Bristol Pride is moving for 10th anniversary party

The Bristol Pride celebration is doubling its party invites and moving the festival from the city centre to greener pastures.

More than 36,000 people attended Pride last year, and the city’s streets were overflowing with flags of every colour. People from all walks of life lined the streets, declaring that hate and intolerance towards queer people isn’t (and never will be) welcome in Bristol.

Summer 2019 will be the tenth birthday of Pride and an increased capacity for party-goers at its new home on the Downs.

Peppermint is one of the first acts confirmed for Bristol Pride 2019

With more space to hold the party, Pride is introducing new areas and activities, including a giant circus tent, a wellbeing and mindfulness area and a silent disco, all on the Downs.

In addition, lesbian magazine DIVA  are bringing a brand new stage as part of a new partnership with Pride in Bristol.

Pride isn’t a one-day party though; the festival starts on June 29 and runs for two weeks. Events announced so far include Riot Act, a theatre performance for the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots at the Wardrobe Theatre.

The Pride Comedy Night also returns on July 9 with its biggest lineup ever, including Mawaan Rizwan, Tom Allen, Suzi Ruffell, Jayde Adams and Zoe Lyons.

The Pride team is ensuring there’s something for everyone over the two weeks. Circomedia are hosting the Pride Circus Night, Milk Poetry returns and Watershed are showing a range of LGBTQ+ films as part of Queer Vision. Watershed will also host a special evening with the Iris Prize, with Bristol Pride choosing a winner for the Best of British short film competition, with help from the audience.

Prefer music? Sophie Ellis-Bexter, Sonique, Saara Aalto and NINA are returning to the stage the year. On Pride Day itself, Boney M, RuPaul’s Drag Race’s Peppermint and Four of Diamonds have been billed to perform, with more announcements to come.

Sophie Ellis-Bexter is returning to Bristol Pride again for its tenth birthday

The team are certainly pulling out all the stops for their 10th birthday. Bristol Pride CEO Daryn Carter said: “It’s been an incredible ten years and we’ve rapidly grown to a Pride that consistently named as one of the biggest and best in the country, as well as being named in the Global Top 50.”

The festival has had incredible success, bringing individuals from Bristol and throughout the South West together to protest against queer hate and champion the LGBTQ+ community. With a 23 per cent increase in LGBTQ+ hate crime in the region, showing strength in numbers is more important than ever.

Pride Day itself will start with the annual parade in the city centre. Some 12,000 people marched last year, for a colourful and empowering display of solidarity.

With more still to be announced, don your rainbow clothing and dig out your queer flags from June 29 to July 14, and come together to celebrate LGBTQ+ lives.

£7 Supporter Wristbands for Pride Day are available now from Bristol Ticket Shop and come with exclusive perks. For more information on Supporter Wristbands, artists, events and everything else visit www.bristolpride.co.uk

Read more: Bristol Pride named in Global Top 50