The pandemic has put a stop to many events, but when it comes to Pride events it seems little has stood in the way and the appetite to get together to celebrate and learn about LGBTQ+ culture remains strong.
While some larger Pride events had to be cancelled due to Covid concerns, such as Brighton Pride 2021, almost 500 smaller events, like parties, workshops and talks – both online and in-person – have been organised with ticketing and events platform Eventbrite this year, which issued over 30,000 tickets to Pride events of all types and sizes.
Although the big outdoor events such as Manchester and London Pride get lots of attention, there are lots of smaller Pride festivals over the summer months such as Durham Pride, Norwich Pride and Bradford Pride 2021, as well as other fun events including Pride bingo, picnics and film screenings.
Eventbrite issued the majority of Pride tickets in June – Pride month – when the platform hosted over 200 events with over 11,000 attendees.
By mid-July, while the majority of events switch back to in-person, around one quarter of Pride tickets were still issued for online events, including Mad Millennials Presents: Diversity and Mental Health, LGBTQ+ Fostering, Autistic Pride Day 2021 and Silver Pride 2021, which celebrated the older people in the LGBTQ+ community and help them tackle issues of loneliness and isolation.
Eventbrite’s Sebastian Boppert said: “The community has been actively using our platform to host Pride events, primarily in February during LGBTQ+ History Month, and then during Pride month itself. We’re proud to have been able to help keep the LGBTQ+ community connected, whether that’s in-person or online, and hope that the hugely diverse events on offer from the smaller, independent event organisers can make up for missing out on some of the larger events that had to be cancelled this year.”
Small Pride events coming up include:
Walk for Silver Pride 2021 with the LGBT+ Sport Fringe Festival, Leeds, Friday 30 July, 1.00 to 3.30pm
Durham Pride 2021, Saturday 31 July, 11am to 10pm
Alternative Pride, Kempton Town, Brighton, Thursday 5 August 6pm to Friday 6 August 2am
Wigan Pride 2021, Saturday 14 August, 1pm to 6pm
Chesterfield Pride 2021, Sunday 22 August, 1pm to 5pm