Raving lollipop ladies, a Spice Girl shrine, and Shania Twain drag acts: Manchester Village Pride's very lively homecoming

'Pride is coming home'08:03, 29 Aug 2026If there was any doubt whether Manchester Village Pride had begun, the appearance of extravagant drag queen Viva La Diva shouting “Happy Pride” to everyone in the city centre on Friday night whilst dressed in a big orange wig and an oversized blue coat draping over a rainbow dress might have given it away.‌The big occasion has well and truly arrived, and the rain held off for the first evening of proceedings to make it a celebratory start to what is set to be a special year - and a new era - for the LGBTQ+ event.‌In a city centre hotel, Pride was officially kicked off as those at the held of this year’s revised festival spoke about the ‘lineage’ of Manchester’s queer history. “We are a city built on radical compassion, solidarity and courage,” spokes