North East shoppers can show their support for the LGBTQ+ community and enjoy savings on top brands at the same time, thanks to a partnership between a charity and a leading shopping centre. As UK Pride hosts we have welcomed back Newcastle’s Eldon Square as the festival’s wristband sponsor. And this year’s wristbands will not only raise money for our LGBTQ+ charity to help keep the weekend festival free but will also unlock exclusive offers from retailers across the shopping centre. With a suggested donation of £2 each, the wristbands can be used to redeem deals at a wide range of stores, including 10 per cent off at Accessorize, Lakeland, Molton Brown, New Look, The Geordie Witch and Whittard. Those with a sweet tooth can make the most of 20 per cent off at Millie’s Cookies, while Boost Juice will offer two regular smoothies for the price of one. A number of the centre’s restaurants have also joined the scheme, with 25 per cent off at Chiquito, 20 per cent off at Bella Italia and 10 per cent off at Frankie and Benny’s, excluding drinks. And this year’s wristbands are made from 100 per cent recycled materials using PET – shredded pellets from plastic bottles which are then spun into thread. Ste Dunn, director of Northern Pride, is delighted to have Eldon Square back on board. “Eldon Square are fantastic supporters of Northern Pride and their retailers have been incredibly generous this year,” he said. “There are some amazing savings on offer on everything from a new outfit to a meal out and it’s great to be able to give something back to everyone who supports us. “We’re so excited to bring the UK Pride title to Newcastle and we have some amazing plans lined up to make this year’s festival our best yet.” UK Pride takes place from 22 to 24 July at Newcastle’s Town Moor, with a star-studded line-up still to be announced. Tania Kelly, Marketing Manager at Eldon Square said: “It is a pleasure to once again be able to announce our support for such a great charity. The impact of the initiatives from Northern Pride are far-reaching and so important to the culture of Newcastle Upon Tyne. We are proud to be able to support the charity’s ongoing work and be able to unite with a great cause.”

AN INTERNATIONAL pop star, world renowned DJ and a Drag Race icon will take centre stage to launch Pride celebrations in the North East this summer. Northern Pride Festival will host UK Pride at Newcastle’s Town Moor from 22 to 24 July, with a packed programme of events scheduled across the region during the countdown to the weekend. And we have revealed a stellar line up for our Friday night fundraiser, with Broadway star, famed choreographer and award-winning performer Todrick Hall headlining the launch party. Also joining him is RuPaul’s Drag Race UK finalist Bimini Bon Boulash and world-famous DJ Jodie Harsh, with more acts still to be announced. Todrick Hall found widespread success after appearing on American Idol, going on to collaborate professionally with huge stars such as Beyonce, Taylor Swift and Pentatonix and judging on tv shows including RuPaul’s Drag Race and The Greatest Dancer. And it will be the second time organisers are working with Todrick after being one of the few UK Pride festivals selected to take part in Global Pride 2020, which the performer hosted. Joining him on the line-up is Bimini Bon Boulash, who rose to fame and became a firm fan favourite after appearing on the second season of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK. The finalist won over viewers with their eclectic style and quick wit during their time on the show, caricaturing Katie Price, performing a hit verse on the chart-topping single UK Hun? and later releasing their debut single, God Save This Queen. And the festival will also welcome back renowned DJ Jodie Harsh – who headlined last year’s virtual event, Northern Pride Online 2.1. A staple on the UK club scene, the acclaimed producer has played for audiences across the globe and taken to the stage at huge events including Glastonbury, Creamfields and Bestival. Ste Dunn, director of Northern Pride, hopes that Pride supporters will get behind the launch party fundraiser. “After hosting behind a screen for the last two years, we are delighted to be returning with an in-person festival and I can’t think of a better line-up to kick off the weekend,” he said. “Like many charities, we’ve been hit hard by the pandemic and for that reason this year’s fundraiser is more important than ever – with 100 per cent of the profits going towards building and delivering the festival weekend. “We have an amazing night planned with more acts still to come, so we hope that those who are able to will come out in their thousands to enjoy the show, with the knowledge that they are also helping us reach our goal of remaining the largest free Pride festival weekend in the UK.” Funds raised at Friday’s event will also go towards supporting North East artists, performers and creatives with paid opportunities to contribute to UK Pride. Tickets for the Launch Party start at £18 for first release and can be purchased at www.northern-pride.com. Platinum Passes are available to purchase for Friday night and across the weekend, which includes the best view of the stage and access to a premium bar, garden and toilets. Northern Pride will also gift a number of tickets for Friday’s launch event to North East LGBTQ+ charities, not for profit organisations and community groups to continue our commitment to support those hardest hit in the community.

