6 Ways to Make the Most of Pride Month in Manchester

Two places to go

Looking to get out and about in Manchester during Pride Month? There’s all sorts to be doing, especially now we’re entering summer, but we’ve got some Pride-specific places you should absolutely be trying out.

Affleck's Palace

Afflecks is home to all things quirky and queer, spread across 4 floors in the Northern Quarter. We’ve often popped in with the intention of going to just one shop, and then ended up losing our entire afternoon exploring every corner.

Whether you’re looking for a new outfit (punks, goths, and babygirls you’re all covered),fresh homewares, some sage to cleanse the bad vibes out of your home before we head into the summer, or even somewhere to sit down and grab a drink and a snack partway round your visit, Afflecks has it all. Ginger’s Comfort Emporium is our personal favourite spot – make sure you try a scoop of the peanut butter ice cream; it’ll change your life.

The Gay Village (obviously)

No-one can talk about Manchester Pride without talking about the Gay Village. Centred around Canal Street, this area has some of the best nightlife in the city, as well as being an incredibly inclusive area welcoming anyone and everyone into the bars for a cheeky boogie.

There’s more to the Village than just being full of nightclubs though. It’s a community for all those who identify as LGBTQIA+ – offering a space to be surrounded by likeminded people and make friends, or even to develop careers in the cases of some of the Manc Drag Queens that have emerged over the years! Whether you’re after a chilled-out afternoon with some friends to grab lunch, or you want to sing and dance your heart out until 5am, the Village offers it all.

Two things to do

Looking for something more activity-based? No problem, we can work with that.

The Queer Creatives Assembly

The Queer Creatives Assembly is the perfect chance to connect, collaborate, and celebrate with various creative minds within the Greater Manchester LGBTQ+ communities and make some friends along the way. This is a newly formed group, with plenty of exciting things to come.

An open invitation for all artists, writers, designers – just about anyone that has a passion or a creative flair and hosted May 15^th at 6pm at Sale Waterside, this is the place to be whether you’re looking to network or to just share your talents. Check out their website and share it in the group chat so you can all start planning, ASAP.

LGBT+ Walking Tour

Hosted most Saturdays and starting in Sackville Gardens, the LBGT+ Walking Tour is a paid walk that will take you through the history of some of Manchester’s LGBT heroes, as well as take you on a visit to some secret street art dotted about the city and some of the best pubs in Manchester. Trust us, they really are where you want to be on a Saturday night.

Perfect for those looking to learn a little more about the culture and the history of the LGBT+ community in Manchester, as well as the opportunity to make friends and find spots in the city that you might not have found on your own – make sure you check it out on their website and get yourself booked in before the sun disappears.

Two things to know ahead of Pride Weekend in August

Manchester Pride is one of the biggest and most popular across the UK, with people travelling hundreds of miles to show their support and get involved. If you don’t already know, here’s a few bits that we reckon you should know about ahead of the weekend so you can make sure you’re first in line.

This year’s theme – Buzzin’ to be Queer

Obviously we Mancs had to bring in our iconic worker bees to Pride, and we’d personally like to say a big well done to the marketing team that came up with this theme, because they absolutely nailed it.

Now it’s over to you – how are you going to lean into the theme? We want to see glittery bumblebees everywhere, rainbow stripes, and little wings as we march up and down the streets showing support and alliance this year.

Candlelit Vigil in Sackville Gardens

Held on the Sunday evening of every Pride Weekend in Manchester, we gather in Sackville Gardens to light a candle and pay respects to those who have suffered for simply being themselves.

It’s a deeply moving activity to be a part of, and serves many different purposes, allowing people to come together to share their own stories, to revel in how far they have come, and to celebrate all that have come together to show their support over the Pride Weekend.

Well, what are you waiting for? It’s time to get up, get out, show your support, and enjoy yourself at the same time! We hope you head out during Pride with your flags held high and be sure to tag us in your photos on Instagram.