By Andrew Roberts

It’s here……..!!

Manchester Pride officially kicked off on Friday and the Fringe events are well underway, there was the Family Fun day, Pink Dog Show and the Heather Peace/Bruno Langley gig. Lee Baxter & Jez Dolan’s photography exhibition also opened at The Hub.

Various events are happening this week too; tonight Outdoor Lads have their climbing evening, tonight also sees Fetish Knights beginning at the John Thaw Theatre, Valentino King’s Drag King Workshop is on Tuesday and Die Mommie Die opens on Thursday.

It’s the Big Weekend that I imagine most people are looking forward to. Those who are travelling over have probably started packing their bags, picking their outfits and planning where to go and what to do. Here’s my very own Big Weekend guide…..

• Don’t forget your tickets! If you’ve not got a ticket yet, fear not! They are still available online, on the phone and in person. If you decide to get one over the Big Weekend then the box offices will be very busy. Remember that they are also available from Spar over the weekend.

• There are plenty of wristband exchanges dotted around the perimeter of the Village. My top tip is to get them as early as you can on Friday. The exchanges will be super busy after the Parade on Saturday, but the team work as quickly as possible getting them on wrists.

• Don’t peak too early, yes we’ve all done it and trust me I seem to get too excited too quickly – the last couple of years I’ve tried to work on the mantra of “pace”. The Big Weekend is a marathon and you don’t want to miss any of it. If you want to just go for it, then at least remember where you’re staying.

• Be safe. What else is there to say on this? I’m starting to sound like a parent, but there will be plenty of free safe sex packs in the bars and clubs. Pick one up just in case.

• Don’t forget that there are a few new additions this year including big screens and for the Twitterers there is a Tweetdeck meeting place in Sackville Gardens.

• Speaking of Twitter, the hash tag will be #MCRPride.

• I hope to do a post Pride round up and would love to hear what people thought about it, so if you see me around – do say hello!

• Have an amazing time!

I’m really excited about the Big Weekend, it’s a great opportunity to catch up with friends and have a laugh but for the first time I’m actually involved with Pride itself as a volunteer. Getting involved has been a great experience and I’ve met some brilliant people and hope to see them after the dust from the weekend has settled.

Thank you to Team Pride for letting me contribute to the blog, it’s been fantastic and more importantly thank you to everyone who’s read them, 'Liked' them, Tweeted them and shared them. xx

WRITTEN BY ANDREW ROBERTS

Manchester Pride seems to be approaching at some speed now, I can’t believe that since I started to contribute to the blog all those months ago, that we had the last volunteer social before Pride (which was great fun….sore heads all-round the next day), volunteer training and it's only next week that it all kicks off!

Pride Fringe begins on Friday 19 August and there are plenty of events leading up to (and over) the Big Weekend that are worth checking out. There is a good mix of free and paying events. If you’ve not had a look at what’s on then check out the brochure here. The stage listings for the Big Weekend have also been released and, as per usual, there are also plenty of events going on in the bars and clubs around the Village.

I’ve put together a list of what I fancy doing in the run up to the Big Weekend and over it. If you can’t decide, then maybe these will spur you on:

• 21x21: Portraits & Perspectives by Lee Baxter (19-25 Aug, 4 Piccadilly Place): I love photography exhibitions and I think this will be a really interesting one. 21 individuals from the LGBT community have been shot and have added their experiences of Pride to accompany their portrait. I have seen a small selection of Lee’s work on his website www.hip-replacement.com  and really liked what I saw. Definitely one of the top things for me.
• It’s a Gay Knockout (Thurs 25 Aug, 9PM, Taurus): This will be the first time that I have been to this event. I’ve heard that it’s loads of fun and pretty funny, as it is hosted by Polly I’d expect nothing less!
• Pam Ann (Fri 26 Aug, Gaydar Main Arena): Now, I’ve never really caught on to the Pam Ann thing. A couple of my friends who are coming over for Pride have told me that she’s hilarious live and that I’ve been missing out. From what I do know, she’ll be a great opening for the weekend.
• The Parade (Sat 27 Aug, 1pm, City Centre): There’s not really much to say about the Parade apart from it’s not to be missed. It’s likely to be bigger than before and the theme for this year is “Best of British”. It’s fantastic.
• Gaydar Main Arena (Sun 28 Aug): There are three acts that I want to see on the Sunday of the Big Weekend, Patrick Wolf, Sugababes and the recently announced Alexandra Burke. Fingers crossed for a beautifully dry day as most of it will be spent outside!
• Candlelit Vigil (Mon 29 Aug, Sackville Gardens): Another first for me. I’ve attended Pride many times, but never the Vigil and it’s about time I did.

