Manchester Pride, Manchester, 21st to 31st August 2009
Manchester Pride is back in Manchester from 21st to 31st August 2009. Manchester Pride is this city’s world famous annual celebration of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender life.
There are four elements to this years Pride. A schedule of exciting festival events, the Parade, the Big Weekend and the festival concludes with the HIV Candlelit Vigil.
Pride Festival Events – A great schedule of varied events are planned for the 10 day event covering comedy, music and theatre performances, sporting and health related events, cultural and film events as well as youth, family and women’s events.
Manchester Pride Parade – The Parade is perhaps the best known element of Manchester Pride. This central Manchester wide celebration of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender life starts at 1pm on Saturday 29th August. The parade starts at the corner of Liverpool Street and Deansgate. The parade will travel along Deansgate, and then turns right into St.Anne Street, then right again into Cross Street. It then turns into Princess Street and then travels down Whitworth Street, to the Gay Village, where the parade ends. The parade is watched by tens of thousands of spectators who line the parade route as decorated floats and teams of walkers wind their way through central Manchester.
Big Weekend – Another element of Manchester Pride is The Big Weekend which lasts from Monday 28th to Friday 31st August 2009 and includes music, partying, a lifestyle expo and village market and much more. Entertainment will come from a range of bands including The Freemasons, Peter Andre, Bananarama and Little Boots.
Please note that entry is strictly limited to ticket holders only and an early bird discount is only available on tickets bought up until until July 1st 2009.
HIV Candlelit Vigil – The HIV Candlelit Vigil on Monday 31 August, 9pm in Sackville Gardens, concludes Manchester Pride 2009. This moving ceremony includes a one minute’s silence to remember the people who have lost their lives world wide, to the virus.
You can find out more about Manchester Pride, including how to buy Big Weekend tickets, from the Manchester Pride Website.
