The continued struggle facing the LGBTQIA+ community is to be the driving force behind this year’s march which will herald the start of Northern Pride. On Saturday 22 July the annual march through Newcastle city centre to the Town Moor – the site of Northern Pride – will see thousands of community members, allies, local people and businesses – join the colourful celebration. And leading the way will be young people from schools and community groups from across the region, highlighting their right to be who they want to be, in the face of potential Government discrimination. Organisers are also keen to ensure that the march – sponsored by Pride business partner, NE1 – will turn the spotlight on the current worrying events taking place in both the UK and USA. Northern Pride this year decided to once again repeat its mission statement of Remember, Resist and Rise Up to highlight the real struggles that still exist. The march is marking the 20 years since the repeal of Section 28 – laws which prohibited “the promotion of homosexuality” and which was seen as discriminatory – but at the same time is highlighting potential new legislation. Ste Dunn, director of Northern Pride believes that repercussions from Section 28 can still be felt today. ”The legislation, which forbade teachers from even acknowledging the existence of LGBTQIA+ people in the classroom had profound effects on young people at the time, effects which are still being felt today,” he said. Ste also hit out at leaked information which claims there is “new, harmful, Government guidance on trans young people in schools which risks returning us to the dark days of Section 28,” he said. “The march will remember the impact it had at the time, pay homage to those who lived through it and are still experiencing its effects today and rise up against further legislative attempts to undermine the community and our rights to live as we are.” With that in mind pupils from Heworth Grange School and Thorpe Academy will be at the front of this year’s march alongside young people from Children North East, True Colours Theatre and Diversity Role Models, to showcase the way that young trans people and the LGBTQIA+ younger community are facing numerous challenges. The young people will be supported by the National Education Union, one of the leading forces behind much of the campaign against Section 28 during the 1980s and 1990s. Northern Pride is concerned that the UK will follow in the footsteps of the USA where LGBTQIA+ rights are being eroded, given recent events in Florida and a ruling in June in Colorado which upheld a business’s rights to discriminate against gay couples. The weekend will give attendees the opportunity to show their solidarity and support, as well as joining in celebration with a packed programme of events and entertainment. Pride will consist of the free Community Village and the Festival Arena, where there is a small charge for entry to see a whole host of live performances across the two days. Don't forget our new mobile app is available to download for free, with the full weekend schedule for all zones and access to an interactive map.

Sport and activities, health and wellbeing and unique shopping experiences are just some of the attractions on offer in the Community Village at this year’s Northern Pride event. And visitors will also be able to enjoy a whole host of exciting entertainment, as the Curious Arts Stage returns to the event once again. The Community Village is at the heart of this year’s festival, which runs at Newcastle’s Town Moor over the weekend of 22-23 July. And everyone from singers to drag artists, DJs to fitness will be appearing on the Curious Arts Stage across the weekend, thanks to the support of the North of Tyne Combined Authority, who have ensured the village is free to all. Leading the line up on the Curious Arts Stage, will be British Asian drag comedian and podcaster from Bradford, Lady Bushra and Amy Langdown, a Newcastle-based writer, facilitator, producer and artist. An exercise session, Camp Fit with Carl, with DJ Em T also playing a set. Ste Dunn, director of the festival said Pride was very grateful for the organisation’s support. “Being able to let everyone access the Community Village for free and all of the activities which are taking place there, has only been possible because of the generosity of the North of Tyne Combined Authority and we can’t thank them enough,” he said. “I’m really excited to be able to bring to life this vision we had that Pride must be free at the point of access for all, and with this support we’ve been able to deliver this, which will have as it’s focal point the Curious Arts Stage, back for its third year.” “I’m really excited to be able to bring to life this vision we had that Pride must be free at the point of access for all, and with this support we’ve been able to deliver this, which will have as it’s focal point the Curious Arts Stage, back for its third year.” North of Tyne elected Metro Mayor, Jamie Driscoll added "Pride is a reminder of the power of ordinary people standing together in defiance of those who seek to. "There’s never been a more important time to come together to celebrate equality and inclusivity of everyone under the rainbow - regardless of race, sexuality or gender identity. "We wanted to help make this event truly welcoming to all. I'm so glad we could contribute some cash to make the Northern Pride Community Village accessible to everyone regardless of income." Activities and specific sessions will for the first time run across the entire weekend, rather than just being limited to one of the two days as in previous years, making them even more accessible. This includes the Family and Youth Zone, sponsored by construction company, Morgan Siddall, where there will a whole host of family friendly activities and the Sports and Active Live Zone – supported by Newcastle International Airport – with a number of fun, sporting challenges available. The Community Village will also play host a Health and Wellbeing section – sponsored by Loganair – where a range of support services and health testing will be available. There will also be a return this year of the LGBT+ Northern Social Group, which was created to help anyone visiting Northern Pride for the first time and who might be nervous about what to expect. Sponsored by BT Group, this dedicated chill out space offers changing rooms, an alcohol free space and is perfect for neurodivergent people or those who have never been to Pride before and require some support. Don't forget our new mobile app is available to download for free, with the full weekend schedule for all zones and access to an interactive map.

