The headliner and highlights for Trafford’s Pride 2020 celebrations have been announced.

Stars of Channel 4’s moving documentary series Drag SOS, The Family Gorgeous, are among those due to appear and will read children’s stories for families at a one-off event.

New York singer Bright Light Bright Light, who has DJ’d at Glastonbury and been on tour with Cher and Elton John, is also headlining the borough’s second Pride festival – which will last five days.

Discounted tickets for young people and those on low incomes are being offered for this year’s list of events that will kick off in May.

Highlights of the Pride in Trafford 2020 festival include:

Wednesday May 13:

Rainbow flag raising at Sale Town Hall (Mayor of Trafford Coun Robert Chilton, Council Leader Coun Andrew Western and Council CEO Sara Todd will be joined by local children from Wellfield School).

Two new art exhibits open at Sale Waterside (‘HERE’, presented by Rainbow Noir – a volunteer led group for LGBTQ+ people of colour and a new digital work called Behind the Eyes from emerging queer poet, Louis Glazzard exploring our relationship with technology and social media through the queer gaze. Both events are free and drop in).

Queer Culture Chat podcast recording (with Art with Heart, discussing queer culture as part of their podcast series).

Performance of Yours, Sincerely by Will Jackson (a storytelling, lipsync cabaret comedy from Quick Duck Theatre based on real life correspondences; highlighting the complications of 21st-century communication).

Friday May 15:

Performance of *gender not included (a one person cabaret performance by artist Melody Sproates exploring gender identity and the non-binary experience told entirely through lipsync. Using a collage of sound clips ranging from The Prodigy to Piers Morgan, the show answers timely questions such as: ‘What does non-binary even mean?’ and ‘Are you a boy or a girl?’).

Saturday May 16:

Alternative to Eurovision with The Cocoa Butter Club (cabaret collective celebrating and offering a platform to marginalized voices to showcase dancers, performers, poets, burlesque artists and musicians of colour).

New York’s Romy and Michele’s Saturday Afternoon Tea Dance at Waterside (Bright Light Bright Light will be DJ’ing).

Performance of A Moment (by Hawk Dance Theatre, a ten minute male dance duet exploring a meeting between two strangers. This Manchester based dance company will perform the work three times throughout the day, at different places around Sale).

The Vogue Dance Class workshop (House of Ghetto offers the opportunity to learn how to strike a pose with Manchester’s Infamous Mother of House of Ghetto, Darren Pritchard. The workshop will also teach about the history of vogue culture, the context of the art form and the fundamentals of Vogue Femme).

Other events:

Two Drag Queen Story Time sessions at Urmston and Altrincham libraries (One session will feature Manchester’s Drag collective The Family Gorgeous from Channel 4’s Drag SOS will be using outlandish and fun storytelling skills to read to families and children. The other will see author Olly Pike, of Pop N Olly fame, read some of his well-loved stories with an LGBTQIA+ theme for children. This event is free but booking is essential).

Manager of Waterside, Darren Adams, said: “We are thrilled to share our line-up for our second Pride in Trafford festival, which follows the success of our inaugural event last year.

“Pride in Trafford has a clear focus around cultural and community programming, that continues our firm commitment to celebrating diversity, telling stories and showcasing artist across the LGBTQ+ spectrum that are so often under-represented. Everything we believe Pride should be about.” 

Pride in Trafford runs from Wednesday May 13 to Sunday May 17 2020 coinciding with the world-wide IDAHOBIT (International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia) on May 17.

Tickets and further information can be found at prideintrafford.org