Don’t forget that the Queer to Stay, 21 years of Manchester Pride exhibition is still running at The Lowry and is well worth heading over for. If you’re travelling up for the Big Weekend, it may be a nice little break from the festivities. Check out Warhol’s Divas whilst you’re there.

There will also be a nod to the beginnings of what is now Manchester Pride with a Bring and Buy sale in Sackville Gardens on Sunday 21 August. Last and by no means least the Lifestyle Expo and Market will also be running over the Big Weekend.

 Today we caught up with Alasdair Jarvie from New Attitude Theatre Company to see how things are coming along for Pride.

Pride is turning 21 this year. How does it feel to be part of such a momentous LGBT event?

Are you sure Pride is only 21? Seems it's been around for much longer than that. Between Taurus claiming to be only 10, and Pride only 21, no wonder there are less and less role models for the gay community.

Happy Birthday, whatever age you are. New Attitude Theatre Company is very proud to be providing a bit of laughter in what is bound to be a great week.

This year, you are organising a show named Two Grumpy Gay Men, can you give us an idea of what we can expect from the show?

2 Grumpy Gay Men - Loitering With Intention is a comedy that takes everyday observations (some of them gayer than others), and puts a different spin on it.

From Britney to Barrowman, Coffee to Doctor Who, there's something that everyone in the audience can (sometimes uncomfortably) identify with.

But it's not just being grumpy for the sake of it, there's a story behind this 1 hour show. Ben & William are waiting, loitering even, and they take you on that comedic journey with them.

How are the preparations coming along for the show so far?

Preparations are going well, the actors are warming up, the set is simple, the director is fabulous (it's in her contract to post that whenever mentioning her role), and wisely or not, we've given the characters a twitter account each, and they are tweeting away. Follow them on @grumpygayben & @grumpygaywill

And finally, with the festival just a few weeks away, are there any other events during the Fringe that you are particularly looking forward to attending?

This year looks even better than the past year. I still have my fingers crossed that Hazell Dean will be making a special 21st Pride comeback. But the Fringe is awash with excellent shows, and I've got my ticket booked for Die Mommie Die, and despite being on the same night as them, I like the sound of Fetish Knights and Blowing Whistles too.

2 Grumpy Gay Men will run from Tuesday 23 to Thursday 25 August at 19:30 at Manto Bar. Click here for more event information.

Written by Bren O’Callaghan

Hola Pride followers, I’ve been asked to write a guest post for you from the cultural castle that is Cornerhouse – Manchester’s international centre for contemporary visual art and independent film.

Many of you will, like me, have spied your first bare breasts, waxed chests, front bottoms and nudie rear posteriors on film as part of our eclectic world-cinema screenings. I blame the French particularly for corrupting this lapsed Catholic altar boy.

Years after sneaking into Cinema 1 to watch foreigners shout, snog and drive around on mopeds (without seatbelts!), I find myself employed here as Visual Arts Programme Manager and inhaling the Bisto kids burger-whiff from the meat ‘n milkshakes emporium next door. I now offer you my guidance on what to look out for during the run-up to Pride weekend to whet your appetite accordingly.

Although the BFI London Gay & Lesbian Film Festival have had to abandon their popular UK tour of selected features due to well publicised budget cuts, Peccadillo Pictures – specialists in LGBT movies from all over the globe – have stepped in to provide a strong alternative selection. We’ve a choice of four titles including one scandalous classic, encompassing historical bodice rippers (well, slowly unpicking, those laces can be devilish to undo once knotted) to edgy British drama. It almost goes without saying that the French have upped the sauce quotient with my personal favourite, Man At Bath: stylised, cinema verite starring gay male porn star Francois Sagat (star of Bruce La Bruce’s LA Zombie).

