What's On

Manchester Pride Festival 2022 – line-up, parade, tickets, weather forecast and more

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson - 26th August 2022

One of the biggest and best weekends of the year has arrived in Manchester, as our city prepares for its Pride celebrations.

For the first time since 2019, the hugely popular parade will be back weaving its way through the city’s streets.

There’s been a shift away from the huge-scale live music efforts (which have previously included headliners like Years & Years and Ariana Grande) this year, following consultation with LGBTQ+ communities to refocus.

But that doesn’t mean the party won’t be pumping throughout the August Bank Holiday weekend, back in its spiritual home of the Gay Village.

Here’s what you need to know about Manchester Pride 2022.

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When is Manchester Pride 2022?

This year’s celebrations will kick off on Friday 26 August for four straight days of music, dancing and partying across the city.

The Gay Village party will run right through from Friday 26 to Monday 29 August, as will the Superbia Weekend, Manchester Pride’s alcohol-free, accessible programme of arts and culture.

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On Saturday, the Manchester Pride Parade will be back in town.

Saturday and Sunday will see both Youth Pride MCR and Family Pride MCR offering up events for younger attendees.

Everything will culminate in Sackville Gardens on Monday evening with the beautiful Candlelit Vigil, a moment of reflection and remembrance for those we have lost to HIV/AIDS.

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Music line-up for Manchester Pride 2022

Although the massive Manchester Pride Live event has been called off this year, there’s still going to be plenty of live entertainment in the Gay Village itself.

Headliners this year will include Mel C, Nadine Coyle, and Bimini, across stages including the Alan Turing Stage, the Mancunity Stage, and the Cabaret Stage.

Flick through the gallery below to see the full music line-up for Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Manchester Pride parade

Tens of thousands of LGBTQ+ people and allies will gather on Saturday to march through Manchester, with thousands more turning out to watch the parade.

The theme for 2022’s Parade is March for Peace – a theme that was initially earmarked for 2020’s parade.

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The parade will start at midday and its route will start at the junction of Liverpool Road and Deansgate, then weave along Peter Street, Oxford Road, Portland Street, Princess Street and Whitworth Street, finishing on Fairfield Street.

Families are also invited to pop in to the Arndale before heading out for Pride makeovers – Morphe, Debenhams.com Beauty, and Supercuts will be on hand offering glitter face art, glitter beards, Pride-themed eye makeup, hair braiding and more, in return for a £2 donation towards the Manchester Pride charity.

That’s running opposite Morphe between 12pm and 7pm on 26 and 27 August.

Tickets

Credit: Supplied / GG Photography

Ticket prices for Manchester Pride 2022 are as follows:

  • £32.50 – Gay Village Party – Full weekend
  • £17.50 – Gay Village Party – Friday
  • £27.50 – Gay Village Party – Saturday
  • £27.50 – Gay Village Party – Sunday
  • £2.50 (donation only) – Gay Village Party – Monday
  • £49 – Family day pass – Saturday (4 tickets, up to 2 adults)
  • £40 – Family day pass – Sunday (4 tickets, up to 2 adults)

£2.50 from every ticket will go directly into the Manchester Pride Community Community Fund.

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Tickets are on sale through Ticketmaster.

Superbia

Superbia at Manchester Pride. Credit: Supplied

Superbia is Manchester Pride’s art and culture programme, presented in alcohol-free, accessible spaces.

It’s a chance for a change of pace from the hustle and bustle of the Gay Village.

This year, events include exhibitions, make-up masterclasses, talks, live music, workshops and more.

You can see the full programme at manchesterpride.com/superbia-weekend.

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Fringe events

There’s loads of parties and events happening outside the main bulk of action in the Gay Village.

You can check out our round-up here.

Weather forecast

Good news for Manchester Pride-goers – there’s no rain in the forecast for the August bank holiday weekend.

Instead, we’re looking at four days of sunny spells and warm (ish) temperatures – perfect parade conditions.

Friday is forecast to be 21 degrees and cloudy, while Saturday and Sunday should both hit 22 degrees, according to the Met Office.

Featured image: Supplied

What's On

There’s a HUGE retro vintage and vinyl fair heading to Urmston

Thomas Melia Thomas Melia

A fair dedicated to all things vintage and vinyl is making its way over to Urmston this weekend, packed with lots of unique stalls and vendors.

Whether you’re after another leather jacket to add to your collection or hunting down a rare LP, this event covers all bases.

The ‘So Retro Vintage & Vinyl Fair’ is coming back to Urmston for 2025 and is a must-visit for any fans of vintage clothing, record collectors and anyone after a fun day out in Greater Manchester.

This unique day-long fair is returning to The Venue, one of Urmston’s large event spaces, this weekend.

There’ll be 25 independent traders and shoppers with everything from retro homeware to jewellery and accessories.

Anyone thinking of attending this vintage fair will be greeted with plenty of cute and quirky gift ideas, perfect for yourself or that one friend who is living their best retro lifestyle.

There's a HUGE vintage and vinyl fair heading to Urmston this weekend
Grab a bargain and a snazzy new addition for your wardrobe at Urmston’s vintage fair.
There's a HUGE vintage and vinyl fair heading to Urmston this weekend
Rare pieces and interesting vinyl finds on hand at the vintage fair in Urmston.
Credit: Publicity Pictures (via Supplied)

Alongside the stalls selling vintage goodies this year brings the arrival of all-new craft workshops, where visitors will be able to make and create retro lampshades or a tealight lantern with all materials provided.

These exciting classes will be ran by none other than creative mastermind Sarah from The Gingham Flamingo, a company which sells lots of fascinating handmade fabric garments.