Northern Pride Festival has just unveiled a number of additional acts that will take to the newly named United As One main stage at this year’s event. Northern Pride returns to Newcastle over the weekend of 22-23 July and among those appearing on the stage will be X Factor winner Louisa Johnson, DJ Woody Cook – who regularly appears on Celebrity Gogglebox with his mum, Zoe Ball - and transgender pop princess, Freddie Lewis on Saturday with the event ending with the spectacular Ministry of Sound does Pride performance. Sunday will be headlined by Steps favourite, Lisa Scott-Lee, as well as West End star, Miriam-Teak Lee, who was the original star of the show &Juliet. Now added to the line-up are British electronic dance music group, Ultrabeat, who had a number of top 40 hits and dance music artiste, Miggy Dela Rosa, who over the years has worked with everyone from Emilie Sande to George Michael and Paloma Faith, he also had a huge summer platinum-selling hit Ferrari with James Hype Northern Pride will also play host to Drag Syndrome, a drag collective which has appeared worldwide with its troupe of drag performers with Down’s Syndrome. Returning to the stage will be fan favourite, Boulevard’s Danni Dee and the Broadway Dancers and Northern Proud Voices. Ste Dunn, Director of Northern Pride, is delighted to bring more acts to the line up. “We’re really pleased that this years United As One main stage artists, performers and creatives are all bring something different, and even some new experiences for our attendees,” he said. “From folk, to dance, drag to pop, there will be something for everyone to enjoy.” While there is a small charge for the Festival Arena, the rest of Pride remains free including the Family and Youth Zone, Rainbow Village and Health and Wellbeing area. A new app which can be downloaded free of charge gives information on all activities as well as live details across the weekend.

The countdown is well and truly on for this year's Northern Pride Festival! Since 2019, we have brought The Festival Arena and The Community Village to Northern Pride. From celebration to activism, to meeting up with old friends to making new ones. For people of all generations and representing all LGBTQIA+ and allies! ​ This year, the Festival Arena will be ticketed, to ensure we can provide the quality that this epic weekend deserves. In addition to the Main Stage - where the yet-to-be-revealed big name acts will perform -The Festival Arena will also feature the BeScene dance and cabaret zone, which will showcase performers from across Newcastle’s LGBTQIA+ scene. ​ The Festival Arena will have bars and food stalls, along with the funfair and access to the Platinum Bar and Garden – sponsored by Bobby’s Newcastle – for those who have bought tickets for the new and improved VIP space. We see the welcome return of the Community Village with its stand-out feature, the Curious Arts stage. ​ OUR FREE TO ACCESS COMMUNITY PRIDE - A SPACE FOR ALL supported by North of Tyne Combined Authority. ​ Following on from its success last year, the Community Village will also bring back the sports and active life zone and the LGBT Northern Social Group will return to support those who may be attending Pride for the first time. ​ The Community Village will also see the return of the Family and Youth zone and the Health and Wellbeing area, which for the first time, will operate across the whole weekend. The Rainbow Village and its market stalls has previously only run on the first day of Pride, however this time it will be open on both Saturday and Sunday, following requests from attendees at last year’s event. Making the Northern Pride Festival as accessible as possible is high on our agenda. We are proud to offer: Wheelchair-accessible raised platform High-dependency unit, with hoist and changing facilities Track matting for wheelchair users Ear defenders available to rent BSL has been a regular feature on two out door stages, we're committed to making sure all live performances and speeches are covered. While we are committed to learning and growing, please join us in making one of the most accessible Pride festivals in the UK.

