Gareth Chapman: It's an experience you don't want to miss

Photo: Federation

Bank Holiday weekend in Manchester will see the city once more welcome its annual Gay Pride festivities. The weekend long celebration will return to showcase a series unifying events celebrating diversity and freedom, the centrepiece of which is a typically huge carnival that meanders through the city centre to the famous Canal Street locale.

The procession, which this year will be led by 'Orange Is The New Black' star Lea DeLaria, has become one of the annual cultural highlights in Manchester, welcoming tens of thousands of gay, lesbian, bi, and straight folk to the city.

We grabbed five minutes with Gareth Chapman, boss of Pride mainstay Federation, a night that now enters its 12th year of operations, and asked him about his night, what makes Pride so special, and what highlights to look out for this year. 

So Federation is returning! For those who don't know of the clubnight, how would you describe it?

Federation is a theatrical clubnight with show stopping entertainment that has toured all over the UK and Europe. It began 12 years ago in the catacombs below Leeds Train Station. Its a night where anything goes. Fabulous music, fabulous entertainment and a fabulous crowd what can I say it’s an experience you don’t want to miss.

What has made you decide to bring it back at this point?

Hardly a day goes by without someone pleading to bring it back. Since we ended two years ago this Pride no one has took up the gauntlet we through down, when we ended leaving a void in the Manchester Gay Scene. So Federation HQ decided to dust of their disco balls, sprinkle some fairy magic and start the new chapter of the twisted fairy tale. 

Its taking place over the Pride weekend, how important an event is that as a whole?

The rationale behind Pride makes me very proud! It's of major importance celebrating how far our diverse community has come along. Federation has a huge gay following especially in Manchester. I have run the main Manchester Pride dance events for the last decade and Federation's last event was the highlight of Pride’s Big Weekend so what better time to return? 

Why do you think Manchester has taken the celebration of diversity to heart?

When Manchester Pride, then called Manchester Mardi Gras, first launched it was a huge turning point for the village and Manchester as a whole. since then it has grown into the best Pride event in the UK. The reason we celebrate diversity is because it is diversity that makes our community so special.  Looking around the world at the moment we know not everyone is as fortunate to live in a culture like this and thats why we celebrate to raise awareness.

What else would you recommend as part of Pride? 

The Lost Weekend which is hosting the best afterparties of the weekend for both PF21 at the Albert Hall on Saturday and Federation at the Ritz on Sunday.  The three clubbing brands Aftershock, Recreation and AfterFed are the brains behind The Lost Weekend - it will certainly keep people talking and wanting more.

Clubland has always had such a strong link towards the ideals promoted in Pride, from its early days as an outlet for gay culture with disco to the way acid house broke down class barriers. Do you still think clubs and dance music as a whole have the power to make people bond?

Back in the day going out was pretty much the only place to meet people like yourself so the scene thrived. These days not so much. Gay people are pretty much accepted so they can go anywhere. As a result of that and use of modern technology the scene as a whole is not what it once was.  However the clubbing community are the ones who can change that.

And finally what else lies in the future for Federation?

Well this is the next chapter you’ll need to buy the book to find out.  All I will say is watch this space - the team are well rested and full of fresh ideas as well as a few exciting offers we have in the pipeline.

Experience Federation first hand by grabbing your tickets here.

Tickets are no longer available for this event