After all that vintage retail therapy, ‘So Retro Vintage & Vinyl Fair’ is treating you to some lovely ways to soak up the atmosphere even more with a vintage bar, street food vendors and barista -style coffee cart.

Michelle Barratt, founder of So Retro Events. “It’s a fantastic opportunity to discover hidden treasure and soak up the retro atmosphere, and we’re very excited to bring interactive workshops to our even for the first time!”

There's a HUGE vintage and vinyl fair heading to Urmston this weekend
There will be plenty of quirky pieces to add to your wardrobe.
There's a HUGE vintage and vinyl fair heading to Urmston this weekend
Lots of friendly faces and unique vintage finds in Urmston this weekend.
Credit: Publicity Pictures (via Supplied)

So if you’re a lover of all things vintage or just fancy a different kind of day out, head over to Urmston this weekend and get ready to step back in time.

Read more:

The ‘So Retro Vintage & Vinyl Fair’ is coming to Urmston on Saturday 26 April from 10am to 3pm and all you have to do is pay a small fee of £2 on the door upon arrival. The workshops are an additional £20.

Featured Image: Publicity Picture (via Supplied)

What's On

Burna Boy at Co-op Live – tickets, times, setlist and more for ‘I Told Them…’ tour

Thomas Melia Thomas Melia

Nigerian superstar Burna Boy is heading to Manchester for one night only, performing all the hits right here at the lovely Co-op Live.

Burna Boy, a.k.a Damini Ebunoluwa Ogulu, has been steadily making a name for himself in the music industry for just over a decade, thanks to the release of his debut LP L.I.F.E back in 2013.

During his time as an artist, he has seen periods of quick-fire growth, with many standout tracks like ‘Last Last’ and ‘We Pray’, as well as a feature on UK rapper Dave’s tune ‘Location’, just to name a few.

Ogulu is a lover of collaborations too. His list of featured tracks is stacked with a roster of UK talents, including R’n’B favourites Jorja Smith and Mahalia, right through to pop powerhouse Ed Sheeran.

His prolific discography – littered with fellow artists and singers known for pushing the envelope – makes perfect sense, as this Nigerian star doesn’t stick to just one genre; instead, his particular brand of music has been dubbed ‘Afro-fusion’.

The contemporary West African icon not only utilises elements of Afrobeats, but he also makes sure to blend R’n’B, hip-hop, dancehall and lots more.

Safe to say we and millions of others around the globe are big fans.

With that in mind, Burna Boy’s latest visit, not just to Manchester but for a Co-op Live debut, is a highly anticipated one. For those of you who are heading to the arena, here’s everything you need to know.

Burna Boy at Co-op Live – all the important info

burna boy co-op live
Credit: Publicity Image (supplied)

Burna Boy UK tour dates

  • Mon 21 April – Manchester, UK – Co-op Live
  • Fri 11 to Sun 13 July – London, UK – Finsbury Park (Wireless Festival)

That’s right, we’re the lucky ones, as not only is Burna Boy’s Manchester gig just one of two UK shows, but it’s also the only headline date this year, as the 33-year-old will be playing Wireless Fest 2025 this summer down in the capital.

Burna Boy tickets for Co-op Live gig

You’ll be glad to hear that the show isn’t quite sold out just yet. Those who are interested in attending Burna Boy’s only UK arena stop on his ‘I Told Them…’ tour can choose from a range of tickets.

The star has options for standing, lower seating and upper seating all on offer ahead of his exclusive arena gig at Co-op Live, starting from £82.05.

Grab your coveted tickets before it’s too late and see for yourself whether you ‘Want It All’ on the front row or prefer ‘Sittin’ On Top Of The World’ – HERE.

In case you need any more convincing, these were the scenes over Paris way…

Burna Boy setlist

There’s no official setlist published, however, these tracks are based on his performance at the Stade de France in the suburb of Saint-Denis last week, as per Setlist-fm:

  • 7 Seconds
  • (Youssou N’Dour cover)
  • Level Up (Twice as Tall)
  • Tested, Approved & Trusted
  • For My Hand
  • On the Low
  • Cheat on Me
  • Big 7
  • On Form
  • Alone
  • Talibans II
  • Location (Dave track)
  • 4 kampé II featuring with Joé Dwèt Filé
  • Laboratoire (WeRenoi cover)
  • Laho featuring Shallipopi)
  • Kilometre
  • City Boys
  • Bundle By Bundle
  • It’s Plenty
  • Update
  • Ye
  • Last Last
You can expect to hear his most recent single for sure.

What are the stage times for Burna Boy in Manchester?

Co-op Live has a strict curfew of 11pm, meaning you’ll be able to stay right to the ‘Last Last’ song of the night without welcoming in the next day.

Doors for the ‘I Told Them…’ tour are scheduled for 6:30pm with a kick-off time of 8pm with no confirmed support act, however, DJ Shayne Given will be taking over the arena’s exclusive ‘Backstage Club’ after the show (tickets are required).

You can purchase both after-party tickets and early access HERE.

How to get to Co-op Live

Tram

For those of you heading to Co-op Live, luckily 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 01:00 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. You also get free Bee Network travel with any valid event ticket.

co-op live gigs 2025
Credit: Audio North

Getting there by car and parking

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 come 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; be advised that the Velopark and Holt Town stops will be closed post-event to help safely manage crowds:

  • Ashton Moss (Ashton line) – 183 spaces and 12 disabled spaces
  • 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.

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Greater Manchester now also offers the option to hire bikes through 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.

burna boy manchester gig info
Credit: Supplied

Read more:

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Image — Press Images (supplied)/The Manc Group

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