Today Manchester Pride, the LGBT+ charity behind The Big Weekend, has announced the line-up for the four-day event which forms part of The Manchester Pride Festival.
Topping the bill on the Thomas Cook Airlines Stage will be artists including Rita Ora, Jake Shears, Sigala and Alexandra Burke. The Gaydio Dance Arena will welcome TCTS, Ana Matronic, Jon Pleased Wimmin, and Pete Tong along with some familiar faces including DJ Paulette, Jamie Bull, Kriss Herbert and Danny Howard.
Lucy Spraggan will be performing at her 10th Big Weekend and as a seasoned performer has played every stage at the event throughout her musical career. Plus across the weekend The Sackville Stage will play host to Proms In The Park, Heather Peace Presents and new addition – Bongo’s Bingo.
Two of the original DJ’s from New York Iconic Club Studio 54 – Nicky Siano and Jellybean Benitez – to recreate ‘A night at Studio 54’ in the Gaydio Dance Arena.
Introduced by G-A-Y, international superstar and Hot Right Now singer Rita Ora will bring her appropriately named single Proud to the stage. Jake Shears, who is best known as lead singer for the Scissor Sisters, is stepping out on his own for the first time in 2018 and his performance at The Big Weekend will be one of his first solo shows in the UK.
Sigala, is an English DJ, record producer and remixer who’s had six top 10 hits, including his 2015 debut number one “Easy Love”, which samples “ABC” by the Jackson 5. He’s collaborated with some of the biggest names in music including Sigma, Ella Eyre, Imani Williams, DJ Fresh, Nile Rodgers, Craig David and Paloma Faith.
Alexandra Burke has made chart history as the first British female solo singer to score a million-selling single. She secured rave reviews in the West End for The Bodyguard and packed-out theatres in a touring revival of Sister Act, and now, after a break of six years, she has returned with her third album, The Truth Is.
Manchester-born TCTS is a DJ and record producer signed to Chase & Status’ record label, MTA. His hit Do It Like Me with Kelis & Sage The Gemini was one of the last summer’s success stories. Having received support from Radio 1, it hit #1 on the station’s Dance Chart and stayed there for five consecutive weeks. It also gained specialist support from the likes of Pete Tong, MistaJam, and Danny Howard.
Jon Pleased Wimmin is a UK DJ who grew up in London and rose to fame in the club world during the 1990’s where his flamboyant cross-dressing and stylish presence became a force to be reckoned with. Jon’s highly stylised dress sense and his skill at mixing an eclectic selection of tunes garnered praise all round, and throughout the 1990’s he was a regular fixture in DJ Magazine’s top 100 best DJ’s in the world, coming 5th in 1996.
Pete Tong is arguably one of the UK’s best known and favourite DJs – and as the voice of Radio 1’s prestigious dance programming, Pete has held a commanding presence over the industry for more than two decades. His unique position has earned him a reputation as the global ambassador of dance music.
Crazy rave bingo night Bongo’s Bingo has taken Europe by storm. The chaotic version of the classic game of house which features rave intervals, dance-offs and quirky prizes, has become something of a phenomenon with organisers taking up residences in Ibiza, Australia and Dubai. The show, which regularly sells out, will take to the stage in Sackville Gardens over The Big Weekend and is set to be one of the event’s most popular features.
After the success of the Silent Disco and Sing-along-Cinema last year, both events will be back this year, providing audiences with a truly immersive experience, where visitors become the stars of the show.
The Manchester Pride Festival, which is made up of The Big Weekend, The Manchester Pride Parade, The Candlelit Vigil and The Superbia Weekend, is an award-winning four-day event celebrating LGBT+ life. The event takes place in August, with this year’s The Big Weekend set to run from Friday 24 – Monday 27 August and the parade on Saturday 25 August.
Third release Big Weekend tickets are priced at £28 for the full weekend, £20.00 for day tickets and family and children’s tickets are also available.
