Wherever you are in the U.K. this summer you probably won’t be too far from a large rainbow flag.
Portsmouth Pride 2015
Image credit: Portsmouth. LGBT Pride/Facebook
The Portsmouth Pride variety show promises the best of local entertainment featuring acts such as Carpenters Tribute, Blues Brothers by the Disco Divas and song and dance cabaret duo BlokeZone. The VIP guest speakers include human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell. Over 50 community groups and organisations will fill the “Pride Village” and the celebrations will continue into the early hours at the after party at Tiger Tiger.
Saturday, June 20 from 1 p.m.
Cumbria Pride 2015
Image credit: Cumbria Pride/Facebook
Stalls will be set up throughout Carlisle city centre to celebrate Cumbria Pride and acts providing entertainment include Marc Almond, Hardwicke Circus, Kelly Llorenna and The Three Degrees.
Saturday, June 20 from 12 p.m.
York Pride 2015
Image credit: York Pride/Facebook
This year’s York Pride, themed “Raise Your Rainbow,” will feature entertainment from a range of tribute acts including Cat Diva as Kylie, Niqi Brown as Tina Turner and Jenny Brooke as Dolly Parton. Joining them are drag act Sylvia Jubilee and headliners Stooshe and Hollyoaks stars Kieron Richardson and Jazz Franks are the hosts.
Saturday, June 20 from 1 p.m.
Marlene Dietrich tribute, London
Image credit: Supplied by WENN.com
The Marlene Dietrich tribute at London’s Cinema Museum explores the life and career of a truly fascinating star. The Terry Richardson show culminates with a big-screen screening of Dietrich’s famous one-woman concert recorded in Australia in 1963 with Burt Bacharach and his orchestra as accompaniment.
Friday, June 26 at 7:30 p.m.; tickets £12 (£10 concessions)
UK Black Pride 2015
Video credit: UK Black Pride/YouTube
South London’s Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens will be home to this year’s award-winning UK Black Pride — the largest not-for-profit event for African, Arab, Asian and Caribbean-heritage LGBT people and their friends. It promises to “fuse its distinct blend of live music and politics to deliver an entertaining, family-friendly, community festival of pride.”
Sunday, June 28 from 12 p.m.
Sparkle — the National Transgender Celebration, Manchester
Image credit: Sparkle — the National Transgender Celebration/Facebook
The annual weekend festival in Manchester’s Sackville Gardens is open to everyone who sees themselves as transgender, plus their friends, families and supporters. Gracing the Sparkle stage in 2015 will be Kym Marsh, Rowetta, Kavana, Hayley Ria Christian, Kelly Wilde, Tacky Tarts and Jordan Gray. There will also be the Miss Sparkle and Miss Golden Sparkle pageants and the inaugural Stallion Talent Show, open to any female-to-male trans person, a drag king or a male-identifying person.
Friday, July 10 to Sunday, July 12
Bourne Free Pride Festival 2015
Image credit: Bourne Free Pride Festival/Facebook
“Bourne Free Does Broadway” is the theme for the 2015 Bourne Free Pride Festival, which celebrates the LGBT communities in Bournemouth, Poole and the surrounding areas, and the huge array of floats, buses and walking groups will be decked out accordingly for the parade through Bournemouth town centre. Family fun and entertainment at the Bandstand will follow.
Saturday, July 11 from 11 a.m.
Bristol Gay Pride 2015
Image credit: Bristol Pride/Facebook
Bristol Pride will take over the city’s Castle Park with multiple stages offering top class entertainment to top off a whole week of events showcasing LGBT culture. Confirmed acts so far include Heather Small, Tina Cousins, Ryan Dolan and former Bucks Fizz members Cheryl, Mike and Jay.
Saturday, July 11 from 11 a.m.
More: 20 Top songs for LGBT Pride Month
Newcastle Pride 2015
Image credit: Northern Pride/Facebook
This year’s Newcastle Pride will be the biggest to date with celebrations spanning three days. Headlining the event are B*Witched and Belinda Carlisle, along with Lucy Spraggan, Heather Peace, Joseph Whelan and Kitty Brucknell. The popular dog show “Paws with Pride” will be back and the weekend culminates with a candlelit vigil at the city’s Civic Centre, to celebrate all the achievements of LGBT people and remember those around the world for whom life is still difficult.
Friday, July 17 to Sunday, July 19
Hull Pride 2015
Image credit: Hull Pride/Facebook
Hull Pride kicks off with a parade from Queen Victoria Square to the main stage event in Baker Street. This year’s theme is “Pride Colours and their Meanings” and the parade will be split into the six coloured sections of the Pride flag: red (life); orange (healing); yellow (sunlight); green (nature); blue (serenity); and violet (spirit). Acts taking to the stage include The Ruby Reds (the nipple-tasselled ladies from Britain’s Got Talent), Paradise Showgirls, Mark Doyle, Johnny Robinson and La Voix.
Saturday, July 28 from 12 p.m.
Belfast Gay Pride 2015
Image credit: Belfast Pride/Facebook
Belfast Gay Pride runs from July 24 to Aug. 2, with the annual parade taking place on Aug. 1. This is the 25th anniversary of the event and the theme has been chosen to celebrate the milestone: “25 Years Building Equality. It’s Time.”
Saturday, Aug. 1 from 12 p.m.
Brighton Pride Festival 2015
Image credit: Brighton & Hove Pride — Official Page/Facebook
The Brighton Pride Festival in Preston Park boasts a star studded line-up of artists, performers, musicians and DJs including The Human League, Fatboy Slim, Jess Glynne, Hercules and Love Affair, Foxes, Tulisa, The Freemasons, Bright Light Bright Light, Kelli-Leigh, Blooms, Seamus Haji, Prok & Fitch, Wayne G. and Orange is the New Black star Ruby Rose. Returning this year is the “Family Diversity” area with children’s playground — a no-alcohol, safe, inclusive space for families to relax and enjoy the celebrations.
Saturday, Aug. 1 to Sunday, Aug. 2
Liverpool Gay Pride 2015
Image credit: Liverpool Pride/Facebook
Festival goers are encouraged to attend Liverpool Gay Pride dressed in their best interpretations of this year’s theme “Love Is No Crime.” The festival includes a dance tent, 100-seater cinema lorry and free community zones with a wide range of entertainment, children’s activities and guest speakers.
Saturday, Aug. 1
Leeds Gay Pride 2015
Image credit: Leeds LGBT Pride/Facebook
Leeds Pride is the city’s biggest annual one-day festival and 2015 promises fabulous entertainment for the thousands of visitors. Previous live acts include Gareth Gates, Joe McElderry, Sophie Ellis Bextor, Kimberly Wyatt (The Pussycat Dolls), Katrina (of Katrina and The Waves), Martha Wash (Weather Girls) and Stooshe.
Sunday, Aug. 2 from 12 p.m.
Cymru Gay Pride 2015
Image credit: Pride Cymru/Facebook
Pride Cymru is back for its third year and will be bigger and better than ever, with a lively parade to kickstart the celebrations and TV presenter and actor Andrew Hayden Smith (Doctor Who, Cucumber and Byker Grove) hosting the main stage event. Everyone who attends is invited to wear a costume that depicts their interpretation of the theme for 2015 “Welsh Pride is …”
Saturday, Aug. 15 from 11 a.m.
Miss Nightingale — the gay musical 2015
Image credit: Miss Nightingale — the musical/Facebook
Touring the U.K. from September 2015 is Miss Nightingale, an original British musical with a touching gay romance at the heart of the story.
Visit the Miss Nightingale website for tour dates and ticket information.
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