
PICTURES: Prestatyn hosts its first Pride event
Organised by Prestatyn Town Council, Saturday's (June 7) event began with a parade up the town's High Street towards the Cross Foxes pub.
The main event was based in the pub's car park, and included performances from The Royal Serenity, Opal Rose, Heather Boa, Hannah Popey and more.
Meