Liverpool Pride To Fly The Flag This Weekend

Liverpool Pride is back this weekend with a two-day celebration of all things LGBT+. Following the successful relocation of the festival in 2016, Liverpool Pride will return to St Georges Quarter for the second year on Saturday 29th and Sunday 30th July sponsored by Barclays.

Celebrations will begin with the eighth annual Pride March on Saturday 29th July celebrating the festival theme of International Love. The march is the most visible aspect of the two-day festival and each year brings Liverpool City Centre to a standstill amidst a sea of rainbow flags.

This year's march will include four specially commissioned banners created by LGBT+ community groups in collaboration with local artists Ben Youdan, Brian Hanlon, Olly Bliss and Sophie Green and internationally acclaimed banner artist Ed Hall. Following speeches, the march will leave St Georges Plateau at 12pm, participants are encouraged to gather from 10.30am to hear a range of speakers and entertainment and dress up to embrace the International Love theme.

The march will return to St Georges Plateau at 1pm and the celebrations begin with a jam-packed programme of entertainment across three stages.

On the Barclays Main Stage headline act Atomic Kitten will take to the stage in their original format of Natasha, Liz and Kerry. The trio's unique blend of pop perfection is guaranteed to get their hometown crowd dancing.

Joining the Kitten's on the Barclays Main Stage is the First Lady of House Music, Kym Mazelle who pioneered the introduction of house music to the UK. Nineties pop sensations Livin' Joy will also appear as well as reality TV star Austin Armacost who will host the stage. Also appearing on the Barclays Main Stage; Danny Beard, The Vivienne, Benjamin Butch, The Lotharios, Jason Dignam, Jess Kemp, Brenda La Beau and Jan George plus many more.

The World on One Stage sponsored by Manchester Airport celebrates the theme of International Love while also showcasing the diversity and inclusivity of Liverpool Pride. The World on One Stage line-up includes Batala Mersey, DaDaFest, Liverpool Irish Festival, Soul Fest and Threshold Festival plus many more.

The Garden Stage will play host to an array of acts, guaranteeing something for everyone. Line-up includes Writing on the Wall, Louis Brad, Trey Gordon, Brook Wirral, My Friend Ted, Holly Stevens and Gyro.

We Are Family returns to Liverpool Pride for a second year following a successful launch in 2016. The family focused fun day has something to offer for all ages as Liverpool Pride opens the door to celebrations and invites the wider community to enjoy the accepting and inclusive atmosphere that comes with the Pride weekend.

Families attending will enjoy a whole host of fun activities including fun inflatables, fairground rides and arts and crafts. The festivals headline sponsor Barclays will also be running free informative workshops for children and their parents. Code Playground offers a fun way to learn the basics of coding whilst DigiSafe in Cyber Space offers guidance on everything needed to master the digital world.

Sunday's musical offerings are led by Barclays Main Stage headline act, X Factor finalist and Liverpool native Marcus Collins. The X Factor hopeful shot to fame in 2011 after appearing on the ITV talent search and most recently appeared in Kinky Boots in London's West End.

Joining Marcus on the line up are BBC's Let It Shine winners, boyband 5 to 5. The boys will perform a medley of songs from brand new musical The Band giving Pride audiences an exclusive insight in to what to expect from the production ahead of the shows UK tour which is coming to the Liverpool Empire.

Acclaimed choral artist Jennifer John & Merseyside Choirs return to Liverpool Pride for 2017 with a specially created multi-choir performance celebrating the theme of International Love. Jennifer has worked closely with choirs from across the Liverpool City Region to put together an unmissable performance. Audiences are invited to sing along to classics that celebrate the theme of the weekend.

We Are Family was launched by Liverpool Pride Festival in 2016 in acknowledgement of family and friends from the wider community who support the LGBT+ movement. The event allows the LGBT+ community to open the doors of the Pride Festival to all communities, friends and family, allowing them to join in the Pride celebrations through a range of activities and performances spreading a message of acceptance and equality

A range of international food and drink stalls will be available across the weekend serving up the finest food and drinks for revellers to enjoy.

Liverpool Pride's Michael Carey said: "The Pride team have worked long and hard to ensure we provide an unmissable weekend that everyone can enjoy regardless of age. This years musical offerings are one of our best yet and the return of We Are Family makes the festival even more inclusive. We hope everybody has a great time celebrating the LGBT+ community here in Liverpool."

Mark Armario, Director of Premier, Barclays UK said: "I'm enormously proud that Barclays will be the first headline sponsor of Liverpool Pride 2017. It's the highlight of the LGBT calendar in the City and a true celebration of the power and importance of diversity. We have a strong track record in promoting the LGBT agenda and our sponsorship of this year's event shows just how important equality and diversity are to us."

The Pride At The Pictures film programme, supported by Unison and Picturehouse at FACT opens with Hedwig & The Angry Inch at Picturehouse at FACT on Monday 24 July. Also showing at Picturehouse at FACT is Austrian film Seventeen on Monday 7 August and international picture Out of Iraq on Monday 21 August.

Liverpool Pride - the region's annual LGBT festival - is now one of the major events in the city's Summer events programme, attracting more than 25,000 people.

Now in its eighth consecutive year, the festival will take place across two days - Saturday 29 July and Sunday 30 July. The theme of this year's Pride is International Love, complementing the city's wider 50 Summers of Love festival, which celebrates 50 years since the decriminalisation of homosexuality.

Liverpool Pride Festival 2017 is sponsored by Barclays. Further support also comes from Manchester Airport as the official Airport Sponsor; Radio City as the official Media Partner; Homes For Everyone; and Signature Living as the official Hotel Partner.

Keep up to date with Liverpool Pride's new announcements at:

Website www.liverpoolpride.co.uk

Facebook LiverpoolPride

Twitter @LiverpoolPride

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