Northern Pride is continuing with its commitment to be a family friendly event, with the promise of a full programme of activities at this year’s Family and Youth zone. This year’s Pride will take place over the weekend of 22-23 July at Newcastle’s Town Moor and a huge emphasis has been placed on ensuring there are plenty of activities to keep youngsters of all ages informed and entertained. The zone is sponsored by construction company, Morgan Sindall Infrastructure, which delivers some of the UK’s most complex and critical infrastructure, who will be hosting a construction zone and offering a range of fun activities to inspire future builders and makers, while IKEA Gateshead is also supporting the event once again and will be creating a chillout and sensor space for families to enjoy. A number of stalls representing local children’s and family-related charities will also be included in this area, giving people the opportunity to discover more about groups which may be relevant to them. Community organisation, Unfolding Theatre – which specialises in bringing people together to produce creative experiences – is loaning its upcycled stage across the weekend, where it will host performances aimed at children, young people and their families. Both days will have a different programme of entertainment, with activities all aimed at the under 16s. On Saturday 22 July, visitors can enjoy a first for the festival – a family drag show performed by Drag Castle. There’ll be a further show featuring North East-based Drag King, Gender Chaos and the Alternative Drag Collective, all aimed at a younger audience. Visitors will get to meet True Colour Theatre and have the opportunity to try their hand at drag, as well as the chance to take part in the Northern Butterflies arts and craft workshop. The activities, run by the Northumberland-based social inclusion charity, will be offering sessions throughout the day with activities such as dreamcatcher making and stone painting. The programme continues on Sunday, where Olly Pike of Pop n Olly will be taking to the main stage to talk about his inclusion work in schools on LGBTQ+ issues before he then runs a story time session in the Family and Youth Zone. Other sessions on the Sunday include storytime with local author, Mike Nelson and a graphic drawing workshop with Debbi’s Doodles and Neil Cole from the Museum of Classic Sci-Fi in Allendale. Nimerta Virdee, Northern Pride Family and Youth Manager, is delighted with the programme. “We have always been a family friendly event so we’re thrilled to have put together a really exciting and diverse range of entertainment, made possible by our sponsors, Morgan Sindall Infrastructure,” she said. “We’ve got the return of some popular favourites and a whole host of new activities which we believe everyone will love.” Chris Dransfield, social value manager at Morgan Sindall Infrastructure, said the company was delighted to be involved with Pride for the first time. “We are thrilled to be supporting Northern Pride and to be bringing a new element to the event,” he said. “The construction zone will not only be fun but hopefully will also inspire young people to consider a career in the industry. “As the main contractor on the six new stations which will be created as part of the reintroduced Northumberland line, connecting communities is at the heart of what we do – which is why working with Northern Pride is so important to us.” The Family and Youth Zone is only one of aspect of a packed Pride programme, which will include live music, entertainment, market stalls, fairground rides and food and drink throughout the weekend.

