Northampton Pride 2021. Photos: Kirsty EdmondsNorthampton Pride 2021. Photos: Kirsty Edmonds
Northampton Pride 2021. Photos: Kirsty Edmonds

‘Overwhelming positive response’ to Northampton Pride 2021

After Northampton Pride took place online last summer, the wait and anticipation for this year’s in person event was well worth it

The Pride Parade began at the top of Abington Street at 11am and arrived at the Market Square around 15 minutes later, where a minute of noise opened the event.

“It was liberating,” said drag artist Peachy Rae, among the number of acts who performed throughout the day on the Market Square.

“As I have a disability and am a female drag queen, I get doubted. Seeing people enjoy what I do made me really happy.

“I’m really thankful I was given the opportunity as over the last year I found myself in a rut. It was nice to express how I’m feeling on stage in front of people who felt the same.”

The emergency services were also there in their masses, including both the Northants Fire and Rescue, and the police.

They received an ‘overwhelming positive response’ to Pride within their ranks, and from those they spoke to at the event.

Stef Douglas, Group Commander at Northants Fire and Rescue Service, said: “The event was fantastic.

“The constant music and entertainment carried a great atmosphere for the entire day.”

As Equalities Lead for Northants Fire and Rescue, Stef wants to ‘put the emergency services front and centre as an employer of choice for the LGBTQ+ community’ and they will continue to ‘show support of diversity both in the county and within their ranks’.

He added: “Northampton Pride, and all Pride events, normalise diversity. People now associate diversity with positive feelings, emotions and energy, rather than with stigma, division and discrimination.”

The three blue light services were joined by their volunteers and cadets, who they ‘couldn’t have done the event without’.

The Grosvenor Centre acted as a quiet space, where support was available for anyone feeling overwhelmed, anxious or in need of confidential help from mental health charity, The Lowdown.

Peachy believes The Lowdown is one of the only places members of the LGBTQ+ community can be themselves in the county, which is why Northampton Pride is ‘really important’.

Here are 20 pictures from Northampton Pride 2021 taken by our resident photographer, Kirsty Edmonds:

“As I have a disability and am a female drag queen, I get doubted. Seeing people enjoy what I do made me really happy.

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