BIMINI. Credit: Publicity picture

A spokesperson from Booking.com said: “We are of course incredibly disappointed, but we continue to engage with Manchester Pride on this topic to help understand the context behind our position.

“We firmly believe that it is up to travellers to decide where they want and need to go. Our role is to ensure that people can make an informed decision that’s right for them, and that includes accurately labelling listings in areas that are disputed or affected by conflict.

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“We also remain steadfast in our commitment to making travel easier for everyone, regardless of who you love or how you identify, and to our many partnerships with organisations like Manchester Pride that share in that inclusive vision.”

In a statement shared with the Manchester Evening News, David McGovern, the Chair of Trustees at Manchester Pride, said: “We respect and understand Bimini’s decision to withdraw from the Manchester Pride Festival. Manchester Pride has always valued the principles of freedom and liberation, and we honour each individual’s right to protest in their own way.

“The team at Manchester Pride stands in solidarity with all those suffering from the devastating war in Gaza and all the innocent people subjected to violence in Palestine and Israel. At our core, we value liberation and believe nobody’s free until everybody’s free.

Bimini's statement in full as artist pulls out of Manchester Pride. Credit: Instagram, @biminibabes
Bimini’s statement in full as artist pulls out of Manchester Pride. Credit: Instagram, @biminibabes

“After extensive discussions with Booking.com to understand their stance and actions regarding accommodation listings in occupied territory, we are continuing to engage in meaningful dialogue with them and our other sponsors.”

David also explained that, as a charity, Manchester Pride must utilise commercial revenue streams to fund their vital events, community work, and other charity objectives.

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He continued: “Manchester Pride and the LGBTQ+ community have a long, proud history of protest. We fully recognise, respect and support any artist’s decision to perform or not perform at the Manchester Pride Festival and we continue to stand by, facilitate and champion our communities’ right to protest.

“We are a listening charity, we continuously engage with our communities to ensure our programme of activities and grant-making meets the needs and priorities of intersectional LGBTQ+ people living in Greater Manchester. We continue to consult with our artists and communities to be able to provide authentic, meaningful support in the run-up to our vital celebration of LGBTQ+ life.”

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Featured image: Supplied

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Salford Pride’s popular Pink Picnic returns this summer with ‘iconic’ headliners

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

Boney M, The Cheeky Girls, and Ru Paul’s Drag Race UK stars are all on the lineup at Salford Pride’s popular Pink Picnic this summer.

As this summer marks 15 years of Pride in Salford, Salford Pride has announced a whole host of exciting events to celebrate – including the return of The Pink Picnic, its biggest family-friendly celebration yet, with headliners like 90s and 00s music icons, community talent, and even a ‘bigger and bolder’ Youth Zone for 2026.

Returning to Peel Park once again, The Pink Picnic brings together LGBTQ+ community, allies, families and friends for a day built around community, joy, and belonging.

For 2026, Salford Pride is expanding the experience further with even more to do across the park than ever before.

The Pink Picnic has been part of Salford’s Pride story since 2011, but this year’s 15th anniversary addition is set to be one for the history books, as alongside a headline lineup featuring Boney M, RuPaul’s Drag Race UK’s Kyran Thrax and Paige Three, The Cheeky Girls, Big Brovaz, Booty Luv, and Baby D, a strong programme of community acts will also be spotlighted.

Some of the exceptional community acts already named on the lineup so far include Tallulah Guard, Fear of Marko, and John Tucker.

Across the day, visitors can also shop from dozens of community stalls and market traders, take part in or watch the much-loved annual dog show, and visit the ‘bigger and bolder’ Youth Zone that’s designed to help young people feel seen and celebrated.

“Celebrating 15 years of Pride in Salford feels really special, and we wanted 2026 to feel like a proper thank you to the community that’s built this with us” said Scott Turzański, who is the Head of Marketing and Brand at Salford Pride.

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“The Pink Picnic is a family event – it’s welcoming, it’s joyful, and it’s about making space for everyone.”

The Pink Picnic returns to Peel Park in Salford next month on Saturday 13 June, and you can find out more and book tickets online here.

Featured Image – Salford Pride (via Facebook)

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Manchester’s Science and Industry Museum unveils programme of FREE family fun for half term

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

Little Mancs can climb aboard a miniature train and set off on a journey of discovery at the Science and Industry Museum this half term.

As schools across Greater Manchester break up for half term at the end of this week, and parents and carers gear up to entertain the little ones, the Science and Industry Museum has, thankfully, just announced a wide range of events and activities especially for the holidays – with many activities free to get involved in.

The popular cultural hub in the heart of Manchester city centre is promising visitors a May half term full of hands-on experiences designed to spark curiosity, creativity, and imagination.

The main event, which is kicking off this weekend (Saturday 23 May), invites families to ‘explore the playful side of power’.

From climbing aboard a miniature steam railway and taking part in interactive engineering sessions, to seeing steam-powered traction engines, live demonstrations, and performances inspired by the sounds of industrial Manchester, visitors will be transported back in time to play the role of passenger.

Almost 200 years ago, this was the site of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway – the world’s first inter-city passenger railway – and May half term will bring this story to life again, as families take a ride around part of the museum’s newly reopened outside space.

Hosted by Little British Rail, rides are priced at £4 (with those under one-year-old going free) and can be booked in advance by visiting the museum’s website here.

The Science and Industry Museum has unveiled its programme of free family fun for the half term / Credit: Science Museum Group

Expert Explainers will be on-hand throughout the half term hosting Curiosity Stops, so you can discover how water becomes steam, see what powers a piston, and explore how our bodies mirror the mechanics of machines.

The final weekend of the holiday (5-7 June) will also see members of Urmston & District Model Engineering Society steaming onto site with its early 20th century Fowler Showman’s traction engine and Foden steam wagon.

Elsewhere at the museum over the half term, you can take a look around the historic Power Hall: The Andrew Law Gallery, which has recently reopened to the public, and you can take part in interactive workshops with Manchester-based percussion group, Drumroots – giving visitors the chance to experiment with rhythm, movement, and music inspired by the sounds of historic steam engines.

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And, of course, half term is the perfect chance to go on out-of-this-world adventure across the Solar System and visit the new Horrible Science: Cosmic Chaos exhibition, if you haven’t already. Or visit the ultimate gaming experience, Power Up, instead during its extended holiday opening hours.

For the full programme of daily events throughout half term, and to book tickets for difference experiences in advance, head to the Science and Industry Museum website here.

Featured Image – Science Museum Group

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