After the iconic LGBTQ+ festival – which historically takes over the city each August Bank Holiday weekend – had its 2020 edition cancelled due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, organisers have today announced that Zara Larsson, Sigala, Annie Mac, Gabrielle, Katy B, Example and Eve will all lead a stellar lineup set to appear at this year’s event taking place on Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th August.
The festival, which is being hosted in partnership with Virgin Atlantic, is set to feature six key strands – Activism, Equality, Arts and Culture, Youth and Family, Community and Party.
Heading the lineup is Swedish singer Zara Larsson, who will be joined on stage on the Sunday night by songwriters Ella Henderson, Gabrielle, Sophie Ellis-Bextor and Lucy Spraggan, alongside stage hosts Danny Beard, Cheddar Gorgeous, Anna Phylactic, The Manchester Queens and House of Blaque.
On the Saturday, English DJ, record producer and remixer Sigala, BBC Radio 1’s ‘Dance Party’ legend Annie Mac, singer-songwriter Katy B, and musician, singer, songwriter, rapper and record producer Example, will all take to the stage hosted by La Discothèque and House of Ghetto.
ADVERTISEMENT
There is also another major artist set to be announced as headline performer on the Saturday, but the charity “will not be in a position to reveal their identity until 27th August”, right before the Bank Holiday weekend show.
The venue for MCR Pride Live will be announced in coming weeks.
ADVERTISEMENT
Manchester Pride
The lineup for the “ultimate street party celebration”, the Gay Village Party, has also been announced today, with incredible performances, markets and parties set to take place over all four days of the Bank Holiday weekend.
This year, the festival will include Trans Creative presents Trans Pride Rally, plus live performances across the Alan Turing Stage in Sackville Gardens, MancUnity Stage, Playground Stage and Superbia presents Queer Music Stage.
Highlights are set to include Danny Beard and Friends, Black Pride MCR Takeover and Fat Pride.
ADVERTISEMENT
If you’ve already got your tickets for this year’s festival – which went on sale last month, with the weekend ‘MCR Pride Live Rainbow Passes’ selling out in less than an hour – ticket holders can also expect the return of old favourites such as the silent disco, sing-along cinema, the marketplace and the fairground rides.
Don’t worry if you’ve missed out though, as a limited number of weekend and day passes will be released at 12pm today.
Rainbow Passes – which allow access to MCR Pride Live Festival and four days at the Gay Village Party – start at £55 for a day or £84.50 for the weekend, and Gay Village Party tickets are £17.50 for one day or £25 for all four days.
Wikimedia CommonsWikimedia Commons
Speaking on the lineup reveal today, Mark Fletcher – CEO of Manchester Pride – said: “I’m really happy that we are able to share this announcement today.
“With many artists having decided not to tour this year, my team has worked twice as hard to secure a first class lineup of performers who are each excited to be able to celebrate LGBTQ+ life with us, in person this year – and unless the roadmap to recovery changes, we can’t wait to come back together once again.
ADVERTISEMENT
“MCR Pride Live will be in a new home, with a reduced capacity but the standard of talent on the stage remains exceptional and we know that our loyal and excited audience will love the programming across all of the events.
“Tickets to MCR Pride Live are very limited now and the Gay Village Party is selling fast, so I urge everyone that wants to come to buy them before they sell out”.
You can find more information about the full lineup, and grab your tickets here.
Featured Image – Manchester Pride
What's On
Huge contemporary craft fair with 200+ makers is coming to Manchester later this year
Emily Sergeant
One of the UK’s largest craft fairs will be taking over a historic Manchester building later this year.
More than 200 of the UK’s finest contemporary makers and artists will gather in Manchester this autumn, as the Great Northern Contemporary Craft Fair (GNCCF) returns to the magnificent Victoria Baths in October, creating a shopping experience like no other.
Set within the spectacular Grade II-listed venue, the fair will transform the building’s iconic empty Gala pools into one of the UK’s most distinctive settings for contemporary craft.
Since launching in Manchester all the way back in 2008, the GNCCF has showcased the work of more than 4,500 makers, welcomed over 90,000 visitors and generated more than £4 million in sales for independent creative businesses.
