Reading Pride Announce Festival Line-Up - 30th August 2014

<< Pride Angel at Manchester Pride 2014 | Reading Pride Announce Festival Line-Up - 30th August 2014 August 29, 2014 21:00 by PrideAngelAdmin Reading Pride have announced the full programme and stage line-up for the 2014 Pride Parade & Festival on Saturday 30th August inspired by this year’s theme of ‘Musicals’. The day starts with the traditional parade through Reading Town Centre leaving the Civic Centre at 11.30am passing through Broad Street and Forbury Gardens before arriving at King’s Meadow for the opening of the Pride Festival by the Mayor of Reading at 12 noon. Headline acts on the main stage include Sam Callahan of X-Factor Fame, Amanda Wilson of the Freemasons and local favourite Nicolette Street, all hosted by The Joes. There will be a full line-up on the main stage throughout day starting with local jazz and swing band Funk Lab and including Cabaret favourties Misty Lee, Topping and Butch, Lola Lasagna and Sandra London as well as Reading’s own Wilma Fingadoo who will be hosting throughout the afternoon. There will also be upcoming local talent featured including Luke Upton [winner of Has Reading Got Talent? 2013], the ever-popular Feryl [previously known as Benji] and Markie. Other attractions at the Festival include a ‘Village Green’ youth and family zone including Disco Dome and other attractions, an extensive Marketplace, food and drink outlets, karaoke stage and funfair as well as a VIP area and Trans picnic area. This year’s VIP Area has received a make-over in line with the Musicals theme with red carpet and glitz to be expected with dedicated bar service and food outlet. VIP wristbands are available on the day priced £12 each or in advance priced £10 from www.readingpride.co.uk Chair of Reading Pride Andrew Adams said ‘This year has seen significant progress in rights for LGBT+ people in the UK but there is more to be done to build a truly equal society, while in many parts of the world we see people continuing to be persecuted for their sexuality. This year’s Reading Pride will be a great day out for the whole community while showing solidarity for those who are still prevented from expressing their love for one another, wherever they may be’. The festival runs until 7.00pm. Entry is free and the entire community is welcome. For further information visit www.readingpride.co.uk Article: 29th August 2014 www.readingpride.co.uk For all media enquiries contact chair@readingpride.co.uk or call 0844 3570124 / 07738 699522. Read more about gay parenting at www.prideangel.com

Preston Pride - Saturday 28th September

Members and friends of the LGB&T community will this year return to the flagstones of Market Square, Preston, for the second annual Preston Pride! The celebration of the city’s diverse and unique LGB&T community will take place on Saturday 28 September and is set to be Bigger, Louder and Prouder than 2012’s hugely successful debut. The Flag Market, outside The Harris Museum, will see a variety of live music and entertainment fit for the whole family, with the official after-party being hosted by Hangout Harry at Rumes Bar and Nightclub, Church Street, Preston. Day time events kick off at 12pm and are free of charge, however there will be a small charge for after-party events, with tickets available to buy in advance. To get your tickets contact Andrew on 07751 711335, or via facebook.com/HangoutHarry. For further details and to stay up to date with all the latest news find Preston Pride on Facebook at facebook.com/prestonpride, or on Twitter @PrestonPrideUK Article: 11th September 2013 www.prestonpride.com

Another succesful Manchester Pride Event 2013

On Saturday, the streets of Manchester were lined with thousands of people for the spectacular Manchester Pride parade. The city was a riot of colour and noise as the rainbow flags stayed high, and around a hundred different floats paraded down Deansgate, through Manchester, and into the Gay Village. Community groups were joined by hundreds of police officers, firefighters, NHS workers. Dozens of students, church groups, sports teams and city businesses also joined in the celebrations. John Stewart, Manchester Pride's chief executive, said: "It's great to be able to share our celebration of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender life with the whole city and recognise the contribution that LGBT people make to the spirit and diversity of Greater Manchester. "This year's parade was one of the biggest, with over 100 entries from 99 groups and organisations including lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community groups, charities and businesses, trades unions, political parties, public sector organisations and some of the country's biggest businesses. The indoor arena was also a huge success with thousands flocking in for the evening high energy dance experience. By day the Lifestyle Expo was popular with thousands of people chatting to organisations and charities such as the Lesbian and gay foundation, Outdoor Lads and Pride Angel. Erika co-founder of Pride Angel said 'This year was fantastic in the fact that we had so many more success stories. We had four couples who came up to speak with us to tell us their good news, that they had conceived with a donor through Pride Angel. It is always rewarding for us to hear such exciting news'. Read more about finding a sperm donor or co-parent at www.prideangel.com

http://blogs.prideangel.com/post/2013/08/Manchester-Pride---New-Arena-area-launches-24th---26th-August-2013.aspx

