Pride in Blackpool
I kicked off Blackpool’s Pride celebrations at the opening of Make A Scene - an exhibition about the history and art of drag in Blackpool at HIVEArts gallery on Thursday evening.
The exhibition celebrates 30 years of Funny Girls and it was a privilege to hear about its history from Basil Newby MBE who spoke about the beginnings of this Blackpool institution.
I can’t wait to see their 30th anniversary show in July. Congratulations to everyone involved. You can see the exhibition until 12th July.
On Friday night I headed to Ferny House guesthouse on the Promenade to meet with a handful of talented people doing amazing things in Blackpool’s queer community, some of who have been a staple of the creative scene for over 15 years at the likes of Aunty Social and Abingdon Studios.
Each of them has built something by and for the community from grassroots and against the backdrop of a harsh and competitive funding landscape. Between them they represent a hugely important portion of Blackpool’s cultural offer and provide vital safe spaces and opportunities for LGBTQIA+ people in our town.
We discussed the current position of the community, the barriers they face and their massive ambition for our town. It was truly inspiring to be a part of and I will advocate for them in every way I can.
Thank you to Sam and Aish from Ferny House for hosting us.
On Saturday I was honoured to join thousands of inspiring people at Blackpool, Wyre, and Fylde Pride. This event is so much more than a celebration – it's a powerful movement promoting awareness of equality and diversity and striving to reduce homophobia in our community, with this year's theme being "Together we are Stronger!"
I joined the parade from the Sandcastle to North Pier, where I made it just in time to see local femme drag DJ collective Her House perform after meeting them the previous evening.
I hope everyone had a fantastic weekend celebrating the LGBTQIA+ community at Blackpool Pride.