The UK’s largest regional airline has thrown its support behind one of the UK’s most popular Pride events. In celebration of Pride Month and its Flying’s For All Equality, Diversity and Inclusion initiative, Loganair has been announced as the official airline partner of Northern Pride, one of the biggest Pride celebrations in the country. The airline will support the event’s health and wellbeing zones with volunteer staff, which have become one of the festival’s main attractions in recent years. Thanks to Loganair’s sponsorship, these zones will be spread across both days of the festival for the first time in 2023. The move comes after Loganair proudly showcased its support for the LGBTQIA+ community with the official unveiling of the airline’s first-ever Pride Jet earlier today. With the classic Pride colours wrapped around the centre of the fuselage of an Embraer 145, the jet will fly across Loganair’s route network, visibly underscoring the airline’s commitment to creating an inclusive, safe and secure working environment for all its employees. Last year Loganair launched its Flying’s For All company-wide Equality, Diversity and Inclusion strategy, in an effort to help the airline create a safe and secure working environment in which all staff, including those from minority backgrounds, can thrive and excel. The airline has made a significant investment in rolling out its Flying’s For All Equality, Diversity and Inclusion training course which will reach every single member of staff, regardless of their role over the coming year. Loganair Chief Executive, Jonathan Hinkles, said: “Newcastle is one of our most popular destinations and as we enter our biggest ever summer for the region, we’re thrilled to be announced as Northern Pride’s official airline partner. “We’re firmly pinning our colours to the mast – or the fuselage in this case – as an airline that is not only open to all but as one that is a vocal advocate for equality. “Since we launched Flying’s for All, we’ve been blown away by the enthusiasm of our team to find ways to show support to each other. We’ve established that our teams already viewed Loganair as an inclusive place to work, but there’s an understanding of the need to imbed that in our services every day and at every level.” Loganair’s backing of Northern Pride comes as the airline anticipates its busiest-ever summer in the region where this year Loganair has based a second aircraft and expects to carry a record number of customers across its network of routes within the UK and to Norway from its home base in the North East. Ste Dunn, Director of Northern Pride said: “It’s been fantastic learning over the past few months the support Loganair provide its LGBTQIA+ colleagues and how they collectively champion the mission of “flying for all”. “Discovering the support particularly given to James Bushe, the first pilot living with HIV to be given a full licence without restrictions has been inspiring and supports our mission to elevate the voices in our community that are still at risk of discrimination. “Pride Jet is a fantastic addition to Loganair’s fleet, and whilst visibility is vitally important for our community right now, you don’t get more visible than flying the flag thousands of feet in the air.” Leon McQuaid, Director of Aviation Development at Newcastle International Airport said: “Loganair is an innovative airline and industry leader. With its ‘Flying’s For All’ strategy it is clear that the airline is leading the way in promoting diversity across the business and, alongside the Airport, prides itself on providing a fantastic, welcoming service to all of its passengers. “We’re delighted that the airline is sponsoring Northern Pride and we look forward to welcoming those passengers flying into the region for the event next month.”

A leading rail company is on the right track, after becoming a supporter of Northern Pride for the first time. Newcastle based Lumo, which operates up and down the east coast route to London and Edinburgh, is sponsoring the Rainbow Village at this year’s event, which features a number of market stalls and will be extended to run on both the Saturday and Sunday of Pride weekend. Pride 2023 will take place over the weekend of 22-23 July at Newcastle’s Town Moor and will include some new aspects as well as all of the regular favourites. The Town Moor will be divided into two distinct areas, the Community Village and The Festival Arena, with the Rainbow Village part of the former. Martin Gilbert, MD at Lumo said that “supporting Northern Pride is a natural fit” for the organisation. “As a relatively new company based in Newcastle, diversity and inclusion at the heart of what we do both internally with our great team and in the service we provide our customers with our ‘one-class’ all-inclusive and sustainable electric train service,” he said. “We know that the work of Northern Pride, and Pride weekend, is important for many of our colleagues and customers, so we’re really proud to be showing our support and getting involved.” Ste Dunn, Director of Northern Pride, said he was delighted to have Lumo on board. “We are only able to continue to provide Pride at its current level because of the support we receive and the generosity of our sponsors,” he said. “We wanted to expand the Rainbow Village over the entire weekend this year, as in previous years it has only been open on the Saturday. “Because of Lumo’s support we are able to do that and we are very grateful to them.” This year will also see a small charge for anyone wanting to enter The Festival Arena, although The Community Village remains free. In addition to the Main Stage - where the yet-to-be-revealed big name acts will perform -The Festival Arena will also feature the BeScene dance and cabaret zone, which will showcase performers from across Newcastle’s LGBTQIA+ scene. The Festival Arena will have bars and food stalls, along with the funfair and access to the Platinum Bar and Garden – sponsored by Bobby’s Newcastle – for those who have bought tickets for the new and improved VIP space. Tickets start from £6 for each day or £10 for a weekend pass, with businesses also encouraged to buy tickets and gift them to individuals or organisations which may not otherwise be able to attend. The Community Village will feature the very popular the Curious Arts stage, as well as the return of the sports and active life zone and the LGBT Northern Social Group which supports those who may be attending Pride for the first time. The Community Village will also see the return of the Family and Youth zone and the Health and Wellbeing area, which for the first time, will operate across the whole weekend.

