2022 marks the 50th year since the first UK Pride parade in 1972, and this year Channel Islands Pride is celebrating big with a variety of free activities for all the family to enjoy.
The event will be 70s themed to mark the 50th anniversary of the first Pride march in the UK, which protested LGBTQ+ discrimination laws. CEO of Liberate in Guernsey Ellie Jones noted: “We’ve come a long way since the first Pride, so we’re getting our ‘Pride fever’ on and marking our progress with a party. However, it’s important to remember that there is still more to be done and, while we love the glitter and rainbows, there is a serious message about the importance of inclusion and providing a safe environment for islanders to express their true selves without discrimination.”
Liberate in Guernsey and Liberate in Jersey have coordinated the events to span across the Channel Islands in September. The CI Pride Parade itself is sponsored by law firm-led professional services business, Mourant, it will be the only dual-centred Pride event in the British Isles.
Confirmed acts for Guernsey’s main event on 3 September include headliners ‘The Freemasons’ with vocalists from their biggest hits Katherine Ellis and Amanda Wilson, and Lawrence Chaney, RuPaul’s Drag Race UK winner. Day acts will perform from 5pm to 9pm and will be followed by an afterparty with Radio 1 DJ, Dean McCoullogh.
Liberate Guernsey’s LGBTQ+ choir Rainbow Chorus will be performing in the afternoon as well as local cover band Element 6, and Ru Paul Drag Race star Tia Kofi. A family favourite, the Unicorn Races will also return for another year, which sees decorated unicorns and their owners compete in different challenges: dressage, show jumping and steeplechase.
Mourant has sponsored CI Pride for three consecutive years and Thomas Barnes, Principal and Managing Director of Mourant Governance Services in Guernsey, said: “At Mourant, equity, diversity, and inclusion is a key business and people priority for us and we’re proud to offer our continued support for this well-loved community event. CI Pride is always a great way to celebrate islanders’ authentic selves and raise awareness of steps we can all take towards achieving meaningful change.
“This year Liberate in both islands have outdone themselves in planning a pan-island Pride celebration and we’re looking forward to joining the parade and supporting inclusion across our whole community.”
For those off-island, an official Guernsey Pride package holiday is available to book for people to come to the event in Guernsey with ease. This includes flights, accommodation, and tickets to CI Pride. Details of Pride, travel information and the package offers can all be found at www.visitguernsey.com/Pride.
Guernsey will kickstart this year’s Pride on 3 September and the events will culminate in Jersey on 10 September, with a fabulous Jersey line-up to follow. Keep up to date with all event news and information through the Channel Islands Pride Facebook and Instagram pages.
Tickets to the CI Pride’s surrounding events, including the Pride afterparty on Saturday 3 September and the official post-Pride pool party on Sunday 4 September, can be purchased through Liberate’s website – www.liberate.gg. A limited number of early bird tickets will be available for the afterparty as a discounted price of £15, after which they will be £20. There will also be an option to buy them on the night for £25. Pool party tickets will be £10.