Acclaimed "living cartoon" Ennio Marchetto's exclusive UK dates highlight of longest and most diverse Pride Fringe Festival yet.

The Manchester Pride 2013 Fringe programme starts Thursday 1 August with a fabulous three-course charity dinner at Living Ventures' Grill on New York Street, hosted by colourful Manchester Pride Patron Christopher Biggins, as well as show-stopping live performances from Alexander Stewart and The Bobbysocks.Biggins at the Grill kicks off an event-packed schedule that includes a varied and engaging selection of film screenings, theatre productions, concerts, community events, exhibitions, and workshops.

Award-winning entertainer Ennio Marchetto will be performing two exclusive dates during this year's Fringe festival, which has been extended for the first time throughout the month of August. Ennio Marchetto's witty performances feature quick-change artistry, impersonation, and his trademark  paper costumes.  Ennio will be joined on the bill by Up4aMeet?, an outrageous "naked gay comedy" starring The X Factor's Lloyd Daniels and Big Brother legend Nikki Grahame.

Manchester Pride is pleased to have provided financial support for a number of participating events, including a new production from Fringe stalwarts New Attitude Theatre Company, the Village Bakers' Great Village Bake Off, female comedy nights in partnership with Laughing Cows, and Manchester Pride Writers In Residence Young Enigma, who are presenting four events across the month.

The Fringe is also hosting a screening of Dream On, director Lloyd Eyre-Morgan's debut film which centres on two teenagers who fall in love on a Welsh campsite, and a reading of Chris Hoyle's new play, The Other Team about homophobia on the football pitch, a subject which will be discussed further at the Football v Homophobia conference in association with Pride Sports and the FARE Network.

Manchester Sharksthe North West's first gay and lesbian water polo team, and running group Manchester Frontrunners will host popular Pride Fringe events for those interested in trying new activities. Sports fans are also invited to attend the Pride CupRugby League match held by Salford City Reds and Leeds Rhino.

The City of Salford will hold a unique celebration of music, water, and paint inspired by the Holi Festival. Colour of Salford takes place in Greengate Square, Salford's newest public space.

Manchester's renowned contemporary visual arts and independent cinema venue Cornerhouse will be screening films as part of the touring LGBT film festival Poutfest, and a digitally remastered print of MGM classic The Wizard of Oz, in its full three-strip Technicolor glory. The visual arts are also represented in Watchamacallit!, a selection of pieces by artist Nick Franklin, local photographer Lee Baxter's latest exhibition Gays of Manchester, and Off Kilter  - new work from a collective of regional queer artists led by Ian Rayer-Smith.

If I Can Dream? an Elvis Presley-themed musical, MaD Theatre Company's latest comedy Posh Tramps and Papooses, and Martini Bond, a surreal tale of James Bond's illegitimate daughter, look set to thrill theatre audiences, and the Pride Fringe's ground-breaking free Chamber Music concerts return for another year. Florence and the Machine, Pet Shop Boys and Robbie Williams collaborator Owen Pallett (formerly Fighting Fantasy) will also be performing.

Chair of Manchester Pride's board, Vicken Couligian, said:

I am delighted to introduce the Pride Fringe programme 2013. We hope that extending the festival gives visitors more opportunity to enjoy our diverse programme. We are proud to be supporting many events, exhibitions, and productions throughout the Fringe, which we hope will shine a spotlight on the wealth of LGBT artistic talent and community groups in the North West

A list of events and details can be found at manchesterpride.com/fringe

Manchester Pride

Manchester Pride is an award-winning festival for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people. The festival will take place throughout August, with the Big Weekend running from 23 - 26 August 2013. Advance Big Weekend tickets are available at a price of £21 from manchesterpride.com/tickets