We also sell volcanic cupcakes rolled in glitter. I ask you, what more do you want?

Sea Purple

Based on a true story, Sea Purple (so named after a resourceful fish that changes sex to mate) treads a similar path to Sarah Water’s Tipping The Velvet, combining period drama with forbidden female desire. Angela, the daughter of a tyrannical quarry boss in 19th Century Sicily, pines for her best friend Anna – forced to leave for the mainland with her family, the women at the mercy of their masters. Years later the two are reunited, only for their naïve attachment to have grown into not simply longing but love. Set against an impassioned and melodramatic backdrop, this is a story of true nature over nurture, aligning itself with the mutilated cliffs that the islanders carve for personal profit and short term gain; a stoic, barren yet beautiful landscape exempt from the petty moral coda of men.

• Wed 17 Aug 20.30, Cert. 15

Taxi Zum Klo

Decried as an X-rated abomination upon original release in 1980, this fictionalised tale of writer, director and lead actor Frank Ripploh was based almost exclusively upon his own exploits, going so far as to pair him with a former lover, Bernd Broaderup, documenting their break-up borne of Ripploh’s sexual compulsion. The literal translation, ‘Taxi to the Toilet’, relates to a scene in which Frank leaves a meter running and driver waiting while he dashes across pre-AIDS Berlin, scouring hook-up spots for further conquests. Explicit it most certainly is, not simply in terms of actual sex on film (far from idealised as pale, pimpled bottoms rise and fall from focus), but in the depiction of one man’s everyday attempt at wringing comfort from his unambiguously ordinary existence.

• Wed 17 Aug 13.30, Cert 18 / Contains very strong sex and sex references
• Sun 14 Aug, 12.00 + post screening discussion with Andrew Moor, Reader in Cinema History in the English Dept at Manchester Metropolitan University.

Man At Bath

Despite the golden carrot of French gay male porn star Francois Saguette dangling from the screen, this is so much more than a film about buns tight enough to crack a walnut with one clench: instead, Saguette’s role as Emmanuel is a striking yet boorish figure, his stunning physique more handicap than bonus as he lurches from one encounter to the next, an empty-headed sex addict lacking basic self-awareness. When his boyfriend Omar demands he leaves their apartment before he returns from a trip to New York, the narrative splits to depict their opposing experience in the days that follow - using an inventive eye-view verite technique for Omar, paired with a languid, bed-bound voyeurism to capture Emmanuel’s ennui. A fresh, experimental swansong to a relationship that has reached its best-by date.

• Thu 11 Aug 20.40, Cert. 18 / Contains sex

Break My Fall

If music be the food of love, then the downbeat, indie-punk soundtrack populated by new British bands that underscores this slick debut by director Kamchi Wichmann waves a burning red flag from the outset. Coming across as an Anglo-interpretation of Gregg Araki’s nihilistic teen nightmares (part Skins, part Grange Hill), Lesbian couple Liza and Sally drift from bed to band practice, barely managing to scrape a living, dining at greasy spoons and puking into piled-high kitchen sinks as their hedonism spirals out of control. Flashes of violence, a lack of purpose and psychological self-harm point toward a dim resolution, but Wichmann’s adept delivery and lo-fi style ensures that it never quite degenerates into senseless whinging. Kat Redstone as Liza is particularly impressive as the androgynous cornerstone to this upstart ensemble piece.

• Tue 09 Aug 18.20, Cert. 18 + post screening discussion with Director Kamchi Wichmann

This afternoon, we caught up with Jez Dolan, who will be running photography exhibition Pride Dis(guise) during this year's Pride Fringe.

Pride is turning 21 this year. How does it feel to be part of such a monumentous LGBT event?

