Manchester Pride 2023 LIVE: Thousands flock to city centre as huge parade and festival get underway

Manchester Pride 2023 is officially underway. The city will come to a standstill today as thousands of people march their way through the city centre as part of the festival's annual parade.

With the weather hopefully staying nice, there will be a sea of rainbow flags and a celebration of love as one of the UK's biggest LGBTQ+ events takes place. Not only will there be the huge parade, but the Gay Village will come alive as bars and venues join forces to celebrate Pride the way Manchester knows how.

There will also be live performances from a range of local and international acts and drag performers, including the likes of Brazilian drag superstar Pabllo Vittar, Alison Goldfrapp, Jodie Harsh, and Gok Wan.

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This year's parade theme is 'Queerly Beloved', and organisers say it will be a 'celebration of love, community, self-expression, and the transformative power of dance' as it marks the ten year anniversary of marriage equality in England and Wales.

This year's parade will follow the same route as the last few years, setting off along Deansgate from the junction with Liverpool Road at around 12pm - but don't hold us to exact timings as things are always subject to change on the day.

We've got a handy guide here on everything you need to know about this year's Manchester Pride from tickets and timings to wristbands and free events. We've also got you covered when it comes to Saturday and Sunday stage times for the Gay Village Party.

Follow our live blog below for all of today's Manchester Pride updates.

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Manchester Pride 2023 has now officially begun. Last night the