- The Countdown is on...
- Monday, 12 July 2010
Plans for this year’s Pride Parade and Main Park event are confirmed and they promise to be as spectacular as ever. A peek behind the scenes shows community groups and businesses are putting the finishing touches to floats and costumes as well as a whole host of fun activities at Preston Park and reveals that imaginations have run riot...
Pride Parade
The theme of Pride and (No) Prejudice has inspired the creative spirits and the parade with many of our local statutory services and authorities proudly declaring that there is rightly no discrimination or differentiation in all that they do. Community groups and businesses, city-wide and beyond, have been designing floats and costumes with the britches and bustles you might rightly expect given the overtones of Jane Austen in out theme. But many have a completely different take on the theme.
So in an amongst the 50 plus entries, expect the unexpected! And it’s not just a walk to the park; they’ll be dancing, they’ll be marching and there may well be a fair few on roller skates! Look out for the pack of lions too, as well as The Royal Air Force, The Lesbian & Gay Foundation, Maritime and Coastguard Agency, Brighton Rockers Roller Derby, Sussex Beacon, Broken Rainbow, Brighton Gay Men's Chorus, East and West Sussex and Kent Fire & Rescue, Local Multi Faith Groups will be marching together for the first time, Brighhton & Hove LGBT Switchboard, Pride UK Employee Network - American Express, MindOut, Brighton Theatre Group, The Royal College of Nursing, Lady Pink, BBC Pride, Brighton & Hove City Council to name but a few and of course Sussex Police will lead the way again.
Parade Facts:
Set Up from 6am at Madeira Drive
Sets Off at 11am from Madeira Drive
The route: Madeira Drive - Grand Junction Road – King’s Road – West Street – North Street – Old Steine – Pavilion Parade – Marlborough Place – Gloucester Place – St George’s Place – York Place – London Road – Preston Circus – Preston Road – Preston Park
Arrives at Preston Park from 1pm
Pride takes seriously its commitment to involve the local community, so we are pleased to have collaborated again with the Same Sky Community Arts Group, they’ve been assisting and encouraging a large number of our parade entrants with the design, construction and decoration of their parade entries.
Get yourself a good vantage point early as the parade is a massive spectator event, thousands of people young and old will be lining the seafront and the whole route to the park. Now in its third year there will be a disabled viewing area on Preston Road and our thanks go out to Carters Domestic Appliances for giving up their car park for the day. Pride uses specially trained marshals and volunteers on the day to ensure the parade passes off safely. If you are interested in volunteering in future years (or indeed this one) please email
The Festival Week
Apart from the Pride Parade, the summer festival week (Saturday 31st July to Sunday 8th August) is expected to attract many thousands and, with events in the run up to the Pride Parade and immediately after the main event in the park, there is plenty to choose from. Whether your taste is for comedy, the arts, drag shows, quizzes or five-aside-football tournaments, you should find something that’s up your street.
The majority of the local LGBT businesses are taking part and demonstrating their support for Pride in Brighton & Hove by donating much-needed funds raised at their events towards the running of costs of Pride.
Your Walk Around the Park
For many the park event is the main focus – it is expected to attract more than 150,000 people. There will be plenty to do with the return of the major big tops (dance and cabaret), community stalls, exhibitors and over 100 traders. Of course, the park event would be incomplete without all the bars and tents. You have a choice of bars, all selling the same drinks at identical prices – to ensure that no one is being ripped off.
Whether your thing is to boogie the day away, enjoy almost non-stop cabaret, shop till you drop, or simply chill out, Pride has ensured that you will be catered for on the park.
What’s new and what’s hot on the park at Pride this year…
- For the first time there will be a dedicated Community Performance area where entertainers and dancers from the parade will get a chance to perform all day alongside other acts.
- Right next to the Community Performance area you’ll find the big screen. If you missed the fun of the Pride Parade or want to check out what your costume looked like then you will be able to see re-runs. There will also be cameras on the park, so there won’t be an excuse for missing a thing.
- The Community Village sponsored by Barclays with more than 40 stalls is where you can catch up with local and national charities and community groups – head for the north east area of the park.
- For the first time there will be two Market Areas – one on the south side of the park with stalls of a more adult nature and one in the heart of the park which will be more family friendly.
- The popular Pride Members' Area is back. Free to all Pride member's, or £30 to non members on the day. The garden and bar are a great place to sit back, people watch and mingle. Food is courtesy of Coriander Restaurant and Deli in Hove.
- New sponsor's Ford Motor Company, will be bringing some four wheel magic to the park for us all to drool over.
- The Bears Tent in association with The Star Inn and The Camelford Arms will feature top DJs playing classic and funky disco tinged sounds include Brighton DJs Phil Lovedisco, Mister Barker, Richard Jones and Josh The Barber plus some London DJs to be announced shortly.
- Revenge are hosting the Pop Tent this year with a fantastic line up of pop and alternative djs to include Boogaloo Stu (Dynamite Boogaloo/Pop Kraft, Louise C (Jam), Fifilicious (Ghetto/Milkteeth), plus the Revenge Allstars Smithy, Stewart T and Gaydar radio's Alex Baker.
- Pride is cracking down on the plague of freeloaders who exploit the crowd and peddling their own booze every year. If any slip by us please don’t buy from them as they contribute nothing to Pride, look out for the ‘official roaming traders’ on the park. They’ll be easy to spot and will always carry identity badges.
