SCENE 2026 DATES ANNOUNCED

We can’t wait for this annual LGBTQIA+ event to start this August 

Manchester’s homegrown LGBTQIA+ film and TV festival is back this summer with even more power. SCENE: Manchester’s LGBTQIA+ Film and TV Festival will run from 20-27 August 2026, bringing a week of screenings, conversations and parties to venues across Manchester as part of the newly launched Manchester Village Pride Fringe.

Now in its third year, SCENE has quickly found its place in the city’s cultural calendar. But 2026 feels different. This time, the festival is working in partnership with Manchester Village Pride, a new, community-led organisation reshaping what Pride looks like in the city. Profits from ticket sales will go directly towards supporting five local LGBTQIA+ charities: George House Trust, Albert Kennedy Trust, The Proud Trust, LGBT Foundation and Sparkle.

It will take place across some of Manchester’s best-loved venues, including Aviva Studios, HOME Cinema, New Century Hall, CULTPLEX and, of course, the Manchester Gay Village. There will be premieres, retrospectives, panel talks and late-night events spread across the week.

If last year is anything to go by, the programme will be as varied as it is thoughtful. Highlights from 2025 included screenings of the BBC’s What It Feels Like For A Girl, alongside classics like Beautiful Thing and Party Monster, plus a 10-year retrospective of Cucumber with Russell T Davies. There were live events too, from comedy nights to the gloriously chaotic Victoria Wood-A-Thon, and even free outdoor musical screenings that drew big crowds.

Beyond the line-up, what really defines SCENE is its connection to the community around it. Manchester Village Pride was created after the previous Pride organisation folded, with local businesses and volunteers stepping in to keep the city’s Pride traditions alive. Community, fundraising, and accessibility are at its core. 

Tickets will again start from £5, with some events completely free, and there’ll be travel and accommodation offers for those coming into the city for the week. Full programme details are still to come, but if previous years are anything to go by, it’s one to have firmly in the diary. 

Sign-up for further updates and ticket announcements at www.scenefestival.com.