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)
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
Trafford Centre to host FREE family science weekend with robots, dinosaurs, experiments, and more
Emily Sergeant
A new science festival is coming to Manchester next month, and little ones can meet robots, dinosaurs, and more.
Families are invited to enjoy a free fun-filled weekend full of different interactive and hands-on science activities, as FunLab takes over the Trafford Centre early next month to mark the launch of British Science Week – which runs from Friday 6 through to Sunday 15 March.
The weekend-long celebration is hosted by the Faculty of Science and Engineering at the University of Manchester.
You can expect robots, dinosaurs, experiments, and interactive activities to be brought to life for visitors of all ages, and for completely free of charge.
In the dedicated dinosaur zone, you can step back in time with spectacular displays and meet real-life palaeontologists who will reveal fascinating secrets of the prehistoric world, as well as get the chance to handle genuine fossils, find out how scientists understand ancient life, and take as many selfies as possible.
FunLab takes over the Trafford Centre early next month / Credit: Supplied
Over in the robot zone, this is where you’ll get to discover smart robots that move, react, and perform crowd‑pleasing tricks, while young engineers test their skills, control mini‑bots, and learn how robotics keeps people safe.
There’ll also be a flight simulator – suitable for children aged seven and above – where you can soar into the science of flight and take the controls in an exciting experience, before exploring how aircraft design, weather, and environments affect flight.
Families can also enjoy a wide mix of creative, sensory, and scientific fun in the dedicated experiments zone too.
There’ll be robots, dinosaurs, and loads of interactive experiments to try out / Credit: Alex Kondratiev (via Pexels)
“We’re thrilled to welcome FunLab to the centre and provide families with an unforgettable experience,” commented Simon Layton, who is the Centre Director at the Trafford Centre. “From robot dogs to giant dinosaurs, there’s something to amaze everyone.”
A spokesperson for The University of Manchester added: “We are proud to showcase our world‑leading researchers directly to the community.
“Our scientists, engineers and students are passionate about sharing their work, and events like FunLab we want to show young people and their families that that science is exciting, creative and truly for everyone.”
FunLab takes over the Trafford Centre on Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 March, and you can find out more information here.
Featured Image – Mikhail Nilov (via Pexels)
What's On
New stage adaptation of The Haunting of Hill House to arrive in Manchester this Halloween
Emily Sergeant
A brand-new stage adaptation of a bestselling horror novel and TV series is coming to Manchester this Halloween.
Following the critically acclaimed Netflix hit series that introduced a new generation to the eerie masterpiece, author Shirley Jackson’s famous The Haunting of Hill House is being turned into a brand-new stage adaptation later this year, and will be taking to one of Manchester’s most iconic stages at the spookiest season of all.
Written by Olivier and BAFTA award-winner Stef Smith, and directed by Martin Constantine, the new production is set to conjure the iconic supernatural thriller on stage.
It will be making its world premiere with a UK tour this autumn, stopping off in several major towns and cities along the way.
If you’re unfamiliar with the story, The Haunting of Hill House follows a group of daring investigators who take on the mystery of Hill House, before their curiosity quickly descends into fear.
A new stage adaptation of The Haunting of Hill House is coming to Manchester this Halloween / Credit: Supplied
“The Haunting of Hill House is one of the greatest supernatural novels of the last hundred years and to have the chance to adapt it for the stage is a true privilege,” explained writer Stef Smith, as the UK tour was announced this week.
“I find Shirley Jackson’s world intoxicating, thrilling and gut-wrenching.
“I believe there is something so deeply theatrical at the heart of Hill House. From the spooky, to the surreal, through heartache and hope. I hope that our cast of characters will take the audience along for a ride quite unlike anything else. Above all we will examine that the biggest horrors are usually human.”
The brand-new stage adaptation of The Haunting of Hill House will arrive in Manchester and take to the stage at Manchester Palace Theatre from Tuesday 27 October right through to Halloween itself (Saturday 31 October 2026).
Daisy Jackson -
26th August 2022 
