WARWICKSHIRE Pride will be flying the rainbow flag in Leamington next weekend.
The annual celebration of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT+) life and culture, returns to the Pump Room Gardens on Saturday August 16.
This year’s festival theme is Rise with Pride reflecting rising hate towards LGBTQ+ people, and especially trans communities, and a Pride March will start off the event through the town centre.
Visitors can expect over 100 stalls in a rainbow marketplace, fairground rides for children and adults, food stalls, a bar serving alcohol and soft drinks, a trans tent, bi tent, youth tent, education tent, and live entertainment.
Headlining this year are 00’s chart topping acts Big Brovaz and Booty Luv. Other acts include local drag legends Sassi Afrika and Mama Tasty, local band Man Made Moon, and a performance by members of Warwickshire Pride’s LGBTQ+ youth group.
Another addition this year is security on site overnight, following the festival site being trashed in homophobic hate crimes over the last two years. Last year, Pride flags were set fire to, gazebos were destroyed, and broken glass was spread around the site.
Warwickshire Pride’s chair of trustees Daniel Browne said: “The Warwickshire Pride festival is back and as always we are promising something bigger and better. Rooted in protest, but also celebrating LGBTQ+ life and culture, this year’s festival is taking place against a backdrop of rising hate towards LGBTQ+ communities.
” Whether it’s the government attacking trans rights or hate crimes committed by local people, it is difficult being LGBTQ+ right now. That’s why as well as celebrating our communities, we are also standing up to hate, rising with Pride, and making it clear that we are not going to put up with what we are being subjected to.”
Warwickshire Pride is a free festival and runs from 11am to 6pm.
Visit www.warwickshirepride.co.uk for more details.
