ON SATURDAY, Reading Pride returned for its annual parade and Love Unites festival, continuing the celebration LGBTQIA+ people and continued protest for their rights.
The parade march began as ever at Reading Station, this year led by a huge rainbow flag, passing through Broad Street, along the Oracle Riverside, before pausing at the plaque to James Furlong, David Wails, and Joe Ritchie-Bennett, and heading on to the festival ground in Kings Meadow.
There it welcomed a whole host of performers across its three stages, including the Pride Xtra stage, Colours and Fires–which has been named in honour of the late Sophie Sheehan– and the Main Stage.
Both Thames Valley Gay Chorus and the Rock Choir kicked things off on the Main Stage, while Tomorrow Bird brought an intimate, understated set to the Colours and Fires Stage.
Elsewhere returning performers Big Jay and Lentil Pulse brought their usual humour to drag performances on the Pride Xtra stage, as the weather began to take a turn for the worst.
Despite the rain, attendees’ spirits could not be dampened as the Main Stage welcomed high-energy and assured sets from Janethan, Bodacia, and King Dee.
As the event got well under way, Reading’s own Natalie Gray brought a set full of sublime synthpop with her return to the festival, followed by Nicolette Street, host Son of a Tutu, and Lolly.
Headliner Jordan Gray gave a breathless set full of covers, performing classics and favourites from across the spectrum of genres and decades mashed together in an exquisite and effusive blur.
This year’s event made more than £10,000 in card donations alone, beating previous records, with the total still set to be announced.
This means that the event has been put on more secure footing following a difficult financial year for the event, organisers have confirmed.
This year also marked the 10th anniversary of MyUmbrella, an initiative from Reading Pride which seeks to raise awareness of the lesser-known identities across the sexuality, gender, romantic, and fetish spectrums–collectively known as LGBTQIA+.
At the event, co-founder Kerry Kleis said: “It’s important especially for those still questioning to provide education and information showing that there is more to LGBT than just the LGB.
“Inclusion of all sorts of people is more important than ever.”
Kirsten Bayes, chair of Reading Pride, added: “Now is the time we have to stand up– not just to educate, but to fight back.
“Pride is not just a celebration, it’s always been a protest–but to look out and see the community smiling back at us is always a joy.”
Ms Bayes also paid tribute to those who are no longer with us: “It’s been a long, hard year, in which people have decided to use our community as a political point-scoring punching bag.
“But looking around, this is where the power is– you are the power, and you need not let anybody disrespect you even for a second; you are valid as humans and amazing people.
“Putting on the festival takes a huge amount of effort– I have to say a huge thanks to the people behind this.”
Ms Bayes was joined by the entire Reading Pride team on stage, adding: “These are the people sitting up until one o’clock at night doing all of the things which need to happen–thank you!”
“However not everybody has made it here this year– we’ve lost a couple of good friends, including Sophie [Sheehan] and Anthony [Morgan], who have done so much for the festival and the parade.
“There will be those in the crowds who are missing friends too, so we’re going to ask you to join us in a minute of noise to celebrate those we’ve lost.
“We’re with you, we’re thinking of you, and we miss you.”
