THE ORGANISERS of Newcastle’s annual Pride festival have sent a message of support to their Northern Ireland counterparts.
Pride in Newry, Northern Ireland, which takes place on Saturday 31 August, was awarded the title of UK and Ireland Pride for 2019 by the UK Pride Organisers Network.
And as North East LGBT+ charity Northern Pride will host UK Pride in 2020, organisers have praised Pride in Newry for putting on an excellent festival.
The parade will kick off from The Quays Shopping Centre at 2pm, with Albert Basin Park hosting an open-air concert, fun fair and stalls from 3pm to 8:30pm.
Organisers have also delivered a number of successful events in the run up to the festival, including mountain climbing, domestic violence awareness sessions and Queer Question Time.
“Pride in Newry has pulled together an excellent programme over the last month and we wish the team all the best with the concert and celebrations this weekend,” said Ste Dunn, chair of Northern Pride.
“They have carried out some fantastic campaigns which have highlighted the battles still left to fight, particularly for those in Northern Ireland, to ensure that LGBT+ people are afforded the same rights as everybody else.
“Pride in Newry has set the bar high for anyone hosting UK Pride in the future and the Northern Pride team have already started planning a full schedule of events, campaigns and activities for the coming months, leading up to the main event next summer.
“The North East is a warm and welcoming part of the UK and our aim will be to celebrate our rich and diverse region, while also highlighting successes and achievements for the whole LGBT+ community and all minority groups.”
UK Pride 2020 Festival is sponsored by Barclays and takes place at Newcastle’s Town Moor from 17 to 19 July.
The event is free to attend but those who want to guarantee a prime viewing position close to the stage, along with access to a separate bar area and toilets, can purchase a Platinum Pass, starting at £19.35 and available at www.northern-pride.com/box-office.
For more information visit the Northern Pride website or search northernprideuk on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.