2022 marks an important year for the LGBTQ+ community in the country - marking 50 years since the first ever Pride took place in the UK. The UK Gay Pride Rally was held in London on July 1, 1972 and saw around 2,000 people take part.
The event was arranged at the time to mark the third year anniversary of the Stonewall Riots in 1969, which saw police storm the Stonewall Inn bar in New York. The subsequent riots in response to the action have been seen as a watershed moment for the LGBTQ+ community ever since.
50 years on, a lot of progress has been made that has made life much easier for LGBTQ+ people living in the UK. However, there is still progress to be made and occasions where rights are at the risk of being stripped back for some.
With that in mind, Pride is just as important as ever. Thankfully, Greater Manchester knows how to celebrate Pride with nearly every borough having their own dedicated events already lined-up.
To help you get your diary in check, we’ve rounded up just some of the biggest Pride events taking place across Greater Manchester in 2022. With events taking place from April up to September so far, there's plenty of things for you to take part in.
Bury Pride
One of the first events on Greater Manchester’s Pride calendar this year is Bury Pride. Taking place on April 30 at Castle Armoury Drill Hall, the event will feature plenty of stalls and entertainment acts.
Artists to take part in this year’s Bury Pride include singer and BBC Radio presenter JSKY, Vivienne Lynsey and a host of tribute acts performing as the likes of Ariana Grande, Taylor Swift and Beyonce. There will also feature a huge Walking Rainbow Parade featuring floats, music and a samba band.
It’s a ticketed event, but you can grab your free tickets via the link here. For more information on Bury Pride, visit their Facebook page.
Pride on the Range
Whalley Range will be hosting its own Pride event from May 6 to 8. Pride on the Range will kick off on May 6 with a night of spoken word at the Nip & Tipple pub. On May 7, there will be a morning Pride Park Run at Alexandra Park followed by a parade marching through Whalley Range.
Later on, from 1-6pm, there will be a garden party at The Carlton Club featuring a range of performers and entertainers. Already confirmed to be performing at the party are dance group Bhangracise and indie girl band Deep Blue. There will be further entertainment and DJs performing at the Nip & Tipple, and a ticketed event at the Carlton Club. On Sunday (May 8), Queer Latifa will perform at the Carlton Club, while a Pride Quiz at the Nip & Tipple will round off festivities.
For more information on Pride on the Range, click here.
Pride in Trafford
Trafford’s annual Pride celebration offers something a little different, with a focus on LGBTQ+ arts and culture. Pride in Trafford will return to Waterside Arts Theatre in Sale for a five-day festival from May 17-21. The line-up features an exhibition of portraits of transgender and non-binary people from award-winning photographer Allie Crewe and comedy from the likes of Bethany Black, Kate McCabe and Red Redmond.
There will also be shows from performer Rowena Gander, musical theatre diva Vivienne de Vil and author Emmy Clarke. Family-friendly entertainment comes in the form of Wildflower, a floral performance at Stanley Square and Waterside Plaza. You can find more details on the line-up here. Visit the Pride in Trafford website to book tickets.
Salford Pride's Pink Picnic
Salford Pride’s Pink Picnic will be making its way back to Peel Park on June 25 for a day-long event packed to the brim with drag, musicians, dancers, DJ’s and powerful words from prominent voices in the community, including Salford Pride patron and trans activist Annie Wallace from Hollyoaks.
Starting in 2011, Salford Pride is now one of the biggest free pride events in Greater Manchester and focuses on uplifting, representation and celebrating all LGBTQ+ people. More info on the Pink Picnic can be found here.
Rochdale in Rainbows
Not much is known about this year's Rochdale in Rainbows, but it's thought that the event will take place from June 25 until July 2 this year.
Previous years have featured Drag Queen Storytime sessions in Hare Hill Park, inclusive church services from St Clements Church, and a celebration event at Hopwood Hall College. Keep an eye on the Rochdale Council website for more info.
Sparkle Weekend
Celebrating the trans community, Sparkle Weekend is an important - and incredibly fun - day for Manchester. Marking its return to an in-person event, Sparkle will once again head to Sackville Gardens from July 8 to 10.
This year’s event will mark the sixteenth Sparkle Weekend event, with the line-up still to be announced. Keep an eye on the Sparkle website for more info.
Tameside Pride
Tameside Pride launched at Cheethams Park back in July 2019, only for further incarnations to be forced to go digital-only in response to the pandemic.
Organisers have promised that Tameside Pride will be back in-person this year. The event will feature plenty of live acts, stalls and entertainment. A date is yet to be announced, but we're going to suggest you keep July free if it's anything like previous years. Keep an eye on the Tameside Pride Facebook page for more details.
Oldham Pride
From July 22 to 24, Oldham Pride will feature plenty of live music, market stalls and cabaret shows. There will be a parade walking from Parliament Square to George Square, where the main action is set to take place.
Cabaret seems to be a key focus for Oldham Pride this year, with a Queer Cabaret show at Oldham Coliseum on Friday night (July 22) and another cabaret show at The George Tavern on Saturday night.
On the Sunday, a Pride Picnic and Pride Service will be taking place which should be great fun if the weather holds up! More info on Oldham Pride can be found via Facebook.
Stockport Pride
The end of July will mark a welcome return to Stockport Pride, which will be taking place at the Historic Marketplace on July 31.
Stockport Pride launched only five years ago in 2017 but has quickly become a staple part of the borough’s event calendar ever since. Not much is known about this year’s line-up but expect plenty of drag acts, musicians, food and drink stalls and crafts to get involved in. Stay up-to-date via the Stockport Pride website.
Bolton Pride
Less than a week after Stockport Pride, Bolton Pride will be waving the flags and celebrating on the first weekend of August (5-7).
There promises to be a wide line-up of acts taking to the stage at Victoria Square, including everything from jugglers to drag queens. There will also be a huge Pride parade taking place from Queens Park into the town centre on the Saturday.
Sunday’s festivities are promising to be family-friendly with a fun day supported by Bolton Wanderers. You can follow updates for Bolton Pride via the Facebook page here.
Levenshulme Pride
South Manchester will be joining in on the Pride festivities once again, with Levenshulme Pride booked in for August 12 - 14.
Previous years have featured parades, music, stalls and great vibes, so we should only expect that to continue again this year. Line-up and event details are yet to be announced. Follow the Levenshulme Pride page on Facebook.
Wigan Pride
Wigan Pride will be back on Saturday, August 13. This year's festival will feature the prominent March with Pride parade, where hundreds march. Of course, there will also be plenty of arts, music and solidarity to expect too.
Organisers are also hoping to feature local acts in their line-up, with Wigan performers encouraged to get in touch and express interest in performing. More info can be found here. For further details on Wigan Pride, follow them on Facebook.
Manchester Pride
By far, the biggest Pride event when it comes to Greater Manchester, Manchester Pride will be returning to the city centre this August. Taking place over the Bank Holiday weekend (26-29 August), the event will feature a range of festivities.
The grand parade will be back after a two-year hiatus, while bosses also recently announced that this year’s event will focus on its activism roots. With that in mind, the Mcr Pride Live music festival won’t be taking place and has been replaced with The Gay Village Party.
The Human Rights Forum, Superbia Weekend, Youth Pride, Family Pride and the Candlelit Vigil in Sackville Gardens are all confirmed to return. More details via the Manchester Pride website.
Didsbury & Chorlton Prides
In September, Didsbury and Chorlton will both be hosting Pride events. Didsbury Pride is set to take place on September 3, with more info set to drop on the Facebook page. Meanwhile, Chorlton Pride is due to occur on September 17 at St Clements Church.
