Transgender people often spend much of their lives seeking a place to be entirely themselves but this weekend they will be given that opportunity – at Sparkle.

It’s the largest transgender celebration in the UK, attracting visitors from around the country and even around the globe to Manchester’s world-famous gay Village.

This year it boasts a family fun day, performers, talks, bar and club parties and even a youth zone.

But it’s much more than that for many of the people who will come. Unlike gay and lesbian dominated prides, this is an event created by trans people for themselves. A break from fitting in. A chance to express themselves without having to fear prejudice – or even outright hatred and violence.

Sparkle began in 2005 and is now entering its ninth consecutive year.

Bella Jay, one of the founders, tells us: ‘Sparkle started nine years ago simply as a transgender day – we wanted one day in the year that was ours and our day to celebrate and be proud of [whom] we are.

‘So many [trans] people are afraid to come into the open, and even more so nine years ago, so we wanted to give people the chance to meet others and gain help and support in a friendly environment.’

Traditionally, trans-centered events have been a smaller part of a larger gay pride celebration. As one of the few events of its kind in the UK, Sparkle allows trans people to take center stage.

Jay says: ‘We wanted an event that was "our" event, that we felt was ours and our celebration rather than just being a little part of someone else’s.

‘The trans community is such a diverse range of people… you have people who live full time in their gender role and others who dress up for a bit of fun at weekends. It’s quite nice to bring everybody together because fundamentally we’re all transgender.’

Since starting as a single day event in 2005, Sparkle has now grown to become a full weekend celebration of the transgender community.

It takes place in Manchester – a city the organizers chose due to the openness of the gay village, and also because it is a central location in the UK. Because of this, the weekend attracts visitors from all over Britain, as well as mainland Europe and as far away as Australia and the USA.

Events include Sparkle in the Park, a family fun day with stalls and activities taking place in Sackville Gardens. An opening ceremony will be followed by live entertainment from transgender performers and will play host to the annual Miss Sparkle beauty pageant.

There will also be a replica of KITT, the famous talking car from Knight Rider, presented by owner and transgender model Lisa Heart.

Other events being held across the weekend include talks and workshops, which will be held at The Lesbian and Gay Foundation in Richmond Street.

Canal Street will also play host to several trans-inclusive events during the weekend, with bars and clubs hosting special evenings and offers.

So what kind of welcome could a new trans person expect at Sparkle?

Jay explains: ‘It’s the perfect place to make new friends, and also to get practical help and support. There are support groups, charitites and all sorts of organisations represented at Sparkle from all over the country.

‘So anybody who is new [to the trans scene] and wants to come out for the first time, it’s the perfect place to enjoy it and to get the help and support as well.’

Jay hopes this year’s event will be the biggest yet. She says: ‘This year we have a number of firsts! We have a Youth Zone at Sparkle in the Park and we have also given over more of the event to the female to male side of our community.

‘These developments now make Sparkle the most inclusive as well as the largest trans-event in the world!’

Next year will see Sparkle enter it’s 10th year, and Jay has big plans to celebrate the impressive achievement.

‘Next year is our 10th anniversary, and it is quite an achievement to take the event from a single day to build it up into a full festival. So we are looking at expanding the events. We want to make it something special next year.’

Sparkle runs from 12 to 14 July in Manchester’s Gay Village. For more information, visit their website here.