We have unveiled ambitious plans for our 2022 festival, as we bring UK Pride to the North East. The Northern Pride festival will return to Newcastle’s Town Moor from 22 to 24 July, with a packed programme of events planned for the lead up to the festival. And this year’s theme has been revealed as Remember, Resist, Rise Up, with organisers releasing a video preview made with local artists and activists to illustrate what this means to them. Along with the musical weekend, the charity has plans to launch its Life in Lockdown documentary series, exhibition and book, and will bring together health experts and campaigners for a mental health conference The city centre will be home to the Forth Plinth – a platform showcasing the trans, non-binary and gender diverse community – and the Local Heroes Awards will celebrate LGBTQ+ people and allies who have made an impact to the community over the last 50 years. And the popular family dog show Paws with Pride will return after a four year hiatus, with plans in place for a second Ouseburn Family Pride, following the success of the first event last month (September). Northern Pride was originally awarded the UK Pride title in 2018 but this was postponed due to the pandemic, with organisers hosting virtual events for the 2020 and 2021 celebrations. Ste Dunn, Director of Northern Pride, is confident this will be their most inclusive and accessible festival to date. “It’s fantastic to be back in a position where we can organise an in-person event and finally get to work making our plans for UK Pride in Newcastle a reality,” he said. “We’ve chosen a powerful theme this year, Remember, Resist, Rise Up, to pay homage to our collective history, resist oppression – with the pandemic having a disproportionate impact on LGBTQ+ people – and rise up to the challenges we still face. “Pairing this with a really diverse series of events and plans to showcase more local performers and creatives than ever before and I believe we’re on the path to deliver our best festival to date.” Jenny Dewsnap, Co-Chair of the UK Pride Organiser’s Network, is delighted that UK Pride will finally be coming to Newcastle in 2022. “We were impressed with Northern Pride’s bid way back in 2018 and, while the pandemic put a hold on their plans, it was fantastic to see them host virtual festivals in its place to bring the community together online. “It’s shaping up to be a really exciting programme, with something for all ages to enjoy, and we can’t wait to see their plans come to fruition.” The video preview, featuring animator Sofia Barton, writer Bridget Hamilton, musician Jen Stevens and vocals from Journals of Dami and MXYM, can be viewed on the Northern Pride website.

The North East's LGBTQ+ young people can celebrate the spooky season in style, thanks to the return of a popular event next month (October). Northern Pride’s Youth Prom will take place on Thursday 28 October, at Newcastle’s Crowne Plaza – which is also sponsoring the event – from 7pm to 10pm. And organisers have revealed that this year’s celebration will be a Halloween special, with a whole host of entertainment throughout the evening. Along with popular DJ Michael Maddison providing the soundtrack for the party and a buffet, young people can also enjoy a variety of performances from Drag Castle. A newly formed collective based in the North East, the group features a diverse range of drag artists covering everything from comedy to cosplay. Halloween fancy dress is not essential ... but is encouraged 👻 The event, which is open to LGBTQ+ people and their friends aged 14 to 24, is free to attend but tickets must be reserved online at www.northern-pride.com. The announcement comes following the success of Northern Pride’s Ouseburn Family Pride last weekend (19 September) and the charity’s Director, Ste Dunn, is confident it will be a fantastic night. “We had an overwhelmingly positive response from our last event aimed at young people and their families, which reaffirms there is a clear need for more events catered towards the younger members of our community,” he said. “While the pandemic put a temporary halt on Youth Prom last year, we’re delighted to bring it back as it is a really special event for LGBTQ+ youth to meet others in the community and enjoy a night of fun with their friends. “We have some incredible entertainers lined up to take to the stage over the evening and with this year’s spooky spectacular theme, it’s sure to be one of our best yet.”

