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Manchester Pride 2018: When is it and who will be performing?
Stars including Rita Ora and Alexandra Burke are set to perform at The Big Weekend
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The annual Manchester Pride celebrations are set to take place this weekend, which will see the city centre awash with rainbow-coloured flags and thousands of marchers showing their support for the LGBT+ community.
The Manchester Pride Festival will consist of several events, including the extravagant parade, The Big Weekend music festival and a special candlelit vigil to honour members of the community who have lost their lives.
One of the highlights of the festivals will undoubtedly be The Big Weekend, where stars including Rita Ora, Alexandra Burke and Sigala will be performing for the adoring crowds.
Here’s everything you need to know about Manchester Pride 2018, from the parade route to the musical performers:
When does it take place?
The Manchester Pride Festival starts on Friday August 24 and ends on Bank Holiday Monday, on August 27.
The parade will be held on Saturday August 25 and is due to start at midday.
The Big Weekend music festival will be going on throughout the entire Pride festival, with people required to buy a ticket in order to attend.
Some elements of the music festival will only be happening on selected days, such as the silent disco, diva karaoke and the sing-a-long cinema.
If people would rather not purchase tickets for The Big Weekend, then they can go along to The Superbia Weekend instead, a free alternative taking place at the same time.
The Manchester Pride candlelit vigil will be held in Sackville Gardens on Monday August 27 to commemorate members of the community who’ve passed away after contracting HIV.
It will also give people in attendance an opportunity to honour those in the LGBT+ community still being wrongfully persecuted due to their sexuality or gender identity.
What’s the route of the parade?
The Manchester Pride parade will begin at the corner between Liverpool Road and Deansgate, by Beetham Tower.
From there, the procession will carry on down Peter Street, past the Central Library and then down Oxford Street.
They’ll then veer to the left down Portland Street, bend to the right down Princess Street and then make a left down Whitworth Street, before ending the procession on Fairfield Street.
The last stretch of the procession will pass the site of The Big Weekend music festival, which will appear on the left hand side.
Manchester Pride has outlined several particularly advantageous points along the route in order to find a good view of the parade, as detailed on this map.
Who’ll be performing at The Big Weekend?
The Thomas Cook Airlines stage will be the main stage at The Big Weekend music festival.
Over the course of the four-day festival, the stage will be hosting a variety of well-known performers.
On Friday, Louise Redknapp and former Scissor Sisters frontman Jake Shears will be taking to the stage.
On Saturday, artists including Sigala, Disciples and Nadine Coyle will be delighting the audience with their musical talents, with fashionista Gok Wan performing a DJ set on the day.
Rita Ora, YouTube sensation Todrick Hall and Youngr will be performing on the Sunday, with Alexandra Burke and Lucy Spraggan finishing off the festivities on the Monday.
A number of other artists will also be performing sets on the other stages, including DJs Pete Tong and Danny Howard.
How much are tickets?
An adult ticket for the entirety of The Big Weekend costs £34, plus a £3.40 booking fee.
A weekend child ticket (for children aged between three and 12) costs £8 with an additional 80p booking fee.
A Friday adult ticket and a Sunday adult ticket both cost £24 with a £2.40 booking fee, while a Monday adult ticket is priced at £14 with a £1.40 booking fee.
To book tickets for The Big Weekend, click here.
Tickets are also on sale for Glitterbox, the official afterparty for Manchester Pride.
The afterparty is strictly for people aged 18 and over and will be taking place at Manchester Albert Hall on Saturday August 25.
Tickets for the event cost £25 with a £2.50 booking fee for the first release and £28.50 with a £2.85 booking fee for the second release.
Last entry for people attending the afterparty wearing Pride wristbands is midnight, while last entry for people attending without Pride wristbands is 11pm.
To book tickets for the Glitterbox afterparty, click here.
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