Our Manchester Village Pride card
A card for a whole community
There may have been torrential.. and we mean torrential downpours (it is Manchester, after all!) but we made it to the end of our first ever Manchester Village Pride!
Our street team were out in force with the mission of helping people to share a bit of positivity and love in what can sometimes feel like a bit of a stormy world. And wow did people turn up, and as with many a wet Manchester Pride gone by, it was so good to see that even a biblical volume of rain won't keep people at home.
The inspiration behind the card
We worked in collaboration with Vic Dwyer, one of our independent artists, on the concept for the card. The design features a disco ball - representing the joy & celebration at pride. The caption "It's ALL of our Pride" was chosen because we wouldn't be here without all the letters of our LGBTQ+ initialism - and perhaps most importantly, not forgetting our straight allies.
The message on the back of the card reads "Stand by our trans siblings" and the disco ball features the colours of the trans flag (blue, pink and white). We wanted to include both of these statements because certain groups in the world right now are trying to villify trans people - and frankly we won't stand for it!
With the Bathroom Bill in the US now in force in 21 states and the new UK EHRC guidance now restricting bathroom usage by biological sex rather than gender - seemingly designed to make even a most basic human need more difficult and even dangerous for trans individuals. With legislation like this, along with the ever-present threat of hate crimes, our trans siblings need our support now more than ever.
A Pride run by the community
It was a big year for Manchester in particular as the previous, controvertial organisation which ran the festival went into liquidation in October 2025, leaving that year's performers out of pocket.
Members of the community including bar owners, drag queens, residents and charities came together to enure that the festival could go ahead and formed Manchester Village Pride CIC, an organisation with it's values written into statute. No one on the board of directors can take a salary, the profits must be put back into the community, and assets can never be sold for private gain.
Messages from the card
The weekend went without a hitch; the community showed up despite the rain, despite the thunder & lightening, and despite the storm. Our card filled up with positive messages, photos and rainbow stickers.
One person wrote:
Happy Pride! Be loud, proud and fabulous. Enjoy the party and the protest.
A reminder that Pride started off as a protest - it's important to be seen, be our authentic selves and represent our community, but it's even more important to stand together and stand up for our rights.
Another person wrote:
If just one 17 yeah old Kid from a small town has a great time and finds themselves and friends and a home...then it's worth it (even getting soaked!)
And yes 30 years ago that was me!
This really puts into words one of the main reasons that Pride events hold a special place in many of our hearts. We grew up with the feeling we didn't belong, we weren't always accepted and faced daily criticism simply for who we were (often before we knew oursleves). Everyone in the LGBTQ+ community remembers their first pride event and being hit by the overwhelming feeling of warmth, acceptance and support that hopefully never left us since.
Here's the link for the full card signed by members of the community at Manchester Village Pride 2026:
View the full card
It was an incredible weekend meeting so many wonderful people from the LGBTQ+ community and hearing your stories. We've been blown away by the support we've received for our mission to spread a bit of positivity in the world.
Questions
How wet was it really?
Very! Check out our Instagram post.
How can I send my own Pride card?
We have a Pride category where you can buy variations of the disco ball design along with other LGBTQ+ designs.
Wasn't it Pride month in June?
Yes, Pride month is a concept originating from the US and is a time to remember and reflect on LGBTQ+ history. Alongside this, many towns and cities will hold their own Pride events which are generally spread throughout the summer months.
Can I sign the card now?
Our Manchester Village Pride card is closed now but keep an eye out for us at future events.