The Pride in Trafford Festival is returning for its fifth year with a host of performances and activities.

This year, the event will run from Wednesday, May 17 to Saturday, May 20 and will feature theatre performances, circus-style entertainment, and comedy acts among other things.

A flag-raising event will be held at Waterside on the Wednesday morning to launch the festival and mark the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia.

Darren Adams, producer of the festival and manager of Waterside, said: “We are really proud of this year’s programme, which features some thought-provoking and powerful pieces, some of which we are thrilled to have helped nurture and develop through our Creative Industries Trafford initiative.

“Interspersed with great comic moments and lighter shows, the programme is a real celebratory, meaningful and contemporary representation of LGBTQ+ culture and our community today.”

Creative Industries Trafford is an artist development programme which seeks to empower writers, performers, animators, artists, and designers.

One of the headline acts this year is BI-TOPIA, a semi-autobiographical show which will run across each of the days.

Directed by Rikki Beadle-Blair, the performance is set in a war-torn landscape and explores the link between struggling with mental health problems and dealing with one’s sexuality.

On the Saturday afternoon, Mini Pride will invite young people and children to take part in creative activities and interactive storytelling with Curious Arts, an LGBTQ+ arts development organisation.

Councillor Tom Ross, leader of Trafford Council, said: “I’m delighted to see another thrilling Pride programme taking place at Waterside. 

"We are so fortunate to have such a great theatre in our borough and they are brilliant at providing such a feast of events that will appeal to everyone.

“I feel particularly privileged to be helping launch the start of the festival and I will be looking forward to attending a number of events during the week.”