Pride in Trafford

12 - 17 May 2026

Welcome to Pride in Trafford – a vibrant celebration of LGBTQ+ arts and culture!

About

Pride in Trafford explores and celebrates both identity and LGBTQ+ life in Trafford. The work aims to challenge and entertain, taking a queer art focus over a more traditional pride format.

The inaugural Pride in Trafford took place in 2019, with a strong commitment to diversity, telling stories and celebrating artists many of which are often under-represented and has since grown and developed into an important festival for Trafford and Greater Manchester attracting over 4,000 people annually.

The festival has become a driver for the creation of new work by LGBTQ+ artists and has supported artists such as Sam Danson’s BI-TOPIA, Hunter King’s A Northern Tr*nny Hootenanny and Holly Redford-Jones’ I Was Dancing in the Lesbian Bar, Violet Blonde and Cheddar Gorgeous.

Our Vision

A place where LGBTQ+ people are visible, celebrated and able to live with pride, belonging and equality.

Our Mission

To bring communities together through Pride events, creative programmes and public celebration that amplify LGBTQ+ voices, support artists and present work that challenges, provokes and affects change, while creating welcoming spaces where everyone feels safe, seen and valued.

Our manifesto

We are one, powerful community of LGBTQ+ people who unite in solidarity and create a safe space to celebrate and thrive.

We champion LGBTQ+ arts as a powerful vehicle for expression, representation and social change.

We stand together and provide a platform for artists and creatives to share their lived experience, stories and creative expressions.

We welcome EVERYONE to celebrate with us, to be part of our vibrant, resilient and inclusive community; in return, we ask for respect and courtesy. Be an ally and stand by and stand up!

We cannot celebrate full equality until our whole community is able to live freely without fear of prejudice and discrimination.

So join together and celebrate the richness of our EPIC LGBTQ+ community here in Trafford, by being your true unique self.

Steering Group

We're inviting local LGBTQ+ people and allies to help support and steer the future of Pride in Trafford.

Pride in Trafford is about celebrating our communities, amplifying diverse voices and creating joyful, welcoming spaces across the borough. As the event continues to grow, we want it to be shaped by the people it represents.

We're looking for local people who care about LGBTQ+ culture, community and visibility to be part of a small steering group. You do not need previous experience of boards or committees. We're interested in lived experience, curiosity, care and a desire to help Pride in Trafford reflect the real lives of people who live and work here.

Being part of the steering group might include sharing ideas, offering feedback, helping us think about access and inclusion, and supporting the long term vision for Pride in Trafford. The commitment will be light touch and supportive, with meetings planned around people's availability.

We especially welcome interest from people who are under-represented in cultural decision making, including people of colour, trans and non binary people, disabled people, young people and older LGBTQ+ residents.

We'll be holding an informal gathering at Waterside on Wednesday 18 March 2026, 18:00 - 19:00

If you're interested in getting involved or would like an informal chat to find out more click below:

Volunteer

Join us in celebrating LGBTQ+ arts and come and volunteer for us!

We're looking for friendly and approachable individuals who enjoy working with the public during the six days of Pride in Trafford. Exciting opportunities include stewarding, artist liaison, audience management, and collecting audience data for both indoor and outdoor events during the festival.

You will need to be over 18 and available between Tue 12 and Sun 17 May - no minimum number of shifts required.

Applications accepted until midday on Monday 04 May.

Volunteers must attend a meeting on Monday 11 May at 17:30.

Exhibit

Take part as an exhibitor at our Pride in Trafford Block Party on Saturday 16 May from 12:00 - 17:00 on Waterside Plaza.

This is the perfect opportunity to for LGBTQ+ organisations and charities to connect with local audiences.

Deadline Sunday 05 April '26.

We will be in touch to confirm selections week commencing 13 April '26.

Support us

For information on sponsorship opportunities for Pride in Trafford 2026, or other events/creative activities, please contact [email protected]