Manchester Pride Festival has today revealed the final headliners for 2023’s star-studded LGBTQ+ celebration.
Taking place, as always, over the August bank holiday weekend, the charity has added big names to the existing line-up that includes Jake Shears, Pabllo Vittar, Gok Wan, Danny Beard, Natasha Bedingfield, Lisa Scott-Lee and Jodie Harsh.
Joining them at Manchester Pride Festival will be Alison Goldfrapp and Raven Mandella, plus celebrated drag artist and musician Conchita Wurst.
The celebrations will run across the Gay Village from Friday 25 until Monday 28 August, culminating as always in the candlelit vigil at Sackville Gardens.
Alison Goldfrapp is best-known for her vocals with electronic duo Goldfrapp, whose hits have included Strict Machine, Ooh La La, Ride A White Horse, and Rocket.
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She’ll be performing hot off the success of her debut solo album The Love Intention, and the single So Hard So Hot, on the Saturday of the Manchester Pride Festival.
Joining her on 26 August will be the ‘unapologetically Black and queer’ dancer, drag performer and DJ Raven Mandella, who will headline Black Pride MCR on the MancUnity Stage.
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Raven Mandella. Credit: Publicity pictureAlison Goldfrapp. Credit: Publicity pictureConchita Wurst. Credit: Publicity pictureNew acts have joined the Manchester Pride 2023 line-up
Mandella has performed on stages with Honey Dijon, Groove Armada, Kelly Rowland, and Nile Rodgers, and has become a crowd favourite through his flamboyant performances at Heaven in London, the Ministry of Sound, and Glitterbox.
Conchita Wurst, former Eurovision champion with the song ‘Rise Like A Phoenix’, will join Booking.com in the Manchester Pride Parade before taking to the Village Stage later that night.
Also known as Tom Neuwirth, Conchita became a figurehead of the queer community overnight after that iconic Eurovision win, and has released albums, hosted TV shows, and used his platform to support socio-political causes.
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The Saturday line-up also includes Black Peppa, Jodie Harsh and international drag icon Pabllo Vittar.
This year, a staggering 96% of Manchester Pride performers identify as queer, as the festival continues its dedication to fostering diversity, inclusivity, and community celebration.
🎉 SPECIAL GUESTS ANNOUNCED 🎉
Prepare to be amazed!! We couldn't be more thrilled to reveal our incredible special guests for the Gay Village Party 2023! ⚡️
Joining us this year are the legendary performers Alison Goldfrapp, Conchita Wurst, and Raven Mandella! 🌈
54% of performers are women, 51% being people of colour, more than 42% from trans and non-binary communities and 34% of performers being disabled or neurodivergent.
Mark Fletcher, CEO of Manchester Pride, said: “This year, more than ever, we are thrilled to be presenting such a diverse lineup that truly reflects the vibrancy and diversity of our communities.
“Alison Goldfrapp’s powerful performances, Raven Mandella’s unapologetically queer stage presence and Conchita’s inspiring music and message will undoubtedly make this year’s festival an unforgettable celebration.”
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Tickets for the Gay Village Party are available to purchase through Ticketmaster, and for each ticket sold, £2.50 will be donated to the Manchester Pride Community Fund, which directly supports LGBTQ+ causes and projects in Greater Manchester via grant distribution.
More information about Manchester Pride Festival 2023 and ticket purchasing can be found at www.manchesterpride.com.
Major immersive experience narrated by Sir David Attenborough to open at Chester Zoo
Daisy Jackson
A major immersive experience narrated by Sir David Attenborough is heading north for the first time, with Our Story with David Attenborough set to open at Chester Zoo this autumn.
The acclaimed production will arrive at the zoo on 17 October 2026, making Chester Zoo the first venue outside London to host the full original experience following its hugely successful run at the Natural History Museum.
More than 245,000 people have already experienced Our Story during its London run, which originally opened in June 2025 before being extended following a string of sell-out performances.
Created in collaboration with Sir David Attenborough and award-winning Open Planet Studios, the 50-minute immersive experience takes audiences on a spectacular journey through the four-billion-year story of Earth, alongside the much more recent story of humankind.
Rather than simply watching a film or walking through an exhibition, visitors are surrounded by the story, with extraordinary natural history footage, scientifically accurate animation and 360-degree projections filling walls and floors around them.
