Manchester Pride has been named one of the best Pride events in the UK in the Pride Poll organised by Hits Radio Pride.

Manchester Pride received the most votes in an online poll asking fans and listeners of the radio station what their favourite Pride event was in the UK. 

Winning the ‘Large’ category, the event will receive a marketing campaign on the station.

The poll, which was open for voting throughout June 2021, saw votes for over 150 different local and specialised events of all sizes across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. 

Other winners included Bury and Belfast for ‘Small’ and ‘Medium’ respectively.

“Pride events are so important and give so many people a place of hope, safety and joy,” said Jordan Lee, presenter, Hits Radio Pride.

“It was amazing to see so many people vote for such an array of different local events in our Hits Radio Pride inaugural Pride Poll, showing that the love and pride is truly here in the UK.

My adopted home Manchester saw an incredible number of votes, and after experiencing the passion and euphoria first-hand over the last few years, I can see exactly why Manchester Pride won!”

Mark Fletcher, CEO, Manchester Pride said: “We’re so proud and pleased that Hits Radio listeners love what we do.”

The theme for the 2021 Manchester Pride Festival will be Garden Of Freedom, as the LGBT+ charity looks towards bringing LGBT+ people back together to stand together and to push forward in the fight for freedom. Manchester Pride Festival will run from Friday 27 August to Monday 30 August 2021.

Please see statement below regarding the parade:

Everything You Need To Know About Manchester Pride

The venue for this year’s Manchester Pride Festival has finally been announced.

The live music portion of the huge LGBT+ celebration will move to one of the city’s newest outdoor event spaces, a short distance away from the Gay Village.

This year, Manchester Pride Live will take over the Homeground site at First Street, a huge 80,000 sq ft plot launched by local arts centre HOME.

The festival moved away from its usual site in a Gay Village car park and headed to Depot Mayfield in 2019.

Now its new location will host two live music stages – the main stage and the Gaydio dance tent – across Saturday 28 August and Sunday 29 August.

The news of its new location comes just days after the much-loved parade was cancelled, though smaller equality marches will still go ahead.

The Manchester Pride Festival itself will take place from Friday 27 August 27 until Monday 30 August, with the Gay Village Party in full swing for four days in the area around Canal Street.

The live music event over at Homeground will be headlined on the Sunday night by Zara Larsson, who will be joined by Ella Henderson, Gabrielle, Sophie Ellis-Bextor and Lucy Spraggan, Jason Andrew Gust and Shura.

The stage will be hosted by Danny Beard, Cheddar Gorgeous, Anna Phylactic, The Manchester Queens and House of Blaque.

On the Saturday, Sigala, Annie Mac, Katy B and Example will perform alongside a mystery special guest. Another headline performer has been secured, but Manchester Pride won’t reveal their identity until 27 August.

Saturday night’s performances will be hosted by La Discothèque and House of Ghetto.

Mark Fletcher, CEO of Manchester Pride, said: “It’s really exciting to be taking MCR Pride Live to First Street this year.

“The site is perfect for our event and is less than ten minutes walk from the Gay Village meaning that ticket holders will be able to move around our different sites in the city really easily and enjoy everything that Manchester Pride Festival has to offer.”

All ticket-holders aged 18 and over will need to demonstrate their Covid-19 status before attending any element of the festival this summer.

That means proof of either a negative lateral flow test taken on the day of arrival, proof of full vaccination, or proof of ‘natural immunity’ (based upon a positive PCR test within 180 days of the festival, including 10 days self-isolation following the result).

Further details of how this will be managed can be found on the Manchester Pride website.

Mark Fletcher continued: “Not being able to deliver the Manchester Pride Parade this year was heart-breaking but it really would be impossible to check the COVID-19 status of every single person that came to watch it.

“Hundreds of thousands of people head into the city to watch the procession go by and there would be no way of ensuring that those people were not transmitting this virus which has taken such a horrible toll on our lives over the last 18 months.

“The government is advising that all live event organisers put these processes in place and we are working together with the relevant safety groups and local authorities to follow this advice.

“By demonstrating their COVID-19 status our guests will be able to enjoy the weekend safely, enabling us all to come together and celebrate for the first time since 2019.”

Rainbow Passes, which allow access to MCR Pride Live Festival and four days at the Gay Village Party, start at £55 for a day or £84.50 for the weekend and Gay Village Party tickets are £17.50 for one day or £25.00 for all four days. Weekend Rainbow passes have sold out but a limited number of day passes are still available.

For more information about the festival visit Manchester Pride website