The Show Must Go On-line!

Due to Covid19 we had already announced plans to postpone our two week-long festival until September and we are now in a position to confirm the festival will take place, online, from the 1-12 September.

Bristol Pride is a unique and important event that celebrates the LGBT+ community and offers the chance to connect and bring people together. As well as showcasing our wonderfully diverse community, Pride is about overcoming prejudice and hatred, reducing isolation, and showing members of the LGBT+ community that they are not alone.

These principles we feel are even more crucial, as many people are living disconnected from each other, their wider communities and support networks. It’s also important to note that many LGBT+ people, especially young people, are living through a lockdown with unsupportive families or housemates. As ever we want to ensure Pride still creates a place where everyone is welcome, is visible and celebrated with joy, laughter and friendship.

As part of Bristol Pride Online we will move some of the events and activities you’ve come to love from the annual festival online, including our dog show, film festival, comedy night, family and wellbeing activities and a showcase of the stalls and groups usually found in our community area on Pride Day.

The digital festival will culminate with an exciting Pride Day celebration with a virtual parade and performances from across the different stages you would have found on The Downs this summer, along with special messages of support. There will also be afterparty DJ sets to keep the celebrations going into the evening.

Bristol Pride is one of the largest Pride’s in the UK and was due take place in July, but don’t worry, you won’t have to wait long to get those rainbow flags waving for Pride. We will be sharing content and activities for everyone to get involved in during what would have been July’s festival including recording footage and photos for the virtual parade on the 11 July for use later in the year.

This was not an easy decision to make, we’ve closely followed the developments with Covid-19 and carefully considered the impact this will have on our community and our ability to deliver the festival. Last year 40,000 people attended Pride Day and people travelled from all over the UK and overseas to celebrate Pride in Bristol. We consider the health and safety of our attendees, staff and city of upmost importance and with a restriction on mass gatherings looking to continue we’re just not able to deliver a physical festival this year.

But Pride is such a vital part of many people’s lives the show must go on and we’re really excited and energised at the thought of mixing it up and delivering a great show online.

As well delivering an exciting programme of online events the team will continue to work on plans for an even bigger and better event in 2021, which will take place on Saturday 10 July.

For all the breaking news on the events and how you can get involved over the coming weeks, follow our social media pages: Twitter: @bristolpride Facebook: /brispride and sign up to our newsletter here.