Unite Students, the UKs largest manager and developer of purpose-built student accommodation returns for the second year as headline sponsor of Bristol Pride.
BRISTOL Pride, one of the largest Prides in the country is expanding its activities to cover two weeks this year after attracting 35,000 people across Pride Week in 2017.
Unite Students are proud to celebrate diversity and inclusion, and help support students be themselves when they move to university.
“Unite Students are proud to support Bristol Pride for the 2nd year running. We are committed to a common desire to treat everyone equally, and for us that means providing a home for all students, where everyone can be themselves and thrive whilst at university,” said Unite Students CFO, Joe Lister. “We are pleased to be able to demonstrate our commitment to this by supporting an event which celebrates diversity and inclusion in the most positive way, especially in the vibrancy of our home city.”
Acts already announced for the big day include: Indie Britpop punk band Republica, fronted by the iconic and fiery Saffron, electro-pop duo Avec Sans, dance sensation and N-Trance front singer Kelly Llorenna, X Factor’s Lloyd Daniels, Laurent John, and tributes to Pink and Madonna.
Other stages at the festival include the cabaret stage with some of the UK’s top performers including Mary Mac, Drag With No Name, Son Of A Tutu, and the Dance Performance stage featuring local and national dancers and workshops, with styles ranging from hip hop and street dance, to salsa.
Pride Day will start with the Parade March that departs from Castle Park at 11am, snaking its way around the city with a giant 50 metre rainbow flag.
Last year over 7,000 people took part in the parade with even more lining the streets to cheer everyone on, declaring loudly and proudly that hate and prejudice doesn’t belong in Bristol; a message more important than ever in a year that’s seen hate crimes spike across the nation.
Taking place from July 2-15, festival events this year include the Pride Dog Show on Saturday, July 7 and an LGBT+ Gaming Event on Sunday July 8 that will showcase games created at a 24 hour pre-event game hack.
Other highlights returning this year include the popular drag version of Murder, She Didn’t Write and a Comedy night featuring Jayde Adams, Sophie Ducker and Sarah Keyworth.
New events this year include a poetry night, and a talk about the science of gender and sexuality in the natural world, from TEDx speaker Antonia Forster. There will also be a specially curated circus evening in partnership with Circomedia, where LGBT+ circus and acrobatic performers will dazzle audiences with amazing skills while exploring themes that affect and celebrate the LGBT+ communities.
Pride night sees the team again take over the O2 academy, for TEMPEST featuring rooms curated by clubnight DTYM and KIKI, with London club behemoth’s Savage Disco, a creation of party makers Sink the Pink, headlining the main arena.
Daryn Carter, CEO Bristol Pride, said: “We’re really excited to welcome back Unite Students as our Headline Sponsor for a second year, their continued support means we have been able to grow the festival and expand to two full weeks of events across the city. I am so proud of the national and local success and support that Pride has had, we’ve got great plans for this year and are already busy laying down our plans for 2019 which will see our teams 10th anniversary.”
Pride Day is again donation entry but Pride are offering £5 supporter wristbands for Pride Day which offer free travel with First Bus, money off the bars at Pride, £1 journeys with Bristol Ferrys as well as other fantastic rewards.
Bristol Pride is a registered charity run by volunteers and works all year round to challenge homophobia, biphobia, transphobia and to promote equality and diversity, for all, through various events and activities which include school visits, campaigns, talks to business, consultation services and lobbying.
Bristol Pride Presents will fundraise to allow Pride to continue to happen and to ensure that it remains an open and accessible event for all and that no one is excluded from Pride for socio-economic reasons.
To purchase wristband online, click here:
For more information about Bristol Pride, click here:
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