Pride season kicks off on Saturday, May 16 with the seventh annual Exeter Pride.
EXETER Pride, the biggest FREE LGBT celebration in the country goes ahead this weekend thanks to a National Lottery Awards for All grant of more than £4,000.
The event begins this Saturday (May 16) at 12 noon with a parade from the St Sidwell Centre down Exeter High Street to Exeter Phoenix, Exeter Library and Rougemont Gardens, where a packed programme of activities will await you.
More than 2,000 people are expected to take part in the largest rainbow parade the city has ever seen, including community groups, firefighters, police, students, trade union groups, businesses, LGBT groups and individuals.
Everyone is invited to join the parade which will include stilt walkers, roller skaters, the Street Heat samba band, circus skill performers, a fire engine, Morris dancers and volunteers carrying a 50 metre rainbow flag.
The events at Exeter Phoenix will be family friendly and will include activities for children, young people and adults.
For the first time, the bigger and more exciting Pride Marketplace, which will include dozens of stalls from various organisations, will be held in Rougemont Gardens.
There will be a heath zone, ceilidh, workshops, panel debate, drumming circle, trans workshop as well as information from local and national organisations.
To round off the evening there will be live music from popular local bands and DJs.
Admission to some evening activities will be by wristband only, which will be available from selected local outlets.
Neil Clements, chairman of Exeter Pride committee, said: “Exeter Pride is a celebration of the city and county’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans communities.
“It is about us having pride in our contributions to not just a vibrant and diverse city, but all of Devon and the city and county having pride in us.”
“Exeter Pride would not be possible without generous donations from local businesses, organisations, individuals and the fundraising efforts of many volunteers.
“Together with generous sponsorship from our partners, we are able to keep all our daytime events, free-of-charge.”
He added: “Volunteers are a vital part of helping to make things run smoothly and it would not be possible to stage the event without their help for which we are very grateful.”
For further information about Exeter Pride, click here:
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