Manchester Pride underway

August 26, 2004

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PRIDE: Last year's event

MANCHESTER'S annual lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender festival, now known as Manchester Pride, is underway and will hope to capitalise on the success of last year's Europride, which was attended by 250,000 people and raised over '100,000 for charity.

This year the festival, which has previously been called Mardi Gras, GayFest and the Ab Fab Weekend, takes place over a ten day period until Monday, August 30 and will feature entertainment, arts, debates and advice.

Highlights of the first few days include the Queer Storytelling Festival at the Green Room, the Northern Gay Writers Showcase at the Central Library and It's A Gay Knockout at Canal Street bar Taurus.

But the main attraction will be the Big Weekend from Saturday, August 28 until Monday, August 30, when the Gay Village will be turned into a 24-hour ticketed festival site with live music, DJs, 5-a-side football, comedians, karaoke, market stalls, street entertainers, food and drink and even swimming and scuba diving.

Meanwhile on Saturday afternoon the Manchester Pride Parade will wind its way from Corporation Street to London Road to help bring a colourful carnival atmosphere to the whole city centre.

The Wedding, the biggest ever mass blessing of lesbian and gay partnerships, will take place on Sunday afternoon, before the HIV candlelit vigil brings Manchester Pride to a close on Monday evening.

Manchester Pride continues until Monday, August 30. Tickets for the Big Weekend cost '10 in advance and '15 on the door. Day tickets for Saturday, Sunday and Monday cost between '5 and '15. To book, call 0870 060 1768 or visit the website below.

For more information on Manchester Pride, click on the links below.

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Matthew, Manchester (22/08/2004 at 20:11)

If 250,000 people attended last year at B#10 per ticket then what happened to the other money that was raised?

Laura, Walkden,Manchester (23/08/2004 at 20:12)

I'm glad Nadia will be there. Hope I can get the money to go because I'd love to see Nadia!! She's the best.
What time does it open??

laura xxxxxx

Robert, Manchester City Centre (25/08/2004 at 13:21)

FAO MATTHEW

The 250,000 people in the piece include people watching the parade and attending all events over the 10 days. Only 30,000 people pay the ten pounds for the "weekender", and from that there is a lot of things like security, stage set up, etc. I'm sure www.operationfundraiser.com has more details on it about how money in 2003 was raised and distributed, and the same for this year. Lets all club together, continue to have a brilliant 10 days and have a wicked weekend - while raising as much as possible. Enjoy! :-)

Zorbs, Manchester (28/08/2004 at 09:34)

So let me get this right: they pay for security (its very interesting how for the Love Parade in Munich they dont need to built a great wall), they pay for stage set up, they pay for parade 'outfits', they pay for the guests ( and dont try to argue this, only a few days ago one of them was saying on the radio that because he is going to be involved in the Gay Pride his bank manager will be very pleased), they pay they pay they pay oooo yes and we pay ... If thats the case what exactly the sponsors are sponsoring?

J, Manchester (28/08/2004 at 13:18)

if 250.000 people attended last year at B#10.00 per ticket then what happen to the orther money as for me I am not working would love to have gon but for B#10.00 is a lot of money if your money is going to rasining money for charity like one year it never happen all my friends saying its one big rip off and I agree with them ,then you got to find money for the drinks on top as well, so please can drop the price thanks

Aghast, Stockport (28/08/2004 at 22:07)

Can't personally see what's to be proud about in being a sexual freak but what does the right-on PC brigade care about Manchester looking ridiculous?
Sad. Very, very sad.

Justine, Manchester (29/08/2004 at 16:35)

I can now say I've been there, seen it, taken part in it and now I even have the T shirt.

Walking through the centre of Manchester in an outragrous outfit while being cheered and very well treated was a real buzz. Although some people lining the streets along the parade route were only there to gawp, a very high proportion of spectators were very positive and many even voiced their admiration for the groups who help make Manchester such a diverse and tolerant place to live (relatively speaking of course - nobody's perfect).

I can't think of anywhere else I'd rather live - the rest of the UK could learn a lot from our city.

An outraged fan of the village!, Manchester (30/08/2004 at 12:47)

I tried to get into the Manchester pride in Manchester on Sunday night around 10pm. I go to the village every weekend I feel comfortable in this enviroment. but I was disgusted when they wanted me to pay B#15 for approx 2 hours of fun because I couldn't possibly go on Monday night because of work, so I was outraged when they told me B#15 pound because they had ran out of tickets
I would not of minded paying B#10 pound because it is a good night in the village but 15 is ridiculous considering when you get in there you also have to pay to get in pub and clubs.

Neoll, Salford (31/08/2004 at 14:50)

Pride was top draw yet again, well organised trouble free as i saw and filled friendship and fun, some drinks were a tad pricey and bar med seemed to run out of draught everytime there were more than 2 people at the bar then charging B#2.75 for a warm bottle of bud, but hey its mardi gras so your gonna pay it , well done to the organisers and it was nice to notice a severe lack of young marauding scallies as in recent years, wasnt to sure about the buy the ticket and queue to exchange time wasted for partying if you ask me
bring on next year i cant wait ill be a 12 year vet then
proud of manchester and proud of pride

Stuart, Swansea (01/09/2004 at 13:03)

Congratulations Manchester! Ive visited 4 times in the last year and you have the best customer service anywhere in the country. This was my first ever PRIDE and i found the whole event outstanding. I watched the parade in tears, yeah i'm a poof! I felt so proud of everyone...we have ours this weekend in Cardiff and hope we can do as well...superb...cant wait for next yr..every city in the country should learn from Manchester...your proper bo!

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