The UK’s biggest and best celebration of LGBT+ culture and diversity returns to Brighton & Hove on Fri 5 – Sun 7 Aug. This year will witness the biggest and best event yet, as the Carnival Of Diversity brings together a dazzling array of artists, performers and DJs to amaze and inspire its thousands of participants. Bringing an estimated £18m of revenue to the city, this enormously popular event will see a record-breaking Community Pride Parade, a sensational Pride Festival in Brighton’s Preston Park, the return of the amazing two-day Pride Village Party and the new Pride Pleasure Gardens.
As ever the Pride Community Parade will unite the city of Brighton & Hove together on Sat 6 Aug, as over 200,000 spectators cheer on a procession filled with music, incredible floats, and participants from every part of our diverse community including LGBT+ businesses, charities, voluntary organisations and their supporters. Starting at Hove Lawns the parade passes the Peace Statue and takes a tour of the city’s landmarks, culminating in Preston Park, home of the 2016 Pride Festival.
The UK’s most spectacular, diverse and life-affirming outdoor event, Brighton Pride Festival has something for everyone. 2016 will see its Main Stage return bigger than ever, with a stunning array of international artists. Disco innovators Sister Sledge, international phenomenon Carly Rae Jepsen, DJ sensations The 2 Bears, bass-culture legend DJ Fresh, X-Factor starlet Fleur East, electronic-soul songstress Anne-Marie and plenty more will keep this massive crowd bouncing.
Brut, Urban World and Wild Fruit join together to present the ever-popular Dance Tent, enabling everyone to dance their Pride day into the night. International superstar DJs and club scene wonders will keep this massive venue rocking, including The Freemasons, Steve Pitron, Tom Stephan, DJ Paulette, Stonebridge, Wildblood & Queenie, Kid Massive and Smoochie.
There are over 14 diverse entertainment areas filling Preston Park, including the Legends Cabaret Big Top, Bears Zone, Girls Dance Tent, Urban World Tent, Shelia McWattie Women’s Performance Stage, Community Village, The Trans Community Area, Family Diversity Area and a funfair.
Away from Preston Park, the Pride Village Party will turn Brighton’s historic Kemptown into a festive fairground of fabulousness. It sees the city’s iconic seafront closed to traffic as thousands of Pride-goers come together for an unforgettable weekend of fundraising celebrations. With the help of local LGBT+ businesses and their supporters, organisations and Brighton & Hove city services, this huge street party takes over the heart of a much-loved and vibrant area. Placing community fundraising at its heart, entertainment zones, bars and venues throughout will transform the St James’ Street area. DJs, drag artists, singers, performers, musicians and party-goers will unite to create a truly magnificent event as everyone parties with a fundraising purpose.
Now the Pride celebrations are becoming even larger, with the addition of new festival zones and a community cultural hub in the centre of the city. Running over three days across Old Steine and Victoria Gardens, The Pride Pleasure Gardens will feature special performances over the weekend. Friday will see a special ticketed benefit concert for The Rainbow Fund at the Pride Pavilion, featuring Heather Peace and Lucy Spraggan. This venue inside the gardens will also feature off-the-wall cabaret and disco madness with Dynamite Boogaloo, Sink The Pink, English Disco Lovers and loads more. Street Diner, Brighton’s hottest street food market, will create the Pride Food Village to deliver the best in locally sourced food.
A fundraising spectacular like no other, Brighton & Hove Pride will be a truly magical affair filled with love, laughter, campaigning, colour and plenty of partying.
Brighton & Hove Pride celebrations come to venues across the city on Fri 5 – Sun 7 Aug.
