Colourful celebration as Rochdale’s Pride parade brings community together

Tuesday, 24 June 2025 21:13

By David Murphy

Second annual Pride weekend hailed a success with parades, performances and powerful messages of inclusion.

Rochdale’s second Pride weekend brought colour, music and community spirit to the town centre, as hundreds joined in the celebration.

The weekend began with Youth Pride in the Park on Friday evening, which featured live drag performances, music and entertainment designed for younger attendees. The energy continued into Sunday’s main event, a Pride parade through Rochdale town centre, culminating in a joyful gathering at the historic Town Hall.

The parade, led by the Mayor of Rochdale, Councillor Janet Emsley, and her consort Ken Emsley, included a vibrant mix of residents, organisations, and community groups, all showing support for the LGBTQ+ community. Inside the Great Hall, visitors enjoyed refreshments, speeches, and performances as the celebrations continued.

Rochdale Council praised the event, sharing on social media: “A huge thank you to everyone who joined us over the weekend for this year’s local Pride celebrations. We hope you had a great time and you all had lots of fun.”

Housing provider Rochdale Boroughwide Housing added: “We are proud and inspired to be part of Rochdale Pride 2025 today. Thank you to everyone who helped organise the event. We were so pleased to see so many customers and colleagues in the parade.”