The not-for-profit aims to deliver an inclusive, safe and celebratory event
Pride will return to Manchester this year with the establishment of a not-for-profit Community Interest Company to deliver an inclusive, safe and celebratory event.
Village businesses and community stakeholders have banded together to create Manchester Village Pride CIC, taking on the organisation of the festival following the collapse of Manchester Pride Events Ltd last year.
MVP has received loans of £120,000 from village venues, demonstrating tangible commitment to providing the working capital needed to begin delivery. The investment reflects the determination of local LGBTQ+ businesses to safeguard Pride and ensure it remains rooted in the community which created it.
The Community Interest Company’s board is made up of unpaid directors working on a voluntary basis, reinforcing MVP’s stated purpose to give back as much as possible to the community that Pride exists to serve – with every pound of profit supporting LGBTQ+ charities, grassroots organisations and community services.
It has been confirmed that the four-day celebration (including key elements such as the parade, the Village party and the vigil) will return across the Summer Bank Holiday Weekend (Friday 28-Monday 31 August).
The plans are being backed by key city partners including Manchester City Council, Marketing Manchester, Cityco and Equity, alongside LGBTQ+ organisations, charities and community stakeholders.
Alongside the core programme within the Village, Manchester Village Pride will be supported by a vibrant Pride Fringe made up of LGBTQ+ arts, culture and nightlife events.
Carl Austin-Behan, one of the founding board members and spokesperson for Manchester Village Pride CIC, said: “Manchester Village Pride is built around a simple belief. Pride has a home - and that home is the Village - but Pride belongs to everyone.
“This is a really exciting time for our community. We have a chance to start again. 2026 is a year of rebuilding, reestablishing trust, reconnecting with Pride’s origins and reinforcing the role of the Village as the heart of the celebration.
“From 2027 onwards MVP plans to develop a wider programme of citywide activity around Pride.
“Bringing Pride home to the Village is about more than location. It is a commitment to responsibility: paying artists properly, funding community groups, supporting charities, protecting LGBTQ+ heritage - and building a sustainable future for Pride in Manchester.”
Deputy Council Leader, Cllr Garry Bridges said: "Pride is vital for Manchester, as a symbol of our welcoming and inclusive city, a chance to celebrate our LGBTQ+ communities and to highlight injustices which still exist.
"The Council has always been clear that Pride must happen this year. Manchester Village Pride came to us with a strong and credible plan which we are happy to support. Who better to organise our city's Pride than the people who work with our LGBTQ+ communities all year round?"
More details about this year’s Pride, including ticket sales, will be announced soon.
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