The festival of Sparkle was started in 2005 to celebrate the gender diversity. In the year 2009, the festival celebrated its fifth year. It was a celebration of all things transgender. The festival was organized in Manchester in England and catered to the transgender population in the region. The festival was celebrated on a weekend beginning from Friday afternoon and continuing till Sunday night. A group of dedicated individuals worked tirelessly and gave their time free in order to make this great festival possible. The event was one of the largest and highest profile transgender events in the world.

The festival of Sparkle provided a platform for the transgender community to interact with each other. The festival also provided transgender individuals with an opportunity to make new friends and to obtain help, support and information on gender issues. The festival was celebrated with live entertainment on the Sparkle stage that included brilliant performances from renowned artists. The festival also included workshops and film festivals. Stalls were set up by support groups, transgender businesses, etc. Several contests were also organized as a part of the festival. The Sparkle weekend is awaited by the transgender population in the region throughout the year.