Love Party is Manchesters Gay Party

Love Party is Manchester’s Gay Party with a heart and after last year’s fundraising party for the victims of the Orlando terror attacks, they’re back with an all-day outdoor disco with all profits going to local LGBT homeless charity The Albert Kennedy Trust and the Human Rights Campaign to save the lives of the gay men being put to death in the Chechen gay purge.

Last year Love Party debuted in June with a Summer party at Salford’s First Chop Brewing Arm bringing together the best DJs from across the two cities including Howling Rhythm and Beat Boutique for an all-day party which raised £1000 for the victims of the attack on the Pulse Nightclub in Orlando and local male sexual assault charity Survivors Manchester. This year organisers hope to repeat the success, bringing the party into the city during Manchester Pride weekend in the courtyard and theatre space of arts venue 53Two in the old Bauer Millett car showroom under Manchester Central and the Beetham Tower.

DJs from the best LGBT clubnights from across the city including Drunk At Vogue and Kiss Me Again come together for a post-parade party from 3pm to midnight on Saturday 26th August with a barbeque by Mary Ellen MacTague and her Real Junk Food Project team plus drag and excess from hostesses Grace Oni Smith and Joe Spencer. The event is “Pay What You Can” so people on all salaries can afford to attend with a suggested donation of £10. Buying a ticket in advance is advised as the event sold out last year with online tickets ranging from £5 - £25 depending on how much you wish to donate. All profits go to charity.

The charities this year are The Albert Kennedy Trust and the Chechnya Human Rights appeal and were chosen keep recent hot button LGBT issues in the minds of revelers. Manchester has been blighted by increased homelessness over the last five years and disproportionately affects LGBT people rejected by their families whilst the horrific gay purge in Chechnya is still ongoing with organisations working hard to help gay men escape being put to death in the Russian state. Love Party hopes to raise money and send love out as we’re reminded that some LGBT aren’t free to love and party. 

“We’re so lucky to be able to celebrate Pride in a city which celebrates its LGBT community but there’s so much more work to do in the city and across the globe.” Says Love Party organiser and Drunk At Vogue DJ Thomas Docking. “At Love Party we think whilst we can party we should party and spread love and acceptance, be out, proud and loud because it inspires other people. We started to Love Party to make sure we had a positive reaction to Trump, Brexit and the Orlando shootings, a place to come together and be social, be outside, eat, drink and dance, to remind each other there’s love in the world. It’s kinda hippy really, it’s a love-in and we always make sure we raise money for and think about LGBT people and causes that need support and love. We raised £1000 for Orlando and Survivors Manchester last year and if you buy a ticket you’ll not only have the best afternoon under the Beetham tower dancing to the best music and eating food by a world class chef, you’ll be supporting charities helping out some of the most in-need LGBT people in our city and the Chechen Republic. What’s not to love?”

The event is part of a series of alternative LGBT events outside of the main Manchester Pride celebrations in the village under the banner of Queer Alt. Manchester including Bollox, Cha Cha Boudoir, Homoelectric, Kiss Me Again and Night of A Thousand Queens (a party featuring all the alternative drag queens of Manchester and a live PA by Sugababe Mutya Buena)

DETAILS

Love Party: Pride All Dayer

3pm until midnight

53Two, 8 Albion Street, Manchester, M1 5LN

Pay What You Feel advance tickets (or on the door if available)

Ticket link via below.

Published: 10-Aug-2017: (4476)