POP royalty, X Factor performers and West End stars will all come together at this year’s Northern Pride. The event – held on Newcastle’s Town Moor over the weekend of 22-23 July – has just unveiled more names for its weekend line up of performers. X Factor winner Louisa Johnson, DJ Woody Cook – who regularly appears on Celebrity Gogglebox with his mum, Zoe Ball - and transgender pop princess, Freddie Lewis will head up the Saturday event, which will end with the spectacular Ministry of Sound does Pride performance. Sunday will be headlined by Steps favourite, Lisa Scott-Lee, as well as West End star, Miriam-Teak Lee, who was the original star of the show &Juliet. She will perform some of the pop anthems associated with the show, as well as music from artistes ranging from Ariana Grande to Lizzo. Capital drive time host and X Factor alumni, Sam Lavery, will join the Sunday line-up, with the weekend also repeating its stage takeovers across Saturday and Sunday. This time round the takeovers will include Newcastle Mela on Saturday, following on from the success of their appearance last year and Curious Arts Youth Music on Sunday, who will perform a range of original songs as well as cover versions. Saturday will also see a takeover by Swagga, the Manchester-based LGBT+ club night which brings R&B, dance hall and old skool favourites together. The Main Stage, and last year’s popular Live at Pride, which delivered exclusive back stage access to its artists across social media, will be hosted by the North East’s queen of comedy, Miss Rory, who will be sharing the honours with PlastiQ, MXYM, Gaydio breakfast host Paris Munro and Stacey Bee, founder of Swagga. For the first time Northern Pride has also unveiled a new app created by event app specialists, Woov, which will help festival goers to keep in touch with events and updates throughout the weekend. Ste Dunn, director of Northern Pride, said the app was in response the number of inquiries that were made last year. “We saw a huge amount of visitors to our website before and during the weekend last year, with people checking on timings and wanting key information” he said. “So it made sense to work with Woov, who’ve deliver the app for large events like Mighty Hoopla and Elrow. “The app which is free to download will provide timings for all the zones across the festival and will give the user the chance to personalise their own Pride plans, a fully interactive site map, and in-app community with updates on the lead up to and during the festival.” Ste believes that this year’s line up also has something to offer everyone, with the full schedule available on the app. “We’ve drawn the entertainment from so many different genres and also stayed true to our commitment to give local performers a platform,” he said. The Pride app can be downloaded free of charge at www.northern-pride.com/app and will also provide the full programme for the entire weekend. The live performances will take place in the Festival Arena, which this year’s carries a small charge, with ticket prices starting from £6 for a day pass and £10 for the entire weekend, which gives access to bars and food stalls as well as the funfair. Anyone who buys tickets for the new and improved VIP space will also have access to the Platinum Bar and Garden – sponsored by Bobby’s Newcastle. The Community Village will remain a free space throughout the weekend, which includes the Curious Arts stage, the sports and active life zone and the LGBT+ Northern Social Group which supports those who may be attending Pride for the first time. It will also house the Family and Youth Zone and the Health and Wellbeing area as well as the Rainbow Village with its market stalls, which will all operate across the entire weekend.

