Pride in Trafford returns to Waterside Arts: What’s on at the festival, when it is and how you can get tickets

Pride in Trafford, a five-day celebration of LGBTQ+ people and culture, is back. 

Now in its third year, the festival brings together a diverse range of performers and performances, from comedy and cabaret, storytelling and solo shows to photography and physical theatre. 

When and where is Pride in Trafford taking place? 

Pride in Trafford runs between Tuesday 17th – Saturday 21st May 2022. 

Events will take place in venues and spaces across Trafford, including Sale’s leading arts venue, Waterside.

The festival launches on Tuesday 17th May with the annual flag-raising ceremony at Sale Town Hall at 11am. This coincides with and marks The International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia.  

What events are on the schedule? 

Mancunian artist Allie Crewe is sure to be a huge draw for the festival. Her award-winning exhibition ‘Your Own Light’ will open at Waterside for the festival and will run until July. Whilst on display in Sale, Crewe aims to add to her exhibition with new photographs of LGBTQ+ people living in Greater Manchester.

Other visual arts on the schedule include ‘Interstice’, a digital display and autobiographical embodiment of artist Paul Scott Bullen’s experience of homophobic resistance.

Both live cabaret and comedy also feature prominently throughout this year’s Pride in Trafford celebrations with highlights including musical theatre diva Vivienne de Vil. In her brand-new show ‘With One Look’ Vivienne sings through life’s ups and downs, embracing the future one show tune at a time.

The stand-up comedy evening Laugh Riot returns for 2022 with MC Jonathan Mayor introducing comic and improviser Kate McCabe, stand-up, drag queen and live streamer Red Redmond and headliner Bethany Black.

Pride in Trafford will also celebrate up-and-coming LGBTQ+ talent from across Greater Manchester thanks to Waterside and Creative Industries Trafford’s Making Waves programme. 

The festival will conclude with two immersive outdoor events: Wildflower, a fun and floral pop-up performance that celebrates being your vibrant, colourful self even under the harshest conditions. Presented by the producers of the award-winning Curious Arts Festival, this joyous promenade show will see ‘Wildflowers’ ride by on their flowery trikes, handing out and creating a welcoming environment where everyone can thrive. 

Throughout the afternoon, Pride in Trafford and local Italian restaurant Mano a Bocca will host a free outdoor celebration on Waterside Plaza, with family-friendly activities.

Will there be activities for young people?

Yes – Pride in Trafford has made sure that there’s plenty for younger festival-goers to enjoy this year. 

Local groups Gorse Hill Studios, Rainbow Reflections and Cooking Club will come together to create a fun and free special Pride event for young people in Trafford. There’ll be cooking sessions followed by loads of activities, including quizzes, music and art activities, all curated by and for young people. 

Producer for Pride in Trafford and manager of Waterside Darren Adams said: “We are really thrilled with this year’s line-up for Pride in Trafford. There is a real sense of ‘coming together’ weaved throughout the programme – not just because all the events are live in person, but in terms of the themes, the artists and the collaborators involved. Through their work, all our performers celebrate inclusivity, love, diversity and togetherness and one thing that really stands out and encapsulates this year’s programme is that our differences can unite us and that it is something to embrace and celebrate. We cannot wait to see the community back celebrating Pride in Trafford for five days of queer joy, fun and pride.”

It sounds like the festival will be better than ever this year – we can’t wait to see it arrive in Sale! To book your tickets, visit prideintrafford.org 🏳️‍🌈 🏳️‍⚧️