Manchester Pride, one of the UK’s leading LGBTQ+ charity events, has revealed the final glittering additions to its 2025 line-up, with pop sensation Louis III, cult comedy icon Charity Shop Sue, and drag chaos queen Bailey J Mills and many more acts now confirmed to join headline sets by Olly Alexander and Leigh-Anne to appearances from Billy Porter, Big Freedia and many more.
Taking place from Friday 22nd to Monday 25th August, the four-day celebration will spotlight queer excellence and community spirit with a stellar mix of live music, drag, DJs, cabaret, and takeovers from some of Manchester’s most exciting collectives.
The newly added for 2025 Mardi Gras event will span Saturday and Sunday, showcasing trans, non-binary and queer talent from across Greater Manchester and beyond.
Mardi Gras at Manchester Pride – Saturday 23 August
Headlining Saturday’s Mardi Gras event is Leigh-Anne, bringing her powerhouse vocals and hits from her new album “Been A Minute” to the stage. Joining the fun is the legendary Billy Porter, fresh from lighting up the cabaret stage in NYC and ready to bring the glam! Joining them as a special guest is bounce music royalty Big Freedia, adding her iconic voice to the Manchester heat.
Tik Tok sensation, Altégo will also be joining the celebrations. Fresh from a tour of the USA, the twin brothers famed for their are set to bring their high energy mash ups to Mardi Gras.
Saturday’s line-up is a kaleidoscope of queer joy, with appearances from Charity Shop Sue, Bailey J Mills, Danny Beard, Sonique, Booty Luv, Bestley, and Banksie.
Expect a feast of performance with Dean McCullough’s Pop Machine, Bongo’s Bingo, and Queenz: Drag Me to the Disco lighting up the stage, while Runway x Banksie, Red Bull Dance Your Style, and Black Pride MCR celebrate community, fashion, and fierce expression.
Also taking the stage are Shanika Sunrise, Yshee Black, DJ Jess Rose, STNLY, Swagga, DJ Loz Newy, Monopoly Phonic, Fly Girls$, Choke On My Pronouns, Styli, Jsky, Noir Qweens, Black Betty, DJ Sequinella, Coco Cannelll, Andi, Jaii Andrew, and Ghetto Fabulous.
With a blend of music, performance, art and activism, Mardi Gras is a powerful showcase of queer excellence and unfiltered celebration.
Mardi Gras – Sunday 24 August
You’ve been waiting Years & Years for this as pop legend Olly Alexander takes the spotlight on Sunday with a show-stopping performance that’s set to raise the roof. Joining him is special guest Tulisa, alongside Tayce, Louisa Johnson, and DJ and nightlife icon Jodie Harsh.
Louis III, K-Klass, N-Trance, and Banksie lead the charge for dancefloor anthems, while Sunday also features Stephani B, Anna Phylactic, and special takeovers including House of MCR – Pride Edition, Gaydio Dance Arena, Mix-Stress presents Kaleidoscope, and Lucky Roy Singh Presents Kulture Cabaret.
The stage will once again be lit up by Queenz: Drag Me to the Disco, Misschief, Bongo’s Bingo, and Out and Laughing, with further performances from Rikki Beadle-Blair, Darren Pritchard, Olly Waldron, DJ Michael Maddison, Jamie John Warren, and Club Zindagi.
Also performing: Lady Imelda, Minara ‘El Waters, Duniya Dhoom, Tequila Thirst, Amrick Channa, Kaan, Raj, Awais, Sitara Malik, Zahira Zapanta, Shimmy Begum, Saki Yew and Fortune, bringing a global, genre-defying celebration to the heart of Manchester.
Gay Village Party Highlights
Friday 22 August
Samantha Mumba takes the spotlight alongside local heroes Fat Pride, Luke Lucent, and Daniela Corvea, with Silent Disco keeping the beats going late into the night.
Saturday 23 August
Belt out every word of “C’est la Vie” as B*Witched light up the stage! Joining the line-up is the sensational Diana Vickers, plus the high-energy Gaydio Dance Arena, the vibrant “Our Village” Showcase, and the empowering Youth Pride MCR.
Sunday 24 August
All together now because “We Are Family”! Sister Sledge featuring Kathy Sledge top a nostalgia-filled bill alongside Danny Beard, Gina Breeze, Angie Brown, Kurlz, Swagga, and Girls on Film.
