Everything you need to know about Pride in Wigan and Leigh

The first ever Pride event was a march to mark one year since the 1969 Stonewall Uprising in New York. The uprising started in a bar called Stonewall and happened in response to consistent harassment of the LGBTQ+ community.

A huge amount of progress has been made for the LGBTQ+ community since then, but the struggle is far from over. People across the world are still attacked and bullied because of who they are.

Some of the rights that many of us take for granted have only been awarded to the LGBTQ+ community in recent years, such as being able to serve in the British military, the right to adopt children and the right to marry the person you love.

Pride events help to remind us that equal rights that are often hard won can be easily lost and should not be taken for granted. Celebrating equality helps us to value the importance of it and make sure that it continues.

Pride events are also an opportunity for everyone from the LGBTQ+ community to feel not only accepted but celebrated in their local community. This can be very important for people who may have been bullied or treated badly for trying to be themselves at other times in their lives.

What happens at a Pride event

Our local Prides promote and celebrate equality and diversity by bringing together arts, music, often a street parade, and positive messages at a big annual event.

Why we have a march in Wigan

Each year, Wigan Pride usually starts with a parade. Members of the LGBTQ+ community still face so many challenges and stigmas, from feeling uncomfortable holding hands with their loved ones in public, coming out to their friends, colleagues and family or even just being able to walk down the road as the person they truly are.

​The march offers a rare opportunity for people who are part of the LGBTQ+ community to feel accepted in their own borough and for people who are allies of the community to show their love and support.

When is 'Straight Pride'

There isn’t a ‘Straight Pride’ event as the purpose of a Pride event is to acknowledge some of the many challenges and stigmas that members of the LGBTQ+ community still face and to offer an opportunity for people in the community to celebrate being themselves. People who are straight are unlikely to have faced abuse and bullying because of their sexuality and have not had to fight for the right to celebrate their relationships or get married in the UK.

Everyone is welcome to come along to Wigan Pride and Pride in Leigh and enjoy the free entertainment that runs throughout the day.

Wigan Council runs or supports lots of events and activities for everyone in Wigan Borough to enjoy throughout the year. You can find out more about what's on in Wigan here.

Wigan Pride and Pride in Leigh are led by committed groups of volunteers who work incredibly hard throughout the year to bring these events to our borough. If you would like to run your own event in the borough, find out more about planning an event

Why Wigan Council supports Pride events in Wigan and Leigh

Wigan Council say they are committed to progressing equality and making sure that everyone in the borough feels valued.

There are also lots of benefits to the whole community to having a Pride event. For example, over 20,400 additional people (54,311, compared to 33,882 the previous Saturday) were recorded as being in the town centre at Wigan Pride in 2025 and bringing people into town centres is something that can help the local economy. The event usually also secures good media coverage, helping to raise the profile of the borough.

Many people who come along to the Pride events say what a great time they’ve had and how much they’ve enjoyed the artists, the great turn out and the community atmosphere.

If you haven’t been to one of the events, we would highly recommend that you go along to one of them. Everyone is welcome. You do not need to be part of the LGBTQ+ community to come along and enjoy the events.

Why we have events in July and August when International Pride Month is in June

Pride events are held throughout the year to enable people to attend as many as they wish to. In Wigan Borough there are no large events to mark Pride month in June as we have our Pride events in July and August.

Wigan Council funding for Wigan Pride and Pride in Leigh

Wigan Pride and Pride in Leigh are led by committees of volunteers who work hard throughout the year to bring the events to the borough.

Both events are supported by a range of sponsors from local organisations and businesses, including Wigan Council. The headline sponsors for Wigan Pride in the last few years have included Calisen, WWL NHS Foundation Trust, and Arnold Clark. Key sponsors for Pride in Leigh have included Morrisons, Leigh Timber, Manchester Airport and Brighter Boroughs although many other local organisations also support these events.

Wigan Council supports both events with event management to make sure these public events are safe for everyone coming along.

Follow Wigan Pride on Facebook and Pride in Leigh on Facebook for up to date information on each event.