Worth millions to the local economy Pride in Liverpool will take place in late July and will see a ‘takeover’ of the whole city centre with the theme this year ‘Shout It Loud’. Tony McDonough reports
Pride in Liverpool will return on Saturday, July 29, with the theme ‘Shout It Loud’.
One of the biggest events of the year, Pride in Liverpool attracts tens of thousands of people and is worth millions of pounds to bars, restaurants and hotels across the city. This year events will take place across the city centre.
After bringing back Pride in Liverpool as an in-person event in 2022 for the first time since before COVID in 2019, organiser LCR Pride Foundation says this year’s festival is being built around feedback from last year.
It will focus on elements the LGBT+ community have said they value the most including pop-up community performances, family-friendly spaces and a diverse series of ‘fringe events’ around the city.
Its full programme will be released shortly and it’s not too late for businesses looking to support or organisers of events over the weekend who would like to be part of the fringe. They can register their details via prideinliverpool.co.uk
Working with VisitLiverpool.com, the new approach to Pride in Liverpool means that everyone attending can make their day unique and reflect what Pride means to them.
LCR Pride said: “Whether taking to the streets in protest, a party atmosphere, or a more laid back experience, they can find or create an itinerary which suits them best.”
Continuing the city’s Eurovision legacy and solidarity with Ukraine, the highlight of the day will see Liverpool play host to Kyiv’s annual Pride march this year.
The city region’s annual ‘March with Pride’ is being held jointly with KyivPride, the LGBT+ organisation of the Ukrainian capital as well welcoming Ukrainian delegates and community members from across the UK and Europe.
This year’s theme ‘Shout it Loud’ encourages local LGBT+ people to be proud of who they are. It harks back to the first ever Pride marches where standing up and shouting loud for their rights was so important.
Andi Herring, chief executive and co-founder of LCR Pride Foundation, said: “The lives of the LGBT+ community have been under intense scrutiny over the past few years, across the globe.
“From attacks on drag queens and the proposed criminalisation of their livelihoods, to the constant and steady erosion of trans rights perpetuated by governments, media and other organisations.
“LGBT+ people are a global community, and that’s why it is crucial that we ‘Shout It Loud’ in solidarity with all LGBT+ people across the world.
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“We are honoured to be hosting KyivPride this year and standing alongside the work they do in Ukraine for our community. Of course, it would be hard to forget our reasons behind hosting Eurovision and the lasting bond with Ukraine that will remain with us.”
Cllr Harry Doyle, Cabinet Member for Health, Wellbeing & Culture on Liverpool City Council, added: “Eurovision showed us the whole city can embrace an event of this scale.
“This is why we’re so thrilled that Pride in Liverpool will be taking a different approach this year by bringing the entire city centre together. We’re very excited to see how the whole day develops.”