Pride in Liverpool saw its highest attendance ever for both the march and the free festival at the Pier Head, organisers reveal. Tony McDonough reports
Pride in Liverpool organisers say more than 60,000 people attended the free festival at the Pier Head and 25,000 took part in the march – with both figures smashing previous records.
People attending the annual event, which took place in the city centre last weekend, contribute millions of pounds to the local economy. It was organised by LCR Pride Foundation, the Liverpool city region’s LGBT+ charity.
An estimated 25,000 marched from St Georges Hall to Pier Head, 5,000 more than when the charity marched through the city in solidarity with KyivPride in 2023.
This year also saw the first Pride Classical. The open-air concert welcomed a 32-piece orchestra alongside a host of stars to Liverpool’s waterfront, including Scissor Sisters’ frontman Jake Shears and RuPaul Drag Race UK season four winner Danny Beard.
On Saturday, a number of international and local acts took to Pride in Liverpool’s main stage to entertain visitors, with headline act Katrina, formerly of Katrina and the Waves, bringing the day to a close.
A number of Pride in Liverpool Fringe events also took over the city centre, with The Cheeky Girls headlining the Masquerade Bar’s Street Party and Museum of Liverpool partnering with YPAS and the Youth Engagement Forum to host a family event.
The Royal Albert Dock Spotlight Stage – new to Pride in Liverpool for 2024 – put the spotlight on a number of drag queens and DJs, who performed across Saturday and Sunday.
This year’s event also saw the return of the ‘Young People and Families Zone’ as well as new introductions to the programme including the ‘Freshen Up Zone’ from Unilever and Superdrug.
There was also a partnership with the British Firefighter Challenge and festival-wide accessibility facilities making sure everyone could enjoy the march and events.
LCR Pride Foundation chief executive and co-founder Andi Herring said: “This year, our theme is ‘Be Heard’ and our call is for LGBT+ voices to be listened to and that no one is left behind.
“We can safely say this weekend sent that message loud and clear, with more people showing their support than ever before.
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“Although our community continues to battle hate and discrimination, this weekend proved that the people of Liverpool city region have our backs. It is truly inspiring to see how many people came out this weekend to show their support.
“This not only means a lot to us but also to the wider community, to the voices that aren’t as loud as others. You have made a difference for them and allowed them to feel seen and heard.”