Pride in Leeds!

Published: 01/07/08

Leeds is the fourth most populous city in England and the largest in West Yorkshire. With such a large city, it's no wonder that Leeds has a thriving gay scene, to rival other major cities.

Leeds Pride has very quickly established itself as the most popular gay event in the city attracting over 10,000 people in just its second year in 2007.

It's aim is to bring together key stakeholders including Yorkshire MESMAC - the leading LGBT charity in the region, the commercial gay scene venues, Leeds City Council, West Yorkshire Police, community groups and other key players to plan and support the free event.

The 3rd annual Leeds Pride will take place on Sunday 3rd August 2008. From 12pm in Leeds Millennium Square.

Main Stage

From 12 until 2pm, Millennium Square will play host to the main-stage boasting the best of local and national talent entertaining the crowds as they prepare for the city centre parade.

Paul Mattison from the organising committee said, ‘While I’m not allowed to tell you yet who we’ve got performing. I’ve got no doubt that the line up will give the crowds a great send-off for the Pride Parade’.  He continued, ‘The Parade has fast become the centrepiece of Leeds Pride - it’s a great opportunity for everyone to come together and show their support for our communities.’

Gay Scene

Following the Parade it’s the turn of the city’s venues to take over the reins, entertaining the crowds until the early hours. The unique blend of venues that make up the vibrant Leeds’ Gay scene together with the other venues in the Lower Briggate area that are supporting Leeds Pride means that there will be something for everyone.

Picnic & Sports Day

For those looking for something to do before the Sunday Parade day, Saturday 2nd August sees the Pride Picnic and Sports Day at Hyde Park from 1pm hosted by the Yorkshire Terriers, Yorkshire’s LGB football team. Ali from the Terriers said, ‘The day is all about fun, with egg and spoon and sack races and the like, think more Saint Trinians than track and field, there’s also going to be some five aside football matches so if you want to enter a team the more the merrier or just turn up on your own and we’ll slot you in somewhere.’

World Record Attempt

Organisers of Leeds Gay Pride have set their hopes as high as their hemlines with just about the campest world record attempt imaginable - the number of Drag Queens dancing in a chorus line at any one time.
Drag Queen Anna Glypta, said ‘The present record is held by a group in Oregon USA, so we are going to yank that prize from those yanks and bring it home to Yorkshire.’

And Dottie comes too!

Every friend of Dorothy and friends of friends of Dorothy will be following the yellow brick road to the Hyde Park Picture House on July 30th as it hosts a special sing-along showing of The Wizard of Oz.

For more information visit leedspride.com

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