The University has taken part in Manchester Pride since 2011, and 2026 brings another opportunity for students across the University to get involved and show their support for our LGBTQ+ community.
The Manchester Village Pride 2026 theme, “No Place Like Home,” celebrates the many ways LGBTQ+ people have found belonging, community, and solidarity both historically, and within Manchester, a city where queer people have been able to build connections, express themselves authentically, and find acceptance.
The theme also carries deeper cultural significance, as a reference to The Wizard of Oz and the phrase “a friend of Dorothy,” a well-known queer coded phrase that historically enabled gay men to identify one another during a time when it was particularly unsafe (and illegal) to be openly queer. By connecting this rich history with Manchester’s present-day LGBTQ+ community, we are reminded that “home” is not just a physical place, but the people, networks, and spaces where we feel seen, valued, and accepted.
Join us at the parade!
We will once again have a combined float and walking entry, alongside colleagues from Manchester Metropolitan University, University of Salford, Arden University and University of Law in a joint entry.
- When: Saturday 29 August, time TBC
- Where: Liverpool road, Deansgate
Sign up to be part of the parade.
Spaces for the parade are allocated on a first come first served basis. Those with accessibility and mobility needs will be allocated to the float first.
If you have any questions, please get in touch.