A huge contemporary craft fair with 200+ makers is coming to Manchester later this year / Credit: GNCCF (via Facebook)
Now in its nineteenth year and expected to attract thousands of visitors from across the UK, the GNCCF has become one of the highlights of Manchester’s cultural calendar, having showcased the work of more than 4,500 makers and generated more than £4 million in sales for independent businesses.
The fair will bring together designer-makers from the fields of ceramics, jewellery, textiles, furniture, glass, wood, metal, printmaking, sculpture, and fine art.
Every exhibitor is selected by an independent panel of craft experts – with 2026 set to welcome 70 exhibitors making their GNCCF debut, alongside many of the UK’s most respected makers.
Prices will range from affordable handmade gifts to collector-quality pieces, meaning the fair will offer something to suit every budget, every taste, and every stage of collecting.
“Victoria Baths is one of Manchester’s most remarkable heritage buildings and provides an extraordinary backdrop for the fair,” explained Victoria Scholes, who is the Development Director of GNCCF.
“The contrast between its beautiful Edwardian architecture and the very best in contemporary craft makes visiting GNCCF a truly memorable experience. People often tell us they love exploring the building as much as the craft.”
The Great Northern Contemporary Craft Fair 2026 will be taking over Victoria Baths from 15-18 October, and you can get tickets here.
Featured Image – GNCCF (via Facebook)
What's On
The best things to do in Greater Manchester this week | 3 – 9 August 2026
Emily Sergeant
August is here, and what a busy month we have in store.
Summer is properly here and the school holidays are well underway now, so that means there’s loads of things happening across Greater Manchester these next few weeks. If you’re finding it a bit tricky to pick what to do though, no worries, as we’ve chosen a few of the highlights for another edition of our ‘what’s on‘ guide.
Both free things and those that’ll set you back a few pennies are featured.
___
Afterglow 2026
Chester Zoo
Monday 3 – Sunday 16 August
Afterglow 2026 / Credit: Chester Zoo
Chester Zoo is keeping its gates open late into the evening across two special weeks this summer.
The UK’s biggest charity zoo has announced the return of Afterglow, which is known and loved for offering visitors the rare opportunity to explore the zoo and its 30,000 animals after hours.
Unlike previous years, visitors will no longer need to leave Chester Zoo’s grounds and return with a separate event ticket. Instead, guests can spend the entire day exploring the zoo before enjoying Afterglow‘s evening programme, all as part of a standard admission ticket.
Manchester is bringing 14 weeks of free activities for children to parks across the city this summer.
Thanks to additional Council funding that was allocated earlier this year, Manchester’s biggest-ever Parktastic programme has now launched – expanding from the summer holidays alone to include after-school sessions before schools break up, activities throughout the holidays, and even sessions continuing into September.
Back by popular demand and aimed at children ages six-12, Parktastic offers sports, games, arts and crafts, dance, drama, nature activities, storytelling and messy play.
Sessions are free, no booking is required, healthy snacks are provided, and children can simply turn up and join in.
Get ready to spend the summer in space, as the Science and Industry Museum has announced its summer events programme and it’s full of free interactive events and activities to get involved with these next six weeks.
From live space shows and giant rockets, to tinkering activities Martian discovery trails, and the chance to visit the blockbuster exhibition Horrible Science: Cosmic Chaos if you haven’t already, budding astronauts are in for a summer to remember.
By far one of the stand-out free events this summer is the arrival of 30-foot-tall rocket ship, Skybolt 2 – hosted by Manchester-based aerospace company, Starchaser.
Find out more and book tickets for your visit here.
ADVERTISEMENT
___
Forest Tubing
Zip World Manchester
Monday 3 August – onwards
Forest Tubing / Credit: Supplied
Thrill seekers, this one’s for you – as Zip World Manchester has launched its new Forest Tubing experience, and it’s bringing the UK’s longest outdoor tubing slide is coming to Heaton Park.
The new family‑friendly outdoor adventure gives visitors the chance to soar along two slides, winding through woodland at one of the largest parks in the North West.
Suitable for children aged four and above, visitors can book an hour-long session – with unlimited rides during that time slot – and either ride solo, or share the experience with fellow adventurers.