A huge LGBTQ+ festival is set to return virtually next month (July), with UK club scene royalty revealed as its headline act. Music fans can tune into Northern Pride Online 2.1, sponsored by Barclays, on 24 July for a packed programme of entertainment from 12 noon, hosted by Newcastle comedy queen Miss Rory and award-winning presenter Gok Wan. Check out the sneak peek of the action via our trailer below, which announces that renowned DJ Jodie Harsh will take top billing at the virtual event. We've teamed up with NE1’s Screen on the Green, beer garden Central Park, Times Square and a number of LGBTQ+ venues who have agreed to stream the event across the day, with more locations to be announced in coming weeks. At the same time employees at Ikea Gateshead will also be able to watch the broadcast after bosses agreed to stream it in their staff areas. Known for her famous blonde beehive, Jodie (pictured above) has been a staple of the UK club scene for more than a decade, regularly touring across Asia, Australia, North America and Europe, supporting the Spice Girls on their comeback tour and playing sets at world-famous festivals including Glastonbury and Bestival. The event will also shine a spotlight on local performers, including dance and house duo Ibiza Soul, singer-songwriter Sophia Flanaghan and Afro-Latin percussion and brass duo Ladies of Midnight Blue (pictured below). Also taking to the virtual stage are indie rock band St Buryan (pictured below), rapper Kay Greyson and singer-songwriter Michael T Ogilvie. Not-for-profit LGBTQ+ arts organisation, Curious Arts, are supporting the event with dance performances from Jesse Salamon and Toi Toi Guy, along with Love_Dance by Adam Russell Dance and spoken word pieces, including Bridget Hamilton’s love poem to the North East, ‘Proud Geordie’. And local drag artists will also take centre stage this year, including Drag Idol 2021 winner Frida Sapphic, her 2019 predecessor, Choriza May, and Penni T. Ste Dunn, Director of Northern Pride, is confident the virtual event will be one to remember. “We made an early decision to take the event online this year and all that extra time to plan has let us create something really special,” he said. “We’ve got an excellent line-up performing throughout the day, with a whole host of local artists and drag performers and even queen of the club scene Jodie Harsh performing a headline DJ set at the end of the night. “Our whole team has been working round the clock to make sure we can pull this off and, although we can’t all celebrate on one site this year, we’re confident our streaming partners will create an amazing atmosphere across the Newcastle venues and the wider region.” The eight-hour event has been filmed at a specially built studio and is being produced by award-winning entertainment production company ISG, which supplied a full 360 production service, including stage, sound and a full video recording media suite.

North East LGBTQ+ artists and performers are invited to showcase their talent at a huge virtual event this summer. Leading charity Northern Pride recently announced that its 2021 festival would move online, with award-winning DJ and presenter Gok Wan and Boulevard favourite Miss Rory stepping in as hosts. And Northern Pride Online 2.1 – which takes place on 24 July and is sponsored by Barclays – will put local talent centre stage this year, with organisers calling out for drag performers to get in touch. The charity is keen to shine a spotlight on new and emerging artists along with seasoned performers and applicants should be available on 19 May for the paid opportunity. The eight-hour event is being filmed at a specially built studio and is being produced by award winning entertainment production company ISG, which is using an allocation of its Cultural Recovery Fund to supply a full 360 production service including stage, sound and a full video recording media suite. Viewers will also be able to watch behind the scenes segments with performers in the green room, with upcycled furniture provided by local charity and care provider St Oswald’s Hospice. Paul Waite, Director of ISG said “To be able to support Northern Pride in this way is such a great honour and the entire ISG team are extremely excited to produce an 8 hour spectacular which will be shown all around the world. This of course wouldn’t be possible without the support of Arts Council England to we are extremely grateful. Huge thanks to Ste and the team at Northern Pride for trusting ISG to deliver such an important event.” Drag performers and LGBTQ+ artists can apply online at www.northern-pride.com, closing date Monday 3 May 2021.