I've been involved in Manchester Pride one way and another for about fifteen years, as a Sister of Perpetual Indulgence, Pride Carnival artist and workshop leader, Mission Malawi cyclist, and with a massive change this year, holding the exhibition Pride (dis)guise - Mythologies. Its great to see that it now comes of age, and is still the best Pride event in the country

You have organised an exhibition called Pride (dis)guise, can you give us an idea of what we can expect from the event?

The exhibition will be portrait photographs of a number of people from Manchester's LGBT community, a portrait which examines their ideas of a response to the question: "Who did you want to be when you were 21?" I want the portraits to be highly theatrical and dramatic, and each one reflecting the individual's personal hopes, dreams and feelings at that age. I'm really lucky to be exhibiting jointly with Lee Bater's 21 x 21 project, and we have a really fantastic exhibition space in Piccadilly Place, just outside the village.

How are the preparations coming along so far?

I'm still at the point of having initial discussion with the people 'modelling' for the portraits, and trying to find a setting and a 'look' for each picture. I'm also thinking about spaces in which to shoot the photographs, and looking at lighting, props, costumes and such. There is still a LOT to do. The other day I also went with Lee on his first shoot to take some documentary photos, which will also find their way into the exhibition, so hopefully people will get some idea of the process of making the work too.

With the festival just a few weeks away, are there any other events during the Fringe that you are particularly looking forward to attending?

Assuming that I get any time away from the exhibition, I always go to the Pride Chamber Music concerts, which have each year been a complete revelation.

Pride (Dis)guise will run from Friday 19 - Thursday 25 August between 12:00 - 18:00 daily at 4 Piccadilly Place, Aytoun Street.

We caught up recently with Heather McHale, organiser of this year's Vintage Tea Party, to see how the preparations are coming along for this year's Pride Fringe.

Pride is turning 21 this year. How does it feel to be part of such a momentous LGBT event?

After attending Pride for many years, it is a great honour to be selected to host a fringe event on this very special year. I just hope that Pride turning 21 increases awareness of LGBT communities not only within Manchester but throughout the UK and continues to raise much needed funds for LGBT and HIV charities. Let's hope its a record breaking year ! And yes, Im very excited :-)

This year, you are running We'll meet Again, can you give us an idea of what we can expect from the event?

The event promises to be a fun filled cheeky afternoon full of vintage tease, burlesque, vintage vocals and glamour reminiscent of the tea parties from the 1940s. There might be a ration on, but there is still plenty of "tease" to go around !

How are the preparations coming along for the show so far?

The preperations are going fantastically well thanks to the fabulous Coal Mine Productions and The Canary Cage Liverpool.

And finally, with the festival just a few weeks away, are there any other events during the Fringe that you are particularly looking forward to attending?

Well im hoping to pop into the Pink Dog Show before my event ! "This is Me" also looks fantastic and right up my street with music from the 50s.

We'll Meet Again - Vintage Tea Party will take place on Sunday 21 August at 16:00 at Taurus Bar. Click here for more event information.

Today we caught up recently with Adam Lowe, organiser of Sections of an Orange, to see how things are coming along for this year's Pride Fringe.

How does it feel to be a part of Manchester Pride's 21st birthday?

It's fantastic to see Manchester Pride going strong after so many years. This year also marks SABLE LitMag's 10th anniversary and Peepal Tree Press' 25th. I'm also 25 now too . . . it seems things have aligned nicely. For me, this makes it doubly important to celebrate this year, and what better way to do that than to stand loud and proud and queer?

 What can Pride-goers expect from your event, Sections of an Orange?

I will be reading with distinguished writers Dorothea Smartt, Seni Seneviratne and Rommi Smith. These girls really have the edge over me in terms of performance experience, and I'm excited to be standing beside them. You can expect poetry, singing, monologues and readings from Peepal Tree's queer-faves, Sections of An Orange (by Anton Nimblett) and Caribbean Erotic (ed. by Opal Palmer-Adisa and Donna Aza Weir-Soley). All four of us are British-born queer writers of Black descent, and that means we occupy a strange intersection between differing cultures and experiences. You can expect a wide-ranging, powerful performance.