Come and join Manchester Pride's Big Weekend - one of the biggest parties in the UK. From Friday 23 to Monday 26 August, tens of thousands of people descend upon Manchester's world-renowned Gay Village to celebrate the climax of the Manchester Pride’s festival. By day, our stages are packed full of world-class entertainment as well as our diverse collection of market & Lifestyle Expo stalls. By night, join us in the newly launched Indoor Arena for some hot DJ sets or visit some of Manchester's exciting gay bars and clubs as.s they take you through to the early hours of the morning with events that will make you wish the Big Weekend never came to an end. MAIN ARENA This year will again see some big names and fantastic entertainment that will be announced during the Summer. The Feeling will be opening the stage on Friday 23 August, supported by Velvet Stream. Rylan and Lucy Spraggan will be taking over on Monday 26 August for our revamped reality special. SACKVILLE GARDENS A visit to the Sackville Gardens stage is a great chance to socialise with people who share a common interest while being surrounded by local bands, local groups and local entertainment. It’s your community, and this is your stage. On Saturday evening, the stage plays host to the very popular Women's Stage. INDOOR ARENA New for 2013, we launch the Indoor Arena. During the day, the venue will house Lifestyle Expo, an exhibition space designed for you to access resources and information about community groups, your health, sports clubs, legal advice, travel and much more. By night the space is transformed into a high-energy dance arena. VILLAGE MARKETS Looking to pick up a souvenir to remind you of your Manchester Pride visit? There's over 40 traders on site at the Village Markets selling everything from the latest fashions to rainbow flags. You're sure to find something there to take home with you. Article: 23rd August 2013 www.manchesterpride.com Come and speak to Pride Angel about your parenting options, in the new indoor arena.

Oxford Pride - Saturday 8th June 2013

11th Annual OXFORD PRIDE takes place on Saturday 8th of June 2013 from 12pm to 8pm, at Oxpens Field, next to the Ice Rink Oxpens Road, Oxford, OX1 1RX . The Event features Live non stop Entertainment on two stages , great food, a Licensed Bar, Climbing Wall, VIP Area, Inflatable Amusements and much more for the whole family to enjoy. The event is glass free so help support Pride and buy cheap drinks from Pride Bar. Join us at the Parade which starts at 12noon from Ship Street though the centre of Oxford to the Oxpens Recreation Ground. In keeping with our theme this year “not their yet” we are celebrating the progress the LGBT community has made towards equality while admitting there’s still a way to go; We are supporting the work of LGBT charities: Peter Tatchell Foundation, Albert Kennedy Trust and Oxford Friend This year we are offering you the chance to go VIP, there is limited availability of 200 wristbands for sale at £15 each online or £17 each on the day (subject to availability). More Further details visit: www.oxford-pride.org.uk Article: 27th April 2013 Read more about gay parenting at www.prideangel.com

Pride Angel at this years Manchester Pride

This year’s Manchester Pride was a great success with thousands of people who marched through the streets of Manchester for the annual Pride parade. More than 100 floats made their way through the city centre, setting off from Deansgate at 13:00 BST. Crowds of people waved rainbow flags and Pride Angel flags. The floats travelled through the city and finished on Whitworth Street, just outside the gay village. The parade was part of the Pride Big Weekend, the festival held each year to celebrate lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) life. Events started on Friday and ran until Monday. This year's parade theme was "Queer'd Science" in honour of computer pioneer Alan Turing. The gay codebreaker was convicted of gross indecency in 1952, when homosexual acts were illegal in the UK. He died from cyanide poisoning two years later and it was ruled at his inquest that he had committed suicide. Manchester's Pride festival began in 1990 as a collection of bring-and-buy stalls outside a pub. As well as the parade, the festival now includes a weekend of live music, including this year from Steps, Amelia Lily and Alison Moyet, and a candlelit vigil to remember those who have died after contracting HIV, or are living with the condition. Manchester Pride also included ‘The Lifestyle Expo’ which had another busy and successful year with 50 stalls, covering information on community groups, parenting, health and sports. Erika from Pride Angel said ‘ We were delighted to speak with so many people who came to chat with us over the weekend and it was so lovely to see 5 babies who had been created with the help of Pride Angel. It certainly makes all our hard work worthwhile’. Read more about gay and lesbian parenting options at www.prideangel.com