Long standing partners and new business recruits showed their support for Northern Pride today (Thurs 1 June) as the organisation unveiled its new home. Ahead of this year’s event – which will take place on Newcastle Town Moor over the weekend of 22-23 July – supporters were invited to a thank you event this morning. And it also gave them the opportunity to see Pride’s new home at Northern Stage, where it will be sharing office space with long-standing delivery partner, Curious Arts. Attending the event were representatives from companies which have had supported Northern Pride for a number of years, including business partner, NE1, Nexus, Co-op, Maldron Hotel Newcastle, Pride Radio and Bobby’s Newcastle. Alongside the returning sponsors, the event also welcomed a number of new organisations who have come on board for the first time – BT Group, train company Lumo, LoganAir and construction company, Morgan Sindall. Ste Dunn, Director of Northern Pride, expressed his gratitude for the continued support of the existing sponsors and the new organisations which have come on board. “We are still in very challenging times and without the continued commitment from supporters and the business community Northern Pride simply wouldn’t happen,” he said. “We are so grateful as we couldn’t deliver on the scale that we do without them. “It’s also fantastic to see so many new supporters joining us for the first time, at what we hope will be the start of a very long and happy relationship.” Ste also sent his thanks to NewcastleGateshead Initiative, who have supported the delivery of their Proud Allies Training to the North East’s hospitality sector. “Thousands of people travel from outside of the region for Pride, staying hotels, dining in restaurants and visiting other attractions,” said Ste. ”So it’s important that staff and business increase their awareness and understanding of the LGBTQIA+ community ahead of the festival this summer, to create a warm and welcoming environment.” In conjunction with Curious Arts, the Proud Allies training is available to any company and has been particularly helpful to public facing organisations, HR and management. A few sponsorship opportunities are still available for this year’s Pride, with supporters’ packages from £995. There are also a handful of market stalls still on offer across the entire weekend.

World renowned DJs who are among the biggest names in the dance music industry are set to make this year’s Northern Pride an event to remember. Northern Pride presents Pride 23 – which takes place at Newcastle’s Town Moor over the weekend of 22-23 July – have unveiled the first major event on the entertainment line-up. Ministry of Sound does Pride will close the Saturday night, with a sizzling 90 minute set, bringing a taste of Ibiza to the city. Taking to the decks will be Smokin Jo, the only female to ever be given the number one DJ in the world award, who has gigged across the world in countries including Japan, Brazil, Greece, Singapore and the USA. She has been a regular at some of the top clubs in Ibiza where she still has a residency, as well at playing at Fabric in London. Joining Jo will be DJ and record producer, Seamus Haji, who has a number one in the UK dance charts to his name, with his cover of Indeep’s Last Night A DJ Saved My Life. He has worked with a whole host of musical greats, including Mariah Carey, Rhianna, Moby and Mika. The Ministry of Sound does Pride announcement marks the first news about who will be appearing at this year’s event, with more details to follow in the near future. Director, Ste Dunn, said this was a first for Northern Pride but he believed it will be a brilliant night. “We were very keen to mix it up and have some entertainment that was very different than anything we’d had before,” he said. “It’s a real coup for us getting two of the biggest DJs in the world to perform but we’re confident it will be an amazing club and party set.” The performance will take place in the Festival Arena, which this year’s carries a small charge to ensure that Pride is able to continue at the same level. Tickets start from £6 for a day pass and £10 for the entire weekend, which gives access to bars and food stalls as well as the funfair. Anyone who buys tickets for the new and improved VIP space will also have access to the Platinum Bar and Garden – sponsored by Bobby’s Newcastle. The Community Village will remain a free space throughout the weekend, which includes the Curious Arts stage, the sports and active life zone and the LGBT Northern Social Group which supports those who may be attending Pride for the first time. It will also house the Family and Youth Zone and the Health and Wellbeing area as well as the Rainbow Village with its market stalls, which will all operate across the entire weekend.

