A vibrant weekend of Pride celebrations is set to take place across the region on 13 and 14 June, with a packed programme featuring everything from drag performances and live entertainment to music and dancing.
Organised by OUT North East, Summer of Pride is a month-long series of events taking place across Sunderland, South Tyneside and Gateshead, celebrating the LGBTQ+ community while also raising awareness of the issues and challenges many people continue to face.
And this weekend the emphasis is very much on having a good time with a 1980s throwback party heading to South Shields on Friday.
Drag Me to the 80s will take place from 7.30pm to 9.30pm at The Customs House, with drag queens, 80s classics and outrageous outfits.
And organisers are calling on those attending to “dress up, sing along and enjoy a proper throwback Pride party packed with camp performances, nostalgia and feel-good energy.”
There is also something for party lovers on Wearside on Friday when Sunderland’s Carnival House holds a Pride Party from 7pm to 11pm.
Tickets are available from the venue and there will be music, dancing and a “Friday night celebration full of Pride spirit.”
Then, on Saturday, 13 June, gamers can show off their skills at a 12-hour gaming extravaganza at The Clubhouse, Newcastle.
Pride Gaming Day is a fundraising marathon celebrating LGBTQ+ gamers, geek culture and inclusive spaces.
There will be tournaments, retro games, social play and a welcoming environment for gamers of every level and all money raised will support OUT North East’s Summer of Pride Festival.
But, for members and allies of the LGBTQ+ community in South Tyneside, the highlight will undoubtedly be Pride in Hebburn on Saturday.
Held from 10am to 5pm at Hebburn Town Centre, this free event is a community Pride Day with music, stalls, performances and activities for the whole family.
It will also feature South Tyneside’s only Pride March, so organisers are calling on visitors to “grab your banner and join us.”
These are just a few of the many events taking place throughout the month with
concerts, film screenings, sporting events and shopping centre takeovers planned.
Peter Darrant, head of OUT North East, said:
“We have got everything from family fun days to appearances from big name stars – all keen to show their support for the LGBTQ+ community and their allies here in the North East.
“So, we would urge everyone who believes in the power of community to come along.”
Tickets are required for Pride Gaming Day, Sunderland’s Pride Party and Drag Me to the 80s and are available from the venues or at www.outnortheast.org.uk where the full Summer of Pride schedule can also be accessed.
