Wednesday, 20th June 07

The Festival week will run from July 28th through to 5th August. The Festival is bigger and better than ever before with some fantastic events planned by both the voluntary sector and businesses alike. Highlights for 2007 include poetry, art exhibitions, cabaret, live music, comedy, film events, club nights, a barn dance, fantastic musical shows and a whole week of fantastic sporting events. The full listings can be found in the Pride magazine that will be out in venues from early July and on www.brightonpride.org.

‘Musicals’ Parade
This year's Carnival Parade on Saturday 4th August promises to be even more colourful and exciting than ever with a fantastic array of floats, walking groups, stilt walkers, bands and of course amazing costumes. The Musicals theme was chosen by Pride members and has given everyone a fantastic range of possibilities to choose from. Expect characters dances and songs from Grease, West Side Story, Guys and Dolls, Oklahoma, Moulin Rouge, the Sound Of Music and Bugsy Malone. Pride are offering free carnival construction workshops run by Same Sky, to assist all parade entrants in creating spectacular floats and costumes for the parade.

The parade sets off from Madeira Drive at 11.30am, and will wend its merry way to Preston Park to arrive by no later than 1.00pm. As in past years, the streets will be lined by thousands of people young and old, who all come out to enjoy and support the amazing spectacle. For this year only, due to the road works in North Street, the parade route will be slightly shorter and, as in previous years, the parade will be headed up by the police with over 80 officers from Sussex, Surrey and Hampshire.

Pride desperately needs Stewards for the Parade. If you can volunteer, please call 01273 775939

Pride in the Park
Following the Parade, Preston Park plays hosts to all of the usual Pride favourites including the Revenge Cabaret Tent hosted by the luscious Lola Lasagne, the Wild Fruit Big Top, Popstarz, the Women’s Performance Tent, Bears tent, Calabash, numerous bars, a funfair, market area, the Spectrum Access tent and the Paul Wilde Line Dancing tent. There is also some talk of a new addition this year in the form of a Trans tent. We are pleased to confirm that there will be BSL interpreters at the Cabaret Tent, the Women’s Tent and the Spectrum Access tent.

This year, Pride is proud to announce that the Barclays Community Village has more stands than ever before with local LGBT groups and charities benefiting from free space and many getting further support for their activities from the city Council, Please support them and the valuable work they do all year round.

Catering this year will be truly delicious with some great organic and healthy offers in addition to the usual festival fare. The members and VIP area returns and if anyone has not yet joined Pride, you need to do so at least two weeks in advance of the big day in order to gain members access to this exclusive area and its posh toilets!

St James’s Street
If you still have the energy at 8pm when the Park closes and find yourself without a party or event to go to, just follow the crowds back to town and you will find St James’s Street will welcome you. In a car-free environment, there will be bars on the streets and a great atmosphere throughout the road closure areas. Thanks to Claudia from Candy Bar, the police and the city council for working together and many thanks to the businesses in St James’s Street for the thousands they are donating to the Pride charity whilst providing a well needed sanctuary post Pride.

Donate to Pride by text, shaker or bucket!
This year, Pride is making it even easier for you to donate to the charity. In conjunction with the mobile operator 3, you will be able text your donation before, during or after the big day. Look out for the text number that will be displayed at the event, throughout the city and on the Pride website. You can also drop your change, or better still, the odd note, into a Pride bucket or shaker that will be in most venues throughout the city or at the park on the day. Alternatively, you can simply send your donation by cheque (payable to Pride South East) to the Pride Office at 6 Bartholomews, Brighton, BN1 1HG. Help the charity with it’s year round activities and to keep the UK’s best LGBT event free and open to all of the community.

Free Pride?
If only! Pride actually costs nearly a quarter of a million pounds to put on. As more people attend the event each year, the more the charity’s costs increase in providing toilets, infrastructure, health and safety, first aid cover, stewarding and security. Unfortunately, for Pride, more attendees does not necessarily equate to more coffers. Without support from businesses in the city, sponsorship, fundraising and grant funding, it simply wouldn’t happen.

Pride this year is sponsored by Barclays, Unison, Wild Fruit, Revenge, 3, Southern, Metrobus, Gaydar and Bona Life. Pride partners include Brighton & Hove City Council, Sussex Police and media partners RealBrighton.com, 3SIXTY, The Argus, BBC Southern Counties, Juice 107.2FM, Southern FM, G3, F*@K and Out in the City. The local LGBT venues have also worked tirelessly throughout the year to raise valuable funds.

The event remains a true community event for all and gives a platform to many groups and charities in the city, helping them to raise valuable funding and awareness for the services they provide. Operations Manager, PJ Aldred says “Pride is extremely grateful for the amazing support given by sponsors, local businesses and partners to ensure the event remains free and open to the community.”

Hurry to become a Member of Pride in Brighton and Hove
Have your say in how Pride is run and gain free access to the members area with proper seating, family area, bar, catering and posh toilets! Membership only costs £15 a year (£7.50 concessions) and is a fantastic way to show your support for a local charity and the biggest and best free LGBT event in the country.

This year, Pride membership applications will need to arrive at the Pride office no later than Friday 20th July, so there is time to process them and get your cards out in time. Accompanied children under 10 can enter free but can only use the family area. For non-members or those who miss the deadline, there will be limited entry to the member’s area on the day at £25 (sorry, no concessions). So it’s well worth getting those forms in on time!

You can download a membership form from the website or call 01273 775939.

Pride Companion Dog Show
Sunday 8th July, Hove Rugby Club
This years Pride Dog Show, in association with Coastway Veterinary Group and Denes Natural Pet Care will take place on Sunday 8th July from 1.00pm at Hove Rugby Club, Old Shoreham Road, Hove. Registrations will be taken from midday. Entry to the dog show is free although donations will be greatly received. Class fees will be £2.00. All proceeds go to Pride.

Be Safe
For many years, Pride has worked in close partnership the police with the main objective to keep all festival goers safe and maintain a happy Pride for all. Last year, with Pride’s full support, the police maintained a highly visible presence at the event, brought in measures such as Ion Track and detection dogs and, later in the day, used an experienced team of undercover police to primarily address the rising handbag thefts that were occurring. At this year’s event similar measures will help deter most anti-social behaviour, small though it may be. Pride has a few tips, however, for all attendees;

• Do not buy anything other than from official outlets, stalls, caterers or bars.
• Report suspicious behaviour or the selling of illegal substances
• Do not drink to excess
• In hot weather – drink plenty of water and use suitable sun screen.
• Keep your belongings safe and out of sight – leave what valuables you can at home
• For public safety reasons, please do NOT bring any glass (bottles etc) to the event. If spotted, you will have glass receptacles and their contents confiscated.