The production explores the interconnected stories of people and planet, looking at humanity’s profound impact on Earth while also considering how we can work with nature rather than against it.
Narrated by Sir David, whose lifetime of exploring and documenting the natural world has helped shape the experience, Our Story ends on a message of hope, leaving audiences with the sense that they can play a part in deciding what comes next.
The full original-scale version of the experience will take over Chester Zoo’s former Ape House, marking the first time audiences outside London will be able to experience it in its entirety.
Bringing Our Story to Chester also closely aligns with the zoo’s mission to prevent extinction, as well as its work as a conservation and education charity.
Our Story with David Attenborough is coming to Chester Zoo. Credit: Trustees of the Natural History Museum
Dom Strange, Chief Operating Officer, at Chester Zoo, said: “Our Story is about the biggest story there is – the story of our planet and our place within it.
“That makes Chester Zoo a natural home for this extraordinary experience. We’re hugely excited to bring it to Chester, and particularly proud that we’re the first place outside London where people can experience the full exhibition.
“We want people to leave feeling inspired by the incredible world we’re part of – but also empowered to play their own role in protecting it. That’s at the heart of everything we do at Chester Zoo.”
Open Planet Studios developed Our Story with David Attenborough to immerse audiences in what its creators describe as “the biggest story of all time” – the interconnected story of people and planet.
Our Story with David Attenborough is coming to Chester Zoo. Credit: Trustees of the Natural History Museum
The original experience at the Natural History Museum featured 17 projectors and 50 speakers, combining natural history cinematography, animation, storytelling and an original score by Tony Award- and Olivier Award-nominated composer Nick Powell.
Dr Doug Gurr, Director of the Natural History Museum, said: “Our Story with David Attenborough has been one of the museum’s most successful experiences, immersing audiences in a wonderous exploration into our relationship with planet Earth.
“The museum’s mission is to create advocates for our planet and we and Open Planet Studios are keen to take the experience to as many people as possible. We are delighted that Chester Zoo is joining us on that journey to share this cinematic story with their visitors.”
Our Story with David Attenborough will open at Chester Zoo on 17 October 2026. Tickets are £15 but you’ll need to have a zoo ticket already too – you can find out more HERE.
Chester Zoo’s spectacular light trail returns this winter with a new route and new animals for 2026
Emily Sergeant
Chester Zoo’s popular winter light trail is set to return with a redesigned route and some magical new animals for 2026.
Produced by Chester Zoo in partnership with Sony Music and Culture Creative, Lanterns & Light has become a popular fixture in the region’s festive calendar over the years, and it’s back this winter – transforming the zoo after dark with thousands of festive lights, colour, and wildlife-themed displays.
The 2026 trail has been redesigned with some exciting new installations, including the dazzling Suspended Jellyfish underwater display, a mirrored disco tunnel, a glittering pea-lit canopy, and Floating Feathers.
New for this year too, visitors will also get to encounter parrots, dolphins, and a giant polar bear among an expanded cast of life-sized animal puppets, all brought to life by specialist performers.
More than 140,000 people visited the trail last year, but for the first time ever in 2026, the event will also host two adults-only evenings, one on 19 November and another 8 December – giving grown-ups the chance to enjoy the trail without children.
Alongside the new additions, plenty of much-loved features will return too, including the walk-through Cathedral of Light and atmospheric Fire Garden, as well as the chance to meet Father Christmas in a snowy setting.
Visitors can also enjoy marshmallow fire pits, festive food, and warming drinks, alongside a funfair at the entrance.
But Lanterns & Light isn’t just about Christmas, as every ticket purchased helps fund Chester Zoo’s vital conservation work, supporting projects protecting threatened wildlife and restoring habitats in more than 20 countries around the world.
“Lanterns & Light is a chance to have a brilliant night out, but it also helps us do something much bigger,” explained Gemma Wright, who is the Head of Guest Experience at Chester Zoo.
“Every ticket helps support Chester Zoo’s work to prevent extinction, from protecting threatened wildlife in the places where it lives to caring for and breeding endangered species here at the zoo.
“So, while our visitors are enjoying the lights, puppets and festive atmosphere, they’re helping to give wildlife a brighter future too.”
Daisy Jackson -
2nd August 2023 
