Mel adds spice to PRIDE weekend
ANNUAL EVENT GETS OFF TO GREAT START WITH SINGERS TAKING CENTRE STAGE
THE Manchester Pride Big Weekend got underway with a night of live entertainment brought to a dazzling finale by Spice Girls star Melanie C.
The annual festival celebrating Manchester’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender culture takes place across the Bank Holiday weekend in the city centre.
Last night’s curtain-raiser saw performances from X Factor star Saara Aalto and charttopping singer Pixie Lott before Sporty Spice Melanie took to the stage in a sparkling jumpsuit.
Melanie told the M.E.N. of her delight at playing Manchester Pride for the first time.
She said: “There has been a few times when I’ve been invited before and I’ve not been able to make it, so it’s nice to be able to be here in Manchester.
“It’s as close to home as I can get.
“I always love coming to Manchester, it’s lovely to be back in the north west.
“The LGBT community has always been so supportive of me, from back in the Spice
Girls days and my solo career. Whenever you do Pride, you know the audience are here for a good time.”
The festival continues today with the annual Pride parade through the city centre, with thousands expected to line the streets to cheer on the hundreds of colourful floats – with a theme this year of Class of 2017.
The parade is free to watch and will start from the Hilton end of Deansgate at the slightly earlier time of 12.30pm.
Live performances inside the Gay Village will also continue across the weekend, with Example headlining tonight, Clean Bandit tomorrow – while on Monday the Liberty X Girls will bring the live entertainment to a close before the poignant annual candlelit vigil in Sackville Gardens.