Wigan Pride is back for 2026
Retrieve your rainbows, plan your parade outfit, and get ready to put the winter weather behind you and look forward to a fabulous, feel-good summer party. Wigan Pride is back for 2026.
The Wigan Council backed event that celebrates diversity and promotes inclusion will return to Wigan town centre on Saturday 8th August.
And this year, Wigan Pride is proud to announce that the headline sponsor for the second year is Calisen, owner and installer of smart energy infrastructures that help power a more sustainable world.
Catherine O’Kelly is the Chief Executive Officer at Calisen, who proudly champions their #progress LTBTQ+ network, which ensures diversity and inclusion is supported and promoted within the company and local community.
Catherine said, “As allies of the LGBTQ+ community, we value highly the diversity within our company and its community. Inclusion leads to stronger teamwork and greater collective success.
“Wigan is at the heart of Calisen and our relocation to Mill One in the last year has been the perfect symbol of our commitment to the region.
"Sponsoring Wigan Pride for a second year is a great source of personal pride as we show support for the borough and our colleagues who live and work in the area. Pride events are a fantastic way for our own people to feel seen and accepted and offer an opportunity to educate along the way.
"Our #progress LGBTQ+ network is now fully established - providing important support and community, particularly where negativity or a lack of understanding is experienced. In 2026 we will be extending that support wider, providing mentorship to LGBTQ+ groups in the Wigan area.
“At Calisen, we feel it’s more important than ever to show allegiance with diversity, equality and inclusion efforts. Sponsoring Pride aligns with our values and our People Promise that here, at Calisen, everyone is welcome.”
The programme for Wigan Pride 2026 is still being finalised, but the free event promises to include an opening parade, music and entertainment across at least two stages, community performance area, quiet area led by partners, Autism Friends, and family friendly activities in the town centre.
Councillor Laura Flynn is Lead Member for Equalities and Youth Opportunities at Wigan Council.
She said: “The event in August will be a great opportunity to celebrate the diversity of the borough we live in and to give a strong message that Wigan Borough is a place where everyone is welcome and where everyone can feel comfortable being themselves.
“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.
“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 really important for people who may have been discriminated against or treated unfairly for trying to be their true selves at other times in their lives.
“I’d like to say a very big thank you to Calisen, for being the headline sponsor of this event for two years in a row and helping to make this event possible for 2026.”
Scott Williams is chair of the Wigan Pride Committee, a group of volunteers, who, together, with Wigan Council, are working to deliver the 2026 event. Scott said: “We’re proud to be forming a partnership with headline sponsors Calisen for the second time and I want to say a big thank you to them for supporting this important local event.
“We cannot run an event like Wigan Pride without the support of local businesses, organisations and volunteers so please get in touch if you have a local business and would be willing to sponsor us.
“Pride has a serious message at its heart, as it promotes core values of kindness and acceptance, but Wigan Pride also offers a fantastic day of free excitement and entertainment in the town centre for all the family, so we hope lots of people will come along on 8th August and enjoy the day. You do not need to be part of the LGBTQ+ community to come along, everyone will be made welcome and we can’t wait to see you on the day.”
More information on artists, entertainment, special guests, and activities at Wigan Pride 2026 will be announced between now and August. To keep up to date with the latest information on the event please follow Wigan Pride on Facebook (external link) and Wigan Pride on Instagram (external link).
If you would like to sponsor Wigan Pride 2026, or have other questions about the event, please contact Wigan Pride.
Posted on Wednesday 4th March 2026