Liverpool Pride 2012 attracted thousands of visitors

LIVERPOOL PRIDE saw a record crowd of more than 50,000 people bring the city to life in a rainbow of colour. The huge crowds – including Liverpool FC captain Steven Gerrard and wife Alex Curran – converged on the Pier Head and the city’s Gay Quarter. Despite teeming rain more than 6,000 people took to the streets for the annual Pride March, which snaked from St George’s Plateau to Mann Island in a tide of colour, music and celebration Led by Wallasey MP Angela Eagle, the Pride patron, the march also featured representatives from both Liverpool and Everton clubs. Revellers were treated to a day of live music, with stand-out performances from Crosby X Factor star Marcus Collins and ex-Atomic Kitten Liz McClarnon. Festival spokesman John Bridge said the day was “a resounding success”. He told the ECHO: “We increased our visitor numbers by something like 15,000 on last year and every single one of those people will have had an amazing time. Everyone was really thrilled by it. “For a young festival, and a LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) festival, to grow so much in three years is incredible. “We are quite overwhelmed with the response we have had from across Liverpool – not just the LGBT community, but from families and the straight community who turned out in their droves to support us. “It shows Liverpool as the forward-thinking, tolerant and vibrant city it is.” The festival, now the UK’s biggest free pride event outside of London, themed the celebrations ‘Nautical but Nice’ – commemorating 100 years since the sinking of the Titanic. Article: 5th August 2012 www.liverpoolecho.co.uk

North Wales Pride - October 2012

The first ever North Wales Pride will take place between the 5th and 7th October this year. The event is organised by Cymru Pride Wales, a small group of volunteers who aspire to make a difference for the LGBT community by bringing events of this kind to the area. North Wales Pride 2012 will be hosted at Hendre Hall, Bangor, flanked by the picturesque Snowdonia National Park and the stunning North Wales coastline. The event aims to celebrate diversity and break down the barriers of discrimination by reaching out to as many members of the community as possible. Organisers say that the event has attracted UK wide interest and it is hoped that North Wales Pride 2012 will be the first of many to come. Organisers have confirmed that Samantha Brookes, 2011 X Factor finalist, is one of their headlining acts. Local girl Sami, from Rhyl, shot to fame on the popular Saturday night entertainment show despite the controversial decision by judge Louis Walsh to send her home in favour of Goldie the lap dancer. Another confirmed act is the resident DJ of Garlands in Liverpool, Dave Booth. The main event is also playing host to a number of local performers, artists and activities for all ages including Yoga, Salsa and Zumba taster sessions. North Wales Pride has a limited number of trade stands available for organisations and businesses who wish to attend the event. If you have spare time on your hands and would like to volunteer at North Wales Pride, please email: northwalespride@hotmail.co.uk Check out the website, www.northwalespride.com for tickets and further information. There are a limited number of early bird weekend tickets priced at only £15! You can also keep up to date with latest information on Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/cymrupridewales/ Article: Pride Angel 31st July 2012

Talent Show Success!

The first heat of Calderdale Pride’s talent contest got underway on Saturday 3rd December at Bar Place with the Mayor of Calderdale, Nader Fekri opening the evening’s events.

Pride Volunteer, Vikki Kitson said “Pride's Got Talent is a first for us and was a huge success which totally exceeded our expectations”. "All our contestants put on a fantastic and fun evening's entertainment for the crowd, and the audience were really supportive throughout”.

Following the success of the evening, the second heat of Pride’s Got Talent will be held on Saturday 25th February at Bar Place in Hebden Bridge. “We’re proud to showcase some of the best talent around, including a previous Britain's Got Talent star, and we’d be thrilled to invite performers from all backgrounds along to our next heat in February” said Vikki.

The winners from both heats will go through to compete in our grand final in March, with the overall winner of Pride’s Got Talent bagging themselves a £100 cash prize and the opportunity to perform at Pride 2012. “So whether you’re a dancer, singer, drag artist or comedian, we’d be really pleased to welcome you along to the second heat in February” Vikki added.

All contestants must be aged 18 years or over. For all contestant enquiries, please contact Pride’s Got Talent at: calderdalepridesecretary@o2email.co.uk.

Calderdale Pride held a raffle which raised all-important funds towards Pride 2012, and would sincerely like to thank Bar Place, the Victoria Theatre, Sainsbury's in Halifax, Fresh, and Simply Flowers in Brighouse for generously donating raffle prizes.

Article: December 2011 www.calerdalepride.org.uk

Liverpool Pride begins fundraising for 2012 to keep event free

Liverpool Pride organisers have said they will begin fundraising efforts for next summer’s event in December of this year to ensure the day remains free.

This is the earliest the event organisers have had to begin collecting money in the city’s history.

Liverpool City Council has said financial constraints may mean it is forced to cut funding to festivals in the city, though organisers say they will continue to work with the authority.

Over 40,000 people attended the event this year, double the 2010 figure of 20,000. A study completed by Liverpool Pride showed that 2011’s festival generated a total spend of over £2.6 million for the local economy.

Organisers are now asking local individuals and businesses to help ensure the event continues to be free in 2012.

James Davies, one of the trustees of Liverpool Pride said: “We’re delighted to be able to announce Liverpool Pride 2012 and can’t wait to start on the road to creating something that is truly special once more.

