All set for Croydon PrideFest on Saturday 14th July with acts and sponsors confirmed

For a third year running, Croydon is set to celebrate its LGBTQIA+ community with a fun-filled day. On Saturday 14^thJuly, it will throw its third Croydon PrideFest, with acts and sponsors all confirmed for the day. The whole event is completely free-of-charge.

This year’s PrideFestparade theme is #FlyMyPride with Croydon’s multicultural community encouraged to bring along the flag of a country they love.

The Council, locally-based businesses and other groups have thrown their weight behind the event to make it a success. They are:

• Headline Sponsor: The London Borough of Croydon
• Gold Sponsors: Nudge Factory and Liverpool Victoria
• Silver Sponsors: Superdrug, BBS Natural Stone, Willmott Dixon and the Big Lottery Fund
• Bronze Sponsors: Mott MacDonald.

This year’s PrideFest will kick-off with a parade from Croydon High Street (North End, outside Marks and Spencer) at 11.30am walking to the main event site in Wandle Park with a thousand participants expected. This year’s event has moved to the Park due to the event doubling in size each year. The festivities will include a wide range of live music and acts, accompanied by food and drinks stalls in the Park, going on until 10pm.

Confirmed acts include Asifa Lahore, star of Channel 4’s ‘Muslim Drag Queens’, and singer songwriter Christopher Haul. Asifa will host the event in the afternoon and Christopher in the evening. Other acts confirmed for the main stage are 10-piece steel band Endurance; Scarlett; Lady Unicorn; Bugeye; Trans-Siberian March Band; Tin; Q; Angie Brown; tribute band Abalicious; and cabaret performer and singer Danny Beard.

Paula Goodwin, Chair of Croydon Pride, commented: “I have no doubt this year’s PrideFest will be awesome. Our acts and presenters are going to help create such a great atmosphere, all a part of Croydon’s celebration of its inclusive Pride scene. We owe so much to our sponsors, who make this amazing day of celebration possible. All of them are cherished by Croydon Pride for their contribution and I look forward to sharing a fantastic day with them on Saturday 14^thJuly.”

Mark Watson, Trustee, added: “The clock is ticking fast for PrideFest and we’re going to have a great time, even bigger and better than in previous years. And they were a tough act to follow! We might not be the first place you’d expect a Pride festival on this scale but Croydon’s community spirit and inclusivity never ceases to amaze me and the other Pride Trustees. There’s a really great line-up of events. I can’t wait.”