Warwickshire Pride will return to Leamington’s Pump Room Gardens next week

Warwickshire Pride will return to the Pump Room Gardens in Leamington Spa next week.

The annual festival, which celebrates lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT+) life and culture, will take place on Saturday August 19, between 11am – 6pm, and organisers are promising the biggest and best festival to date.

The festival will once again have a Pride march that will start off the event by parading through Leamington town centre.

This year’s Warwickshire Pride has chosen 'Pride is a Protest' as the theme.

"After an incredible comeback last year after a pause during Covid, we’re excited to be bringing Pride to Leamington Spa once again," said Warwickshire Pride’s chair of trustees, Daniel Browne.

"While this is of course a celebration of LGBT+ life and culture, Pride is also a protest. LGBT+ people are still discriminated against and even in Leamington there has recently been some really horrific things happening to LGBT+ people.

"It shows why Pride is still needed and why support for the LGBT+ community needs to be year round. Yes, we have this one day event, but actually we’re here all year providing support to the community."

On the day visitors can expect over 100 stalls in a rainbow marketplace, fairground rides for children and adults, food stalls, a bar, as well as a stage of live entertainment.

Headlining Warwickshire Pride this year is local drag legend Sassi Afrika, whose success has seen her music sold worldwide to critical acclaim. Other acts include local artists Sam Lawrence and Mikaela Moody, local drag queens The Saturnos, country duo The Westlands, and Muslim drag queens Asifa Lahore and Lady Bushra.

Daniel added: "All people are welcome to get involved and join in, whether you are LGBT+ or not. Pride is for everyone and allies are important. There is lots happening for people of all ages to enjoy, with inclusion and accessibility being at the heart of it all”

This year’s festival is sponsored by Coventry Building Society, Third Kind Games, Mister V Street Food, The Cycle Recycler, Thomas Flavell, Nuffield Health, and Maisy n Mollys.

Further information on the festival can be found at www.warwickshirepride.co.uk