READING’S biggest free festival has announced its headline acts ahead of this year’s event.
Reading Pride’s Love Unites Festival has now revealed the stars who will be taking to the stage later this summer with organisers Tom Price and Kerry Kleis taking over Harriet Brick’s B Radio show on Saturday, May 27.
They announced that Claire Richards, who rose to fame in the late 1990s while performing with Steps, will be performing the headline slot on the main stage at this year’s Pride.
She will also be joined by Nicolette Street, returning hot on the heels of her performance at last year’s event.
Ms Richards joined the group Steps in 1997 and would go on to contribute to 2 number-one albums and 14 consecutive top-5 singles in the UK before she left the group in 2001.
As well as continued musical output, Ms Richards turned her hand to presenting before stepping back and began to release her solo material in 2015, leading to the release of a solo album in 2019.
More recently, Ms Richards has appeared with Steps following their reuinion in 2017, including worldwide tours and a sixth studio album in September 2020.
She also performed alongside Michelle Visage with the group for the release of Heartbreak in this City in that year.
She will be joined by Nicolette Street who, following her debut album Taboo in 1999, has played alongside artists such as Pixie Lott, Anastacia, and Toyah.
She has also played at numerous festivals internationally, including in the US, and makes regular appearances at Pride events around the UK.
Previous years have seen acts such as Nadine Coyle, B-W*tched, DANA International, Sonique, and N-Trance.
Reading Pride’s Tom Price said: “It’s really exciting to have Claire with us, and it just shows how much the festival’s grown over the last few years.”
Fellow organiser Kerry Kleis added: “As a 90s kid, she’s been a big part of my childhood.”
As for what else can be teased for this year’s Pride event, Reading Pride’s Mikey Russell said: “The Pride aLive stage is going to be bigger and better, and The Pride Xtra stage is also under new management.
“Big Jay has kindly taken it on– anything alternative and drag will be in there, which we’re really looking forward to.”
Mr. Price agreed: “Big Jay and Iota will be representing Reading’s queer community and bringing everything that is so fabulous about that scene, as always.”
Reading Pride is still to announce a whole host of performers for its various stages ahead of the event itself, due to take place in September.
Pride organisers are seeking stall holders and volunteers for this year’s festival, including food and drink and market stalls as well as co-ordinators and social media volunteers.
Details for how to apply as a stall holder or volunteer are available online via: readingpride.co.uk
Reading Pride’s Love Unites Festival takes place in Kings Meadow from noon on Saturday, September 2, following the Pride march through town from 10am.
