We’re less than five months away from Manchester Pride 2023 and as one of the biggest annual events in the UK, let alone the city, there’s a huge programme of events and activities on the cards.
Kicking off on Friday, 25 August, the celebrations are set to last the entire bank holiday, with the party not rounding off until Monday, 28 August.
We don’t need to tell you how special Pride is in Manchester but, whilst we’re here: the annual celebration of LGBTQ+ life not only brings people from all walks of life together to have fun, demonstrate and champion individuality and community, but it also won the award for ‘Best Large Festival’ last year.
Now, for Manchester Pride Festival 2023, there are six wonderful events that are all absolutely free to attend, however, the ticketed Gay Village Party around Canal Street is back as always and passes go on sale this Wednesday at 12pm. It promises to the bigger and better than ever.
Canal Street is the centre of the universe, especially during the Manchester Pride Festival.
A space for all members of the LGBTQ+ family to come together, the Gay Village Party is the heart of the legendary annual festival. The four-day street party will see a whole host of performances by artists and performers from the community, with non-stop music, dancing and all-round good vibes.
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Whilst the rest of the festival at large is free to enjoy at your leisure, tickets are required to enter the Gay Village Party performances in and around Canal Street.
You can purchase either day or weekend-long passes tickets, with all events scheduled on Monday 28 August free to attend, not to mention, low-income tickets, family packages and VIP options available.
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Better still, £2.50 from every ticket will be donated to the Manchester Pride Community Fund, with the money going directly to LGBTQ+ causes and projects around Greater Manchester through the distribution of grants. You love to see it.
Credit: Supplied
Ticket options and prices include:
Weekend: £37.50
Friday ticket: £21.00
Saturday ticket: £31.00
Sunday ticket: £31.00
Monday ticket: Free plus £2.50 donation
Diamond VIP (weekend): £182.50
Gold VIP (weekend): £122.50
To ensure the Manchester Pride Festival is accessible and inclusive in the midst of a cost of living crisis, more low-income packages have been made available as well:
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Weekend: £20.00
Friday ticket: £11.75
Saturday ticket: £16.75
Sunday ticket: £16.75
Manchester Pride 2023 free events programme
As for the rest of this year’s Pride Festival, you can access various different events for absolutely nothing and, always with the people behind this wonderful occasion, there’s plenty to be enjoyed.
Manchester Pride Parade
The main event: Manchester‘s biggest parade will be returning to the city centre on Saturday, 26 August, with the LGBTQ+ community and its allies marching for equality in front of thousands of spectators.
Superbia Weekend
You’ve also got ‘Superbia’, Manchester Pride’s year-round arts and culture programme, which offers a culturally rich alternative to other elements of the festival, creating space for all with a series of alcohol-free events and spotlighting new work from LGBTQ+ performers.
Human Rights Forum
Taking place on Friday 25 August, the Human Rights Forum will bring together prominent activists and thought leaders to discuss the challenges that continue to face LGBTQ+ communities today, and what we as individuals can do to bring about political and social change.
Family Pride MCR
It’s never too soon to start celebrating pride. Family Pride MCR provides a safe and inclusive space for people of all ages, ally or otherwise, to enjoy Pride celebrations, with a special programme of events designed for little ones.
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Youth Pride MCR
A safe and nourishing space for young people to experience Pride in a way designed just for them, Youth Pride MCR is a free event specially curated for those aged 14-18 fusing fashion, music, art, performance and creativity. Manchester Pride is the only UK Pride event to have a dedicated space for young people.
Candlelit Vigil
Last but not least, there is the Candlelit Vigil, which is the culmination of Manchester Pride, closing the four-day Festival on Monday 28 August with an ever-important moment of reflection in Sackville Gardens.
The home of Alan Turing, The National Transgender Memorial and the Beacon of Hope, the gardens are transformed into a sea of flickering candles to remember and honour those who we have lost to HIV, as well as those discriminated and persecuted against for being part of the LGBTQ+ community, both here Manchester, the UK and, indeed, all around the world.
If you’ve ever come across Manchester Pride before, you’ll know that it isn’t just a Manc event; people travel from all over the country and even the globe to experience this legendary festival.
Pride 2023 is set to be an absolute belter as always and whether you’re coming along for the free events or wanting hoping to be part of the iconic Gay Village Party, you’re guaranteed to have a great time.
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Once again, tickets for the Manchester Pride Festival 2023’s Gay Village Party go live at 12pm tomorrow (Wednesday, 8 March) and can be purchased through Ticketmaster.
Strictly Come Dancing Live to return to Manchester as part of 2027 UK tour
Emily Sergeant
Strictly Come Dancing Live is set to return in 2027 for a spectacular new UK arena tour.
Hot on the heels of last weekend’s dazzling launch show for the 2026 BBC series, audiences are invited to get their dancing shoes on and their ’10’ paddles at the ready, as a new lineup of celebrities and professionals will be taking to the dancefloor for 29 shows across the country – including three shows in Manchester.
Head judge Shirley Ballas will be hitting the road, alongside fellow judges Anton Du Beke and Craig Revel Horwood, with Janette Manrara also presenting.
Directed by Craig Revel Horwood himself, Strictly Come Dancing Live takes the magic of the BBC TV show and turns it up to another level.
Expect jaw-dropping group dances, breathtaking routines, stunning costumes, and live music from the legendary Strictly band and singers, all brought together in a first-class arena production.
As always with the Strictly Live Tour, there is one very important decision to be made at every show – which couple will lift the Glitterball Trophy?
