Sparkle Weekend 2025
Join us for the 20th Anniversary of the original celebration of gender diversity!
Date and time
Location
Sackville Garden
Sackville Street Manchester M1 3WA United KingdomRefund Policy
About this event
The Sparkle Weekend is a festival-style family event, running from Friday 27th to Sunday 29th June in Sackville Gardens, Manchester.
Our event is aimed at everyone who identifies as trans, non binary and gender variant, and their friends, families and allies. All ages are welcome!
We want to bring together our gender variant community, to bring together joy, hope and celebration for the second weekend in July. The Sparkle Weekend has been a cornerstone of the LGBTQIA+ Community here in Manchester for the past 20 years. You can be sure of acceptance, celebration and a very warm welcome by our team, volunteers and other attendees.
We aren’t just a community celebration, we are a family.
What can you expect?
- Main Stage - offering the best in trans and non-binary talent.
- Marketplace - over 30 market traders from charities, trans organisations, retailers, and our sponsors.
- Family & Youth Zone - Providing a safe haven for trans children and their families, and support for trans parents and carers too!
- Wellness Zone - offering health and wellness advice, a place to zone into your inner beauty, boost your confidence and take a breather from the world!
- Sparkle Superstars - The Sparkle Superstars Pageant celebrates gender diversity by breaking down traditional binaries in a joyful, inclusive competition.
- Positivity Zone - A great selection of trans and queer artistic traders, in collaboration with Manchester Queer Art Market.
- Trans Joy March - A wonderful parade of tans joy in Manchester to open the Saturday festivities!
- Sensory Space - Enjoy the market stalls, join in with some wellbeing activities, and relax before the hustle and bustle starts.
- Diamond Dog Show - A brand new addition this year, to show off your pooches' skills and adorable personalities!
- Sober Spaces - To promote an ethos that festivals aren't just about the booze!
- Food & Drink Zone - A great selection of vendors to keep all of our visitors, traders, and volunteers happy.
Head to our website for more details and how to get involved: www.sparkle.org.uk
Frequently asked questions
If you have any questions or concerns, please email: info@sparkle.org.uk
BSL interpreter on the Main Stage, Ear plugs available on request, Accessible toilets including baby change facilities, Step-free site, Plenty of seating, Sensory Morning on Saturday and Sunday, Assistance dogs welcome, Hand sanitiser and masks available.
Yes - the Family & Youth Zone, Positivity Zone, and Wellness Zone are all sober spaces.
Our security teams are highly trained and have all undergone trans awareness training. We hope to keep you safe and comfortable by operating with sensitively done bag checks, politeness and pronoun awareness.
The Sparkle Weekend is free to attend - this is one of our Charity's core values. We predict that the Sparkle Weekend 2025 will cost £14.40 per head. Donations are not mandatory, but for those who are able to, this really goes a long way.
Yes, but please be aware there are assistance dogs working on site and as such, pets should remain on leads at all times. Poo bags, water and shade is available on site.
There are many roadside bays in the area, NCP carparks locally, and longer term bays over at Manchester Piccadilly station.
Although the Sparkle Weekend is very similar to pride events, we are proudly a celebration rather than a pride, which is rooted in protest. The Sparkle Weekend is the only celebration of its kind in the UK. 2025 marks 20 years of proudly celebrating gender diversity!
Children and families are encouraged to attend! We have a dedicated Family & Youth Zone with support services, activities, and children's entertainment. Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult.
There are many different accommodation options within walking distance of Sackville Gardens. You can find different options on search engines and hotel comparison sites, using the post code M1 3HB.
Organised by
This an Official Sparkle Event run by our Dedicated Volunteers and Trustee Board for our Community.