- Look out for Brighton Marina and their Butlin’s Hi Di Hi style beach with games and activities, hunks in trunks competition, seaside photo boards, red coats games, pink Cadillac, half naked boys and boxing with mini tournaments throughout the day raising money for Pride.
- Grammy nominated The Freemasons will headline The Brighton Dance Tent as their debut DJ performance in the 5,000 capacity dance tent alongside London’s finest Steve Pitron and the best DJs that Brighton has to offer. They come together to create an uplifting Pride soundtrack featuring PAs including Cass Fox of Rui de Silva's "Touch Me" and Faithless's mega hit "Music Matters". Internationally renowned, with 5 top twenty UK artist singles, Brighton born superstars The Freemasons are arguably the most in-demand producers in the world, having worked with everyone from Beyonce to Whitney. The boys are very excited about playing their hometown Pride after amazing slots at Mardi Gras, London and New York Prides. Local lovelies include Jon Byrne (Wild Fruit/Rebel/DSD), Lee Harris (Legends, The Edge, Onyx), Dulcie Danger (Kinky Dangerous/Revenge), Verity Mayes (Pussycat Club) and Jonesy (Juice FM). Expect gorgeous go-go boys and spectacular production plus lots of exciting added extras to give you an incredible Pride experience.
- The Women’s Performance Tent in partnership with Brighton & Hove City Council and Pride in Brighton & Hove presents a fabulous mix of performers to move, soothe and entertain you, compered by Cat Harding, Sharon Tyas, Yvo Luna and Nicky Mitchell.
Line Up:
2pm Amity
2.15pm Zora and the Tatsmiths
2.40pm Carly Bryant
2.55pm Alexia Chellun
3.15pm Qukulele
3.35pm Danni Nicholls
4pm Jess Gardham Band
4.30pm Lianne
4.55pm Sandra MacBeth
5.20pm Amity
5.35pm Kenelis
6.05pm Voodoo Hussy
6.30pm Heads.Hearts
7pm Greymatter
7.30pm Finale - A few surprises to end the show!
- If drag queens are your thing, then totter across to the Cabaret Tent – you’ll find it in his new home next to the Tennis Courts. There will be a virtual non-stop parade of wigs lacquered to within an inch of their lives, faux-haut couture and mascaraed talent for your delight. Here's your fantasic line up for the day:
2pm HOST: Lady James
2.10pm Co HOST: Sally Vate
2.20pm Lucinda Lashes
2.35pm Benji
2.50pm Betty Swollocks
3.05pm All Mouth & No Trousers
3.20pm Davina Sparkle
3.35pm Co HOST: Tammy Twinkle
3.45pm Jo Francis
4 pm Miss Jason
4.15pm Maisie Trollette
4.30pm Rose Garden
4.50pm Pride
5 pm Pride’s Got Talent Winner
5.05pm Co HOST: Connie Conway
5.15pm Nicolette Street
5.30pm Trashville Tennessee
5.50pm Jamie Watson
6.05pm Sandra
6.25pm Drag With No Name
6.45pm Eva La Diva
7pm Dave Lynn
7.20 pm Finale
- The black and ethnic minority community’s own Calabash tent continues to go from strength to strength. With the help of Pride, the City Council, Calabash will have some of the best music on the day with RnB, hip hop, old skool, ragga, reggae, Bollywood, funk, soul and disco.
- To make the most of your day head to the Pride Information Point when you arrive on the park – you’ll find it near the Girls On Top Bar near the centre of the park.
- A firm favourite is the Fun Fair back again in the usual spot it has wheels, dodgems, thrills, scares and cuddly toys. The fun fair is a popular attraction each year so if you fancy a thrill between your boogies you know where to head.
Subject to grant funding we are also hoping to announce a Multi Faith, Youth and Family area very soon.
Pride Still Needs Your Help Now
It costs over £250,000 to put on this amazing one-day event and, if it is to remain free and in the same format Pride has to have your support NOW. The message is clear – if you want Pride in Brighton & Hove to happen then put your hand in your pocket and donate now or on the day.
Donate online now at http://www.justgiving.com/brightonpride/donate or at Preston Park there will be lots of bucket collectors, buckets on all the bars and a suggested minimum donation of £5 for the dance tent. We need to raise around £40,000 on the day, so please give generously and remember this is to Save Your Brighton Pride As You Know It – the futures in your hands.
There is still time to Get Involved
Pride needs your help; with just four weeks to go this is a call out for volunteers. Pride relies hugely on the support of volunteers. Thanks to everyone out there and our friends at The co-operative we already have an army of volunteers in place but we still need more. Pride is looking to attract volunteers from all sections of the community for 2010 and are especially keen to really diversify our volunteer workforce. Please contact 01273 775939 and pledge your time to support Pride and the work we do.
news archive
| Pride Seeks New Trustees | 26 Aug 2010 |  |
| Support Your Pride Now To Secure 2011 | 19 Aug 2010 | |
| The countdown is on | 27 Jul 2010 | |
| The Countdown is on... | 12 Jul 2010 | |
| Joint Statement from Brighton & Hove City Council and Pride | 6 Jul 2010 | |
| Pride Signs New Four-Year Deal with Local Company | 28 Jun 2010 | |