And that decision is not in the hands of the judges. The judges are there to critique and provide their invaluable opinions on each dance routine, but they do not hold the power, as this lies with the audience instead, who can vote using their mobile phones to decide who is the winner.
Strictly Come Dancing Live is returning to Manchester as part of its 2027 UK tour / Credit: Supplied
The tour kicks off at Birmingham’s Utilita Arena on 22 January for the first of five shows, and will then cha-cha-cha its way across the UK, visiting other major northern cities like Sheffield, Newcastle, Liverpool, and Leeds, before arriving in Manchester at the start of February.
Strictly Come Dancing Live will take to the AO Arena stage on Saturday 6 and Sunday 7 February 2027, with two shows happening on the Saturday.
Tickets officially go on sale this week, with venue pre-sales beginning at 10am on Thursday 24 September, before general sale starts on Friday (25 September), also at 10am.
Niall Horan at Co-op Live, Manchester – tickets, times, and more for UK tour
Thomas Melia
Former One Direction member now-soloist Niall Horan is making his return to Co-op Live as part of his UK shows: ‘Dinner Party Live On Tour’.
Known for his work alongside One Direction bandmates Harry, Louis, Liam and Zayn, Horan has since started a solo career and continued to have a large fanbase.
His singles include ‘Nice To Meet Ya’, ‘Heaven’, ‘Drive Safe’ and ‘This Town’ with the latter amassing over 1 billion streams since its release in 2017.
Collaborating with the likes of pop artist Anne-Marie, Myles Smith, Maren Morris, the Irish-born musician’s style fuses both acoustic and country sounds.
Niall’s most recent LP Dinner Party dropped earlier this summer with the album title inspired by his initial encounter with his long-time girlfriend.
Gig guide – Niall Horan at Co-op Live, Manchester
Niall Horan UK tour dates
Tue 22 September – Birmingham, UK – Utilita Arena
Wed 23 September – Newcastle, UK – Utilita Arena
Fri 25 September – Manchester, UK – Co-op Live
Mon 28 September – Glasgow, UK – OVO Hydro
Tue 29 September – Sheffield, UK – Utilita Arena
Fri 2 October – London, UK – The O2
Sat 3 October – London, UK – The O2
Are there any tickets left for Niall Horan at Co-op Live in Manchester?
If you’ve got ‘Slow Hands’ then you better get booking tickets to Niall Horan’s upcoming concert at Co-op Live in Manchester now as they’re selling pretty quickly.
You can find tickets for both seated and standing options starting from £50.75 HERE.
Although the official setlist for Niall Horan’s upcoming Dinner Party Live On Tour is yet to be revealed, here’s the tracklist for his most recent LP of the same name:
Tastes So Good
Dinner Party
Monochromatic
She Gets It From Her Mother
Better Man
Little More Time
Flowers
Boys Are Fun
Fighting Over Nothing
Pretty
Die If I Don’t
End of an Era
What are the stage times for Niall Horan in Manchester?
Doors for Niall Horan open from 6.30pm and expect to fall in love with singer-songwriter flowerovlove who will take to the stage just before.
Co-op Live has a strict curfew of 11pm meaning you have a ‘Little More Time’ to lie in before the clock hits twelve.
How to get to Co-op Live
Tram
For those of you heading to Co-op Live, you’ll be glad to know it’s right next door to a rather famous big blue stadium and its integrated Metrolink stop.
Head along the light blue or orange lines directly to the Etihad Campus or Ashton-under-Lyne, and you can get off the tram literally spitting distance from the arena. You can find the full map HERE.
Trams run frequently on the Ashton-Eccles line to the Etihad stop, with services leaving every six minutes from the city centre and until 1am on Fridays and Saturdays.
Bus
You can find the full list of bus routes HERE, with the one in closest proximity to the venue being the 53 bus, which runs from Cheetham Hill through to Higher Crumpsall, Old Trafford and Pendleton, leaving just a two-minute walk to Co-op Live.
If you’re driving, there is limited parking available at the venue, but this must be pre-booked ahead of time, and there are designated drop-off areas.
The postcode is M11 3DU, and you can follow the signs towards the wider Etihad Campus as you get closer; directions to the adjacent drop-off points will also be signposted.
Keep in mind that congestion on the roads close to the stadium is expected to gather around two hours prior to any event, so if you are travelling on the road, these are the suggested times they provide on event day, though estimates will obviously vary:
Alan Turing Way (both directions): plan an additional 20 minutes into any journey by road.
Hyde Road (eastbound): expect an additional 15 minutes to be added to your journey.
Mancunian Way (westbound): plan for an extra 10 minutes of travel time.
There are also three park-and-ride facilities near Co-op Live, but be advised that the Velopark and Holt Town stops will be closed post-event to help safely manage crowds:
Ashton West (Ashton line) – 184 spaces and 11 disabled spaces
Ladywell (Ashton-Eccles line) – 332 spaces and 22 disabled spaces
Walk/cycle
Lastly, Co-op Live is only a half-hour stroll from Manchester Piccadilly, and you could even walk along the canal all the way to the front door if you fancy taking the scenic route.
Greater Manchester now also offers the option to hire bikes on the Beryl app, with riders able to locate, unlock, get to their destination and then safely lock up the bike all through an easy-to-use app. There are hire points just near the south-west corner of the Etihad Stadium on Ashton New Road.
For more information on all travel options, you can check out the enhanced journey planner.
Danny Jones -
7th March 2023 
