Embedded Files
The Journey
The Journey
Portsmouth's ambition to host UK Pride was born as we emerged from Covid, and after developing our work and rallying our supporters, we presented our bid in Liverpool at the UK Pride Organisers Network AGM and Conference in 2023.
With the hosting rights secured, our team secured the funding to deliver not only our Main Day Event with its biggest footprint ever, but also a year-round programme of events, activities and projects.
We received the largest ever award from the Arts Council to a Pride Organisation and strengthened our corporate partnerships, individual donor fundraising, as well as other grants to deliver our full programme.
The Events we held!
The Events we held!
We aimed to deliver 25 events, activities and projects in the year, called the "25 in 25" with as many of those being free and accessible. We ended up delivering 52 across the course of the year, marking a full 52 weeks of Portsmouth hosting UK Pride.
A panel evening discussing the relationship between the military and pride with guest speakers from the Royal Navy's LGBT Network and Veterans
A candlelit vigil in our Cathedral to remember Briann Ghey and all those we've lost as a community
A drag pageant hosted by an international drag artist as part of a cultural exchange with Malta
Our first ever live auditions for our stages, hosted by our local theatre in front of a panel of entertainment industry experts
A modern art exhibition, curated by Gemma Rolls-Bentley, featuring artists from across the UK which gained international media attention
A community run art exhibition, featuring works from local LGBTQ+ artists, some exhibiting for the first time
Our first ever Gala Dinner, bringing together people from across our community for a black-tie event with an incredible guest speaker; the first transgender person to become an ordained vicar.
A tour of our giant pride flag to 25 landmarks across the city (flag made by the community)
Of course then the big day, our Main Day Event which over 100 of our fellow Pride Organisers came to join us for. But not just the day, many came to visit us for the weekend and we were really pleased to offer a great day seeing Portsmouth on the Friday:
A welcome lunch hosted by Gunwharf Quays
A harbour tour on our pride landing craft
A visit to our Historic Dockyard
A pre-pride reception at the top of the Spinnaker Tower
A pre-party with Ella Vaday
Relive the Moments!
Relive the Moments!
On Saturday 7th June 2025, Portsmouth hosted UK Pride,
one of the largest free and unfenced Pride events in the country.
Iconic landmarks and venues across the city played host to the tour of our community-made 60m long Pride flag featuring the intersex inclusive progress pride flag, the 6-stripe rainbow, and a recreation of the original 1978 Gilbert Baker 8-stripe rainbow.
Thank you to the wonderful photographers, videographers and drone pilots for supporting with this project, the wonderful venues that hosted us, as well as all of the Portsmouth Pride volunteers who helped to make this happen, and the 50+ people across the community who have had a hand in sewing this giant flag!!
Thanks also to The Bands of HM Royal Marines for giving us an amazing rendition of the YMCA
We absolutely loved having you all with us this year - over 15,000 of you - for the glitter, the performances, the parade, and a whole lot of camp. But Portsmouth Pride is about so much more than celebration.
Before the parade even set off, our Co-Chair delivered a powerful speech which is a reminder of how far our community has come, the struggles we’ve faced, and how much work we still have to do… together!
And through the rain and wind, thousands of you showed up. You danced, you marched, you made history, and helped make UK Pride in Portsmouth a moment none of us will forget
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