Although we face some funding cuts due to wider cuts in public spending, we’re determined to make Liverpool Pride 2012 even bigger and better than ever before and can only do that with the help of Liverpool, as a council, as a community and as a business collective.

“We’re grateful to the City Council and to the likes of the European Regional Development Fund as well as our sponsors for all of their support thus far and hope that, despite budget cuts, we can continue to work with them in the coming years.

“We made the festival into a massive success in 2011 even though we faced a 60% cut in our funding from the City Council and we’re determined to do it again even if further cuts should occur.”

Fundraising events begin in December with the Camp as Christmas evening at The Dome on Renshaw Street. The event features erstwhile X Factor contenders Diva Fever, who had to pull out of this year’s Pride event after triple-booking themselves.

Earlier this month, Liverpool unveiled the UK’s first gay street signs. Liverpool Pride is asking local businesses and individuals to run fundraising events including bring and buy sales, cake bake offs and sponsored drag days.

Article: 25th November 2011 www.pinknews.co.uk

WIN £100 and chance to perform at Yorkshire’s Award-Winning Pride festival!

Calderdale Pride and Bar Place will be teaming up for the first heat of Pride’s Got Talent on Saturday 3rd December.
Pride Secretary Vikki Kitson said “We’re opening things up this time around and giving people a say in who and what they want to see onstage at Pride 2012”.

“This contest is a first for us, and we’re especially keen to invite bands, singers, dancers, comedians, drag and cabaret acts along”. “The audience on the night will be invited to vote for their favourite performer or performers, with the winner or winners of the first heat going through to the semi-finals in February”.

“If you consider yourself to be a natural talent or even if you just enjoy performing for fun, then please contact us to register”. The overall winner of Calderdale Pride’s Got Talent will win themselves a £100 cash prize and the opportunity to perform centre-stage at Calderdale Pride 2012 on Saturday 16th June.

“Over 9,000 people attended Calderdale Pride in 2011, and we fully expect to match that in 2012. This is an incredible opportunity for anyone who wants to perform in a great venue before a fantastic crowd, and alongside an incredible stage line-up” Vikki added.

The first heat will be held at Bar Place Hotel and Restaurant, Hebden Bridge on Saturday 3rd December from 7.30pm. All entrants must be over 18 years of age.

Vikki can be contacted by email at: calderdalepridesecretary@o2email.co.uk

Gay Pride London 2011 - Carnival of Love

Organisers of the Gay Pride revels expected a million people to join Saturday's event under the theme Carnival of Love. Luigi Andreoli, a 28-year-old nurse from Ealing, west London, embraced the carnival spirit in fluorescent pink fishnet tights, feathers and a neon corset. "It took me about three hours to get ready," he said. "It's fantastic. This is what we are, and Pride is an excuse to show people that we enjoy who we are and there is nothing wrong with it."
The parade, led by the LGBT disability campaigner Kath Gillespie Sells in a white convertible Corvette, snaked from Portland Place in central London to Trafalgar Square. Cost-conscious civil servants – dressed as anything from a bright red lobster to the Lion King – recycled a two-year-old Home Office-sponsored Bedknobs and Broomsticks-themed float due to stretched resources.

Newcomers to the parade, Glug – the Gay, Lesbian Under Water Group – donned Speedos and underwater masks, while the Liberal Democrats' bus bore the message: "Delivering gay marriage! (Then we can divorce the Tories)". Representatives from the Army and Royal Navy were greeted with enthusiastic cheers as they marched to drumbeats in the afternoon sun.

The former England rugby union winger Ben Cohen said the murder of his father, Peter, who died trying to protect someone at a nightclub he owned in 2000, inspired him to join the parade. His death led the retired rugby star, a 32-year-old married father of twin girls who has a huge following among the gay community, to help raise awareness about homophobic bullying.

Gill Rimmer, 32, a transport planner from Camden, north London, who plays for lesbian had increased the importance of events promoting the gay community. "Living in London I don't feel persecuted on a daily basis, but I don't think my experience would be the same if I lived in other parts of the country," she said. "London Pride is not just for Londoners so it's important for people living outside London to be able to come here and celebrate with like-minded people."

As the skies clouded over in Trafalgar Square, the human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell, who had carried a placard satirising the BNP leader Nick Griffin in the parade, took to the stage. He criticised London politicians, including Mayor Boris Johnson, for failing to attend the event. Then it was time to celebrate: families, gay couples, straight couples and groups of people old and young danced to live music. The concert included numerous great acts such as Stavros Flatley, Lloyd Daniels and girl band Belle Amie.

There was little dancing at the first Gay Pride march in 1972, when gay and lesbian pioneers marched in an act of public solidarity and defiance. What started as a battle for equal rights has been almost overtaken by a celebration of the right to party.

Article: 3rd July 2011 www.independent.co.uk

For more details and dates of gay pride events in your area visit Pride Angel.