Our successful family friendly event which celebrated the LGBTQIA+ community is set to return next month! And the good news is that Ouseburn Family Pride will be offering more activities than ever before, with a packed programme of events and entertainment for all ages. Venues across the area, including Ouseburn Valley Farm, The Cluny, Seven Stories, Ouseburn Tunnel, and LGBTQ+ friendly pub The Ship have once again got behind the event. The Pride, taking place on 28 May from 12 noon till 6pm has been sponsored by Byker-headquartered tech consultancy, Opencast, with support from Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner, National Education Union, Curious Arts and Generator North East. While the day will see the return of a number of favourite activities, for the first time this year there will be a dedicated youth zone at Cluny 2 which will showcase sets from young and up and coming LGBTQ+ performers. Participants of Curious Arts Queer Youth Music group, which Northern Pride has been supporting, will take to the stage to perform new music they’ve created together, before the youth zone closes with a disco and live DJ set – aimed at 14-year-olds and upwards. Also new for 2023 is the opportunity to buy from LGBTQIA+ makers, bakers and creatives for a special pride market at the site of Ouseburn Market – anyone who would like to apply for a stall can do so online. The various venues will hold a range of activities, with a meet the animals workshop and Unfolding Theatre storytelling and craft activities at Ouseburn Farm, along with the opportunity to have a free taster tour of the Victoria Tunnel throughout the day. The Cluny has a full day of events, including a family drag show with Drag Castle, the chance to meet Disney characters as well as enjoy singing and entertainment provide by True Dreams Inclusive Parties and Events. True Colours Theatre Choir, an inclusive children’s choir, will also be hosting singing sessions, with Makaton signing, and there will also be the opportunity to contribute to a Family Pride Zine with theatre zine maker Mack Sproats. Curious Arts will be back with Mini Pride on the Village Green, and their unique story telling character Dinner Lady Pam, will be at Seven Stories throughout the day along with special guest authors. Sheena Widdowfield, Opencast’s head of learning and culture, said the company was delighted to be supporting the 2023 event. “As a business, Opencast is committed to diversity and inclusion among its people, as well as in the community. Being headquartered locally in Byker, we are particularly happy to support Ouseburn Family Pride,” she said. “This is such a great family event where there’s something for people of all ages to get together in one of Newcastle’s most exciting and fast growing areas. “We know it’s such a joyous occasion and so well received by everyone who attended in 2021, we didn’t hesitate to take up the main sponsor role and we’re over the moon to have been able to help the event grow this year.” Nimerta Virdee, Family and Youth Engagement Manager, at Northern Pride is also looking forward to the event. "The first time we held Ouseburn Family Pride back in 2021 it was a bigger success than anyone could have imagined,” said Nimerta. “Providing a celebration that centres our amazing LGBTQIA+ families and the children and young people who are growing up in them is a special privilege and I am so excited to see the festival return this spring.”

Applications to take part in this year's BeScene zone are now open and we expect places to be a hot ticket so act quickly and get that application in today! The Be Scene Zone is the North East's biggest open stage for LGBTQIA+ Performers and this is your chance to be involved! Join us for a weekend of entertainment where you can show what you've got to a whole new audience. Applications will close May 21st 2023 We asked PlastiQ why they think BeScene is important. "I think what we’ve done with BeScene is allowed a space completely free of judgement where members of our LGBTQIA+ community can show us what they’ve got on the North East’s biggest open stage". "We’ve seen the BeScene zone applications increase year on year and I imagine this year will be the biggest year yet." "With queer performers across the globe under fire, I think this is really the year to be loud be heard, and Be Scene." This year you’ll need a General Admission ticket or Platinum Pass to gain access to the Festival Arena. General Admission First Release Tickets from £6+fees. Platinum Pass First Release from £14+fees. Festival Arena open 1-9pm both days, includes: 🎤Main Stage ⭐️Platinum Bar & Garden (new and improved) sponsored by Bobbys Newcastle 🪩BeScene Zone (18+) 🎡Fairground 🍺Main Bar 🍔Food Venders 🎟️Link in comments to get your tickets ℹ️Link in the comments to learn more about this years festival Tickets for over 12s are now on sale at www.northern-pride.com with the option to also upgrade and buy a Platinum Pass. Businesses can learn more about partner opportunities by heading to www.northern-pride.com/supporterguide