We also have a talk from Thomas Glave, the renowned queer activist and writer, who will be hosting a workshop earlier on in the day. He will be discussing the queer themes of Peepal Tree Press' Escape to an Autum Pavement by Andrew Salkey, which is a part of our Caribbean Modern Classics series that seeks to revive and draw attention to important literary works from the Caribbean and its Diasporas. The book has several queer themes which make it important to modern readers, gay or straight.

Rukus! will also be providing us with a presentation from their archive of queer Black heroes throughout history.

And how are the preparations coming along so far?

Things have been hectic, but ultimately enjoyable. Seni and I were at Manchester Book Market in May and Rommi and I have been working together at Pick Up Your Pens Festival in Sheffield and Leeds Lieder+. We've all been psyching ourselves up for this, and Dorothea has done all the hard work in terms of organising transport and the like. I did the easy bit in dreaming up the initial idea, so I feel a bit lazy really.

With the festival just weeks away, are there any other events during the Fringe that you are particularly looking forward to?

I'm looking forward to most of it. Vertigo Theatre always put on some colourful shows, so I will be sure to check them out this year. There's a real smorgasbord of events for the LGBTQ crowd, and I'm honoured to be a part of this year's Fringe.

Sections of an Orange: Black Queer Writing Speaks Out is a free event taking place at 19:30 on Friday 19 August in Taurus. Click here for more event information.

 Today we caught up recently with Lisa Graham, organiser of this year's Pink Dog Show, to see how the preparations are coming along for this year's Pride Fringe

Pride is turning 21 this year. How does it feel to be part of such a momentous LGBT event?

We are all really excited and there seems to be a buzz about this year’s events, people are really getting behind us this year.

This year, you are running The Pink Dog Show; can you give us an idea of what we can expect from the show?

We are the biggest Pink Dog Show in the world and each year the show goes from strength to strength, already this year the day has been dubbed a mini Glastonbury. After such a succesful partnership with Barking Barbers last year we have team up again to present the show. Returning to host the show will be the fabulous John Hamilton and this year we have introduced an XFactor style judging panel made up of the Rem Bars Belinda Scandal, Pickles, Manchester Dogs’ Home mascot and Barbara Woodhouse of course. From acts to pink dogs and from celebrity judges to a family festival day for all we know that this year’s show will be the talk of the Pride celebrations and don’t forget the doggy market for gifts and treats for your dog. The team at Barking Barbers will be on hand to give your dog our you Reiki Massage.

And what is the theme for the show this year?

This year’s theme is “Fairy Tails” which we are sure will throw up some amazing surprises on the day.

How are the preparations coming along so far?

We are now in the final weeks of staging the event and our team is swelling every day and a big thank you goes out to our volunteers.

And finally, with the festival just a few weeks away, are there any other events during the Fringe that you are particularly looking forward to attending?

Hopefully we will get to some of the events but like all the teams involved in putting together this year's Fringe we will be working up to the 11th hour, but here’s hoping.

The Pink Dog Show will take place on Sunday 21 August at 12:00 In Sackville Gardens. Click here for more event information.

We caught up recently with Les Pratt, organiser of the annual Pride Chamber Music Concerts, to see how the preparations are coming along for this year's Pride Fringe.

How does it feel to be a part of Manchester Pride's 21st birthday?

It’s fantastic to be involved in Manchester Pride, but I’m especially proud to be part of the 21st birthday celebrations. Manchester’s LGBT community has come a long way in the past two decades and it feels good to be continuing the amazing work that those pioneers began back in 1991.

Pride Chamber Music is now in its fourth year, can you give us a breakdown of what is going on at this year's event?

