Brighton
Pride 2013
Brighton Pride is one of the UK ’ s favourite festival events which attract people from all over Europe for one huge LGBT celebration .
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Once a year the people of Brighton welcome visitors who come to enjoy an amazing line up of entertainment , arts , film and lifestyle events that go to make up one of the most exciting and eclectic festivals anywhere .
This year ’ s Pride theme is ‘ Icons ’ which will be reflected in the eagerly anticipated parade that makes it ’ s way through the heart of the city finishing at the festival site at Preston Park on Saturday 3 rd August .
The vast crowds that gather to watch the parade spectacle will be treated to floats and walking groups made up from the local community , business supporters and voluntary groups all in the Icons theme so you can expect a host of Madonnas and Lady Gagas alongside more serious LGBT icons such as Alan Turing and Oscar Wilde etc . Expect plenty of surprises and at least one group of outrageous Freddy Mercury look-a-likes .
Once in the park , visitors will be treated to a huge array of entertainment with specialist tents and big tops as well as a funfair , mini market and the return of the exciting main stage . Favourites such as the legendary Wild Fruit Dance tent , Girls on Top tent , the Cabaret Tent , the Women ’ s Performance Tent , Calabash tent and many others will be on the park as well as the main stage .
Already confirmed for this years main stage are Stooshe , MKS ( the original sugarbabes line up ), Paloma Faith ( exclusive DJ set ) and Alison Moyet among others who are being added to the packed stellar line up daily .
The parade and Preston Park Festival on Saturday 3 rd August are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Pride events for 2013 . For the first time Brighton Pride has also taken part in the famous fringe festival by staging a number of gala shows in the Ladyboys Sabai Pavilion that help raise funds for Pride . This year Pride has made itself far more accessible than ever before by including the first Pride Arts & Film festival to the list of attractions in the lead up to Pride .
The Arts & Film festival 19 th July – 4 th August will be celebrated across the city in various galleries and performance spaces and includes a short season of LGBT interest films at the Duke of York ’ s Picturehouse as well as the Dukes @ Komedia cinema . The film season kicks off with a very special double bill screening of ‘ I am Divine ’ with John Waters ‘ Female Trouble ’ at the Duke of York ’ s on 19 th July . Also scheduled are ‘ The life and times of Harvey Milk and the classic ‘ I could go on singing ’. Alongside screenings at both cinemas there will also be special screenings at the vast open air screen on the beach over the Pride weekend ( 3 rd & 4 th August )
Also on 19 th July , kick starting the Arts & Film festival is Prides own flagship fine art exhibition ‘ Icons ’ at the famous state of the art Brighton library where a host of local and international LGBT artists are due to show their work in the Icons theme . Put together with the help of art director Hizze Fletcher the exhibition is set to be a major attraction among the other independent shows and exhibitions planned across the city .
Not to be left out of the proceedings the much loved Pride dog show is reborn for Pride 2013 as ‘ Doggy Pride ’ at the Hove RFC ( Shirley Drive ) on 28 th July .
Brighton Pride is packed with a wide variety of events this year and announcements and updates about events are made almost daily so it is worth checking the website for the latest news .
By Paul Kemp www . brighton-pride . org
Our top 5 tips for a wonderful Pride
1 Get your ticket sooner rather than later . Advance tickets mean avoiding long queues !
2 Check out the Pride website and plan your journey and event visits in advance .
3 It ’ s a long day so no need to hit the bar too early .
4 When the sun is shining you need to make sure you keep topping up the protection .
5 You can take your own soft drinks into the Festival as long as their manufacturers ’ seals are intact but there are plenty of official on-site Pride traders and bars .