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Manchester Pride: Third anniversary of Arena attack

Graham Robson May 21, 2020

Over the past five weeks, thousands have tuned in to Manchester Pride’s YouTube channel to watch past Pride  performances and brand new content created by and for the LGBTQ+ community and its allies in Manchester.

This week, on Friday, May 22 from 7pm, in recognition of the current period of isolation and to commemorate the third anniversary of the Manchester Arena attack, the LGBTQ+ charity has created a show that will bring people and communities together, at a time when many are apart.

Week six of Manchester Pride’s series of Friday night shows will feature a selection of some performances from the Candlelit Vigil from the last four years of Manchester Pride Festival. The one hour show will feature poignant performances in a show of respect, empowerment and togetherness, the theme of which is We Are Family.

For the past two years, Manchester Pride has gone dark across its social media channels to commemorate those lost and affected on Friday, May 22, 2017. This year, in a display of the Mancunian spirit of perseverance and strength, the charity will continue with its Friday shows by spotlighting both the LGBTQ+ community and the city in a show of solidarity for those affected at this time.

It will include performances from Alexandra Burke, the Manchester Lesbian and Gay Chorus, Kate O’Donnell, Rob King, Tolu Ajayi, Lucy Spraggan, Ruby Murray and Jackie Hogan.

Mark Fletcher, chief executive for Manchester Pride, said: ‘The 22nd of May is a date that the people of Greater Manchester will remember forever.  We know that many of our communities were deeply affected by the events of that evening and we felt that it was important to mark the memory with an appropriate show to give comfort and hope to LGBTQ+ people in their homes.

‘It seems so unnatural that those suffering, either from grief or something else, won’t be able to hold their friends and families close to them at a time of remembrance.  We hope that these performances from the Candlelit Vigil, which is the space within our annual festival for people to remember those persecuted or lost, will provide that much needed collective hug for LGBTQ+ people across the city. We have created something that we hope people can enjoy together, at a time when they are apart.

Rob King, who last year wowed audiences in the semi-finals of Britain’s Got Talent, performed Rise Like A Phoenix at the Manchester Pride Candle Lit Vigil in 2017 to honour his close friend Martyn Hett who lost his life in the Manchester Arena bombing.

Rob said: ‘I am so happy Manchester Pride are commemorating May 22 with this incredible show. This dark day doesn’t get easier as years go by, and during these strange times away from loved ones it is harder still, but being able to pay tribute to the 22 we lost means so much to me. It was a huge honour closing the Candlelit Vigil in 2017, and I’m so happy to be re-visiting that moment with Manchester Pride after all this time.’

The performances will be hosted on Manchester Pride’s YouTube on Friday, May 22 at 7pm.

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