It takes a village: Manchester Village Pride Wristbands now on sale

Following last week’s announcement about the creation of Manchester Village Pride CIC and confirmation that the Summer Bank Holiday Weekend celebrations will return; today marks a landmark moment as wristbands go on sale, helping to rebuild the city’s Pride event.

Early bird wristbands are now on sale at £25 plus booking fee via Skiddle, offering community members access to four days of safe and responsible celebrations, including a diverse programme of events that build on some of the best-loved elements of previous years: a parade, candle-lit vigil, party with performance and music across various stages, as well as talks, exhibitions, and community activities.

Once early bird wristbands sell out, general release wristbands will go on sale priced at £30 plus booking fee for the full weekend or £20 plus booking fee for individual day passes. Options for those on low-income or that require additional support will also be available – see the Manchester Village Pride CIC website for further details.

Under the new direction of Manchester Village Pride CIC funds raised through the sale of wristbands and passes will enable safe delivery of the Summer Bank Holiday Weekend event, and will support LGBTQ+ charities, grassroots organisations, and vital community services. Any surplus funds will be legally locked in for public benefit and a “transparency dashboard” on the Manchester Village Pride CIC website will be updated regularly to show ticket sales, costs, and projected charitable surplus.

Underpinning this transparency, Manchester Village Pride CIC committed to its responsibility to pay artists properly, fund community groups, support charities, protect LGBTQ+ heritage, and build a sustainable future for Pride in Manchester.

Manchester Village Pride CIC has so far received £120,000 in loans from Village venues, demonstrating a tangible commitment and providing the working capital needed to begin delivery. This investment reflects the determination of local LGBTQ+ businesses to safeguard Pride and ensure it remains rooted in the community that created it; however, funds from wristband sales are now required to help start planning and organising the event properly.

Carl Austin-Behan, one of the founding board members and spokesperson for Manchester Village Pride CIC, said: “Last week we had a phenomenal and heartwarming response to our announcement about the creation of Manchester Village Pride CIC and the news that we will bring our much-loved weekend of celebrations back to the Village in August.

“This is all incredibly exciting for our community. We now have a chance to start again and do things right by putting local LGBTQ+ partners, grassroots groups, and organisations first, and in doing so, rebuilding trust, strengthening relationships that really matter, and creating something that truly belongs to us all.

“Naturally, given the failure of Manchester Pride Ltd and ongoing impact that this has had on charities, artists, and businesses within our community, we know that everything we do is going to be scrutinised and we are ready to meet that head on with clear open book management, direct and clear language when providing updates, and radical transparency about any funding.

“In the spirit of this transparency, we do need to be clear that we need people to purchase a wristband or day pass. Over Pride weekend, the Village becomes a large-scale live event space, with outdoor stages, performances, and street bars. A ticketed entry system allows us to meet essential safety, security, and government licensing requirements, manage crowd numbers responsibly, and provide appropriate stewarding, medical, and welfare support.

“Without this approach, venues would not be legally permitted to host stages or outdoor bars, and the Village simply couldn’t operate in the way people expect during Pride weekend. This is not about restricting access, it’s about keeping people safe, protecting our venues, and ensuring Manchester Village Pride can happen responsibly.

“I hope people can see that we are taking important steps to fundamentally change the way Pride is operated here in Manchester. Of course, all this change doesn’t happen alone – it takes all of us and it starts with our community. By buying a Manchester Village Pride wristband or day pass, we’re not just asking people to attend Pride; we’re asking them to help rebuild it, fund LGBTQ+ community organisations, pay artists fairly, and protect Pride’s future.”

Manchester Village Pride wristbands and passes are now on sale at via Skiddle – follow @manchestervillagepride on Instagram and Manchester Village Pride on Facebook for further details.