National Trust x Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Trails
North West
Monday 3 August – onwards
ADVERTISEMENT
National Trust x Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Trails / Credit: James Dobson | Annapurna Mellor
National Trust and Pokémon have teamed up for an exclusive trading card game and immersive trail.
The partnership is set to bring together the places the National Trust cares for and Pokémon’s spirit of play and discovery.
Exclusively designed for the National Trust, the Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Trails are going to be running throughout summer at 14 National Trust places nationwide, combining ‘imaginative play’ with ‘gentle physical activity’ inspired by Mega Evolution Pokémon.
Find out where to get involved and book tickets here.
___
ADVERTISEMENT
On a budget and need somewhere to take the kids to eat for £1 or even FREE over the summer holidays?
In case the ongoing heatwave didn’t remind you, summer is in full swing and so are the school summer holidays.
If you’re after ways to enjoy some quality family time without having to break the bank, we’ve found lots of places where kids can eat for £1 or free – 15 of them, to be exact.
So, whether you’re in the mood for a hearty Italian, a bit of brekkie, or even a big Greek feast, just because you’re on a budget shouldn’t mean you have to limit your and your family’s taste buds.
It’s strawberry season, and Kenyon Hall Farm has officially opened up its strawberry fields (plus plenty of other pick-your-own produce) for the season for you to frolic amongst, with loads of summer treats in its cafe and award-winning farm shop too.
Strawberries have been growing at Kenyon Hall Farm for nearly 50 years now, and it’s proven as popular ever since.
Did you see that seven Manchester green spaces have been named some of the best in the UK?
Once again, seven of our city’s green spaces – including parks and cemeteries – have been named some of the best the UK has to offer. That’s because leading environmental charity, Keep Britain Tidy, has handed out its coveted Green Flag Awards, which recognise accessible green spaces that set ‘an international benchmark for management’.
The awards shed light on the groups, volunteers, and staff who devote themselves year-round to the maintenance and upkeep of these areas.
Read more about this incredible honour and find out which green spaces have been chosen here.
___
National Play Day 2026
Greater Manchester
Wednesday 5 August
ADVERTISEMENT
National Play Day 2026 / Credit: Manchester City Council
Manchester is set to celebrate National Play Day this week, and there’ll be more than 100 free activities for families to join in with.
There’ll be whole series of free events taking place right across the city on a drop-in basis throughout the day. Activities will run from 11am through to 2pm, and will include things like sports coaching, circus skills, cycling taster sessions, live demonstrations, storytelling, and a range of other interactive and hands-on experiences.
Emergency Services Day 2026 / Credit: Trafford Centre
Dozens of emergency services vehicles, live demonstrations, meet and greets, and more will be heading to the Trafford Centre this week, as Emergency Services Day returns for 2026, offering a rare behind-the-scenes look at the lifesaving work carried out across the region every day.
Running from 10am through to 4pm, this free family-friendly event promises a full day of excitement, education, and entertainment.
Visitors can expect around 50 emergency service vehicles, live demonstrations, and interactive displays.
Greater Manchester’s iconic heritage railway is currently hosting one of the most unique fine dining experiences in the region this summer.
Running on selected Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays through the year, East Lancashire Railway’s ‘Red Rose Diners’ are described as being ‘the ultimate first class foodie experience’, as they start with a glass of fizz and stretch over an almost three-hour steam train journey through the Irwell Valley.
The experience includes a four-course dinner with complimentary sparkling wine, followed by tea or coffee and after-dinner chocolates.
Rochdale Feel Good Fest 2026 / Credit: Supplied via Rochdale Borough Council)
Worried you might have missed your chance to attend a festival this year?
Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered, as Rochdale Feel Good Festival returns this weekend with a star-studded main stage lineup featuring the likes of Gabrielle, Ash, and Wigan’s very-own Starsailor.
One of the longest-running and best-value festivals in Greater Manchester, Rochdale Feel Good Festival also proudly showcases upcoming artists too, and this year, two new Rochdale bands will play the biggest gig of their careers.
Emily Sergeant -
30th April 2021 