The day also features Rave with Pride, Vanilla Takeover, Club Dykes and Dolls, Ginny Lemon’s Dog Show, Diva’s Only with Misty Chance, Your Manchester Live with Belinda Scandal, Manchester Prairie Dogs, Wildflowers, and a Silent Disco.
Monday 25 August – Candlelit Vigil
The festival draws to a close with the Candlelit Vigil in Sackville Gardens, a sacred space for reflection and remembrance. In partnership with George House Trust, the Vigil is a moving tribute to those we have lost and a powerful reminder of the importance of unity, love and solidarity.
Mark Fletcher, CEO at Manchester Pride, said: “We’re excited to reveal the full lineup for Manchester Pride 2025, which truly reflects the vibrant diversity and unstoppable spirit of our LGBTQ+ life in Manchester. We’ve worked closely with our communities to curate a lineup that showcases some of the best LGBTQ+ talent from Manchester alongside world renowned international performers. There’s truly something for everyone this year. And, we’re now quite done yet…… “
More information about Manchester Pride 2025 and ticket purchasing can be found on the Manchester Pride website.
Full line up with day splits revealed below:
MARDI GRAS – SATURDAY
LEIGH-ANNE // BILLY PORTER
SPECIAL GUEST: BIG FREEDIA
GOK WAN // THE DANNY BEARD SHOW // CHARITY SHOP SUE
SONIQUE // BESTLEY // BOOTY LUV // BANKSIE
DEAN MCCULLOUGH’S POP MACHINE // QUEENZ: DRAG ME TO THE DISCO
BAILEY J MILLS // SHANIKA SUNRISE // YSHEE BLACK
BONGO’S BINGO // BLACK PRIDE MCR // RUNWAY x BANKSIE //
RED BULL DANCE YOUR STYLE // OUT AND LAUGHING
RIKKI BEADLE-BLAIR // DARREN PRITCHARD
DJ JESS ROSE // MONOPOLY PHONIC // STNLY
SWAGGA // STYLI // // FLY GIRLS$
CHOKE ON MY PRONOUNS // DJ LOZ NEWY
JSKY // NOIR QWEENS // BLACK BETTY // DJ SEQUINELLA // COCO CANNELLL
ANDI // JAII ANDREW // GHETTO FABULOUS
MARDI GRAS – SUNDAY
OLLY ALEXANDER
SPECIAL GUEST: TULISA
TAYCE // JODIE HARSH // LOUISA JOHNSON
LOUIS III // K-KLASS // N-TRANCE // BANKSIE
STEPHANI B // ANNA PHYLACTIC
HOUSE OF MCR – PRIDE EDITION // GAYDIO DANCE ARENA
LUCKY ROY SINGH PRESENTS KULTURE CABARET // QUEENZ: DRAG ME TO THE DISCO
MIX-STRESS PRESENTS KALEIDOSCOPE // MISSCHIEF
BONGO’S BINGO // OUT AND LAUGHING
RIKKI BEADLE-BLAIR // DARREN PRITCHARD
OLLY WALDRON // DJ MICHAEL MADDISON // JAMIE JOHN WARREN
CLUB ZINDAGI // LADY IMELDA // MINARA ‘EL WATERS // DUNIYA DHOOM
TEQUILA THIRST // AMRICK CHANNA // KAAN // RAJ // AWAIS
SITARA MALIK // ZAHIRA ZAPANTA // SHIMMY BEGUM // SAKI YEW // FORTUNE
GAY VILLAGE PARTY – FRIDAY
SAMANTHA MUMBA // XXXXX
FAT PRIDE // LUKE LUCENT // DANIELA CORVEA
SILENT DISCO
GAY VILLAGE PARTY – SATURDAY
B*WITCHED
DIANA VICKERS
GAYDIO DANCE ARENA
“OUR VILLAGE” SHOWCASE // PERFORMER SHOWCASE
YOUTH PRIDE MCR // SILENT DISCO
GAY VILLAGE PARTY – SUNDAY
SISTER SLEDGE FEATURING KATHY SLEDGE
DANNY BEARD // GINA BREEZE // ANGIE BROWN
KURLZ // RAVE WITH PRIDE // SWAGGA
GIRLS ON FILM // LAILOW // VANILLA TAKEOVER
CLUB DYKES AND DOLLS
GINNY LEMON’S DOG SHOW // DIVA’S ONLY WITH MISTY CHANCE //
YOUR MANCHESTER LIVE WITH BELINDA SCANDAL // MANCHESTER PRAIRIE DOGS
WILDFLOWERS // SILENT DISCO