The Pride Chamber Music events are designed to highlight LGBT composers past and present, and the five concerts feature a mixture of seasoned performers and young, local talent. This year, I’m delighted to welcome the Iranian-born harpsichordist Mahan Esfahani to kick off the series with a recital which includes music by Georg Frederick Handel and Jean-Baptiste Lully alongside a new work by Manchester Pride’s very own composer-in-association, Marc Yeats. On Tuesday, there’s a flute & viola recital including pieces by Tchaikovsky, Benjamin Britten, Lennox Berkeley and Francis Poulenc. Wednesday lunchtime is a song recital by fantastic baritone Geof Dolton, and on Thursday, the pianist Martin Roscoe will play works by Karol Szymanowski, Aaron Copland and Manuel de Falla. The week closes with a group of young wind players – The Manchester Pride Ensemble who will play music by Samuel Barber and the exciting Sextet by Poulenc.

How are the preparations coming along so far?

It’s shaping up to be a really great series now, with lots of wonderful performers and an interesting set of pieces. The Cosmo Rodewald Hall should be buzzing in the last week of August…especially as tickets are free!!!

With the festival just a few months away, are there any other events during the Fringe that you are particularly looking forward to attending?

Yes, there’s a new play down at the John Thaw Studio Theatre by an exciting young writer called Rob Ellis, which runs from Monday 22- Wednesday 24 August. It’s called Fetish Knights, and is based in a fictitious Manchester men-only bar, although it sets about exploding some of the myths surrounding that type of venue; this is more “quiche and Corrie” than “whips & chains”. With what looks like a fantastic star-studded cast, this new comedy promises to be one of the funniest pieces of theatre in years!

I’ll also be attending a new musical on Thursday 25 August, called Checkout, written by Mat Atkins, which will be performed ten singers and a ten-piece band from Birmingham University.

There are two must-see exhibitions at Pride Fringe this year, too – both at 4 Piccadilly Place on Aytoun Street. 21x21 is a series of stylised black & white images by Lee Baxter – photographs of 21 individuals, documenting their Pride impressions, experiences and memories. The other is an exhibition of contemporary colour portraits by Jez Dolan, who is working with members of Manchester’s LGBT community to examine ideas of (dis)guise and the images we had/have of ourselves at the age of 21.

Make sure you come along to Pride Chamber Music this year! It runs from 22 - 26 August at 1PM daily at the Cosmo Rodewald Concert Hall. And it's free!

'Bend Your Gender' is a Drag King workshop run by the UK's number one Drag King Valentino King. Today we caught up with Valentino to see how everything is coming along in the run up to the festival.

How does it feel to be a part of Manchester Pride's 21st birthday?

It's always an honour and a pleasure to take part in Manchester Pride, but to be invited back for the 21st year is very special indeed. There will be a great atmosphere around the city with the fantastic Fringe events leading up to the big weekend itself. Excited is an under statement!

What can Pride goers expect from your event, Bend Your Gender?

My Fringe event 'Bend Your Gender' at Via will give an insight into the world of the Drag King. Everyone will have the opportunity to drag up as a king, using all the materials provided. Covering.... facial hair, binding, posture, social networking with other kings, but most of all fun. King events in Manchester are the most amazing fun nights to attend. Places are limited, so if you haven't booked contact Sue on 07856252413.

How are the preparations coming along so far?

Posters are being printed as we speak, so look out for them in the venues around Canal Street. Already there has been a great response to the event via Facebook. There are more kings out there than I thought!

Are there any other events during the Fringe that you are particularly looking forward to?

There is really something for everyone during the Fringe. The LGBT community are spoiled for choice this year. I am particularly looking forward to This Is Me: a great event showing the talents of heather Peace and Bruno Langley on Wednesday 24 August. For all those browsing through your Loud and Proud brochure, please support the fringe events. So much effort has gone into them to give you a Pride you will never forget.

Finally, do you have any advice on anyone who might be considering venturing into the Drag King world?

Sure, for those of you out there who are a little shy and don't quite know where to start, you can contact me through my website, Facebook or meet up with the other kings the last Sunday of every month at Via. Everyone is very friendly and will help with any questions you have. You don't have to drag up to start with, why not pop along and introduce yourself? Otherwise, why not take the fantastic opportunity to come to the fringe event, all your questions will be answered and of course the event is free! Being a king is so liberating and so much fun. See you on the 23 August .

Bend Your Gender will take place on Tuesday 23 August at 7PM in Via. Make sure you come along and show your true king side!