We’re here, we’re queer... and bloomin’ proud of Manchester

So, last weekend was the August bank holiday. The last chance to celebrate the final remains of our hazy, lazy, rainy summer. And what better way to rejoice than with the colourful, extravagant, feel good carnival that is Manchester Pride?

The action all kicked off a few days before with Pride Fringe, which saw a jam-packed timetable of fun and games aimed at the old and the young, the straight and the gay, the male and female, and everyone else in between. There were women’s defence classes, a pink dog show (courtesy of Manchester Dogs' Home), and more culture, art and music than you could shake a rainbow-coloured (phallic) stick at.

My first Manchester Pride experience began on the torrential Saturday. I had agreed to take part in the parade with Northern Quarter-based charity Creative Support. (And when I said ‘agreed to take part’, I mean ‘actively forced them to let me take part). Customised glittery t-shirts, rainbow-coloured fake-eyelashes and face paint a-plenty, we were ready to go. The crowd was ten-deep and determined to cheer the grey clouds away. There were even naked people hanging out of top floor flat windows gulping G&T’s out of plastic cups. Now if that’s not a party, I don’t know what is.

The rest of the weekend was a blur of line dancing, STEPS routines, sing-a-longs with Kelis, meet ‘n’ greets with electopop act Dragonette, gatecrashing VIP areas, schmoozing with (...stalking...) corrie stars, pinching ex-Blue Peter presenter’s bottoms, and numerous repeats of Lady Gaga’s Bad Romance. Phew.

Manchester Pride as it currently stands has been going for seven years, but Pride events in one form or another have been taking place in the capital of the north for 20 years. Not only is Manchester Pride the best excuse ever for a reet good time (that’s my ‘Manchester accent’), it also raises money for a number of LGBT organisations and groups in the region...and since 2003, all you froicsome lovers have helped Manchester Pride raise £780,000 - further proof that Manchester Pride is quite frankly the best in the country.

Manchester should be proud to host such a fantastic event, which involves anyone and everyone from all walks of life. (Even the church-going homophobes were literally embraced with arms wide open.) So now the countdown begins to next year’s bonanza...and as one of the Creative Support members said...we’ve now got 12 whole months to plan our Lady Gaga outfits for MP11.

Psssssstttt.....before you move on to a more interesting blog (like the lovely Filmrant's)....Manchester Pride has been nominated for the ‘Best Annual Gay Destination Event’ and it’s definitely going to win...because it’s blates the Best Annual Gay Destination Event. So please vote for them here.