The annual Manchester Pride parade brought a colourful festival spirit through the city centre under sunny skies on Saturday.

Rainbow flags were flying as thousands lined the street to watch the parade of 140 floats that this year had a theme of Class of 2017.

Manchester Pride in pictures

It meant for a host of fabulous fancy dress outfits from the 3,000 revellers who took part, from all manner of Manchester organisations and businesses including bars and restaurants, charities, banks, political parties, Coronation Street, the BBC, Greater Manchester Police and the Fire and Rescue Service.

Indeed the police got among the biggest cheers on the parade when they started a huge dance off of YMCA along Deansgate as the parade got underway.

Participants embraced the Class of 2017 theme at the event that celebrates Manchester's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community, with cheerleader and schoolgirl outfits proving popular with both male and female participants who danced their way through the city centre streets.

(Image: Joel Goodman)

And rainbow colours were everywhere - from the thousands of balloons being carried through to the huge hooped skirts and unusual coned bikini tops and floral lei necklaces.

But the theme also had a serious side - aiming to highlight the need for education to end discrimination and abuse against the LGBT community.

There was also an added poignance to the event this year in the wake of the devastating Manchester Arena bombing in May in which 22 people died.

(Image: Joel Goodman)

And Coronation Street stars paid their own special tribute to soap superfan Martyn Hett who was among those who died in the attack after the Ariana Grande concert.

The soap's float included the slogan "Be More Martyn" in his honour.

The Manchester Pride festival continues across the bank holiday weekend with live entertainment across music stages inside the Gay Village.

Example headlines the main stage on Saturday night, with Clean Bandit doing the honours on Sunday.

Monday will see the Liberty X girls headlining, as well as a special guest appearance from Take That who will be introducing the stars of their new musical The Band to the stage.

Manchester Pride Parade in pictures

The festival will end on Monday night with the poignant candlelit vigil remembering all of those lost to the HIV virus.

Manchester Pride raises money for charities across the year and last year raised a record £149,000.