IT wasn’t just sports that took over the town over the weekend, as Warrington Pride returned for its annual celebration once again.
Hundreds gathered in Time Square yesterday, Saturday, with banners, flags and streamers shortly before the parade began at 11.30am.
Golden Square Shopping Centre, Warrington Borough Council, Warrington BID and a number of other local groups and organisations supported the event again this year.
In attendance was Esther Ghey, mother of Brianna, who spoke on stage about the importance of unity and acceptance.
“It’s such an honour to be here today and I’m so happy to with you all standing together in unity to celebrate that love is love and that is so important,” she said.
“People can be so cruel to those that they see as different without truly understanding that beneath the surface we aren’t so different after all.
“It is my goal to break down these barriers and to make society a more peaceful place where everyone is free to be who they want to be.”
Warrington Pride Parade filled the streets with flags, banners and the sound of Samba drums (Image: Dave Gillespie)
Crowds gathered in Time Square before the parade began (Image: Dave Gillespie)
Also in attendance was Dan Price, who is the first openly gay Police and Crime Commissioner for Cheshire.
“This event is going from strength-to-strength year on year and I’m looking forward to contributing to it,” he said.
“It’s extra special for me to be here today because not only is this my hometown, but I’m also the county's first gay Police and Crime Commissioner and I’m here with my husband, Alessandro.
“But that says a lot about what Pride has done - Pride is so important to our community because it’s been part of making sure we get the rights that we deserve and keep those rights and keep pushing forward.”
Glitter returned to Pride once again in Golden Square (Image: Dave Gillespie)
Tia Kofi was the headline performer at Glitter (Image: Dave Gillespie)
The parade made its way from Time Square to Golden Square as attendees walked to the soundtrack of Samba Mundo.
"We’re absolutely delighted with how Warrington Pride turned out this year," said Andrea Morley from Warrington BID.
“The variety of events we had, from the parade to the live performances and family activities, really showcased the incredible diversity within our community.
“It's amazing to see how this celebration attracted more people than ever, not just from Warrington, but from surrounding areas as well. The mix of backgrounds and stories shared made it a truly special day.
“This event shows that Warrington is a place where everyone can feel welcome and proud of who they are. I can't wait to see how we continue to grow and celebrate together in the future."
In Golden Square, the celebration continued, as performers took to the stage lip-syncing to classic songs such as Jolene by Dolly Parton and The Jean Genie by David Bowie.
“The entire event was such a success and being able to host the Glitter event at Golden Square again was an absolute highlight of Warrington Pride for us this year," said Ian Cox, director of Golden Square.
“Seeing so many people come together and celebrate in such a joyful atmosphere was truly heart-warming.
"We're proud to support this fantastic event and contribute to making it bigger and better each year. It's wonderful to see our community shine and embrace diversity in all its forms."
Teenagers, Gender and Sexuality (TAGS), Warrington Borough Council’s LGBTQ+ support service, hosted a silent disco, as well as drag acts.
At 6pm Glitter began with a line-up of performers taking to the stage, including Tia Kofi, who recently won RuPaul’s Drag Race: UK vs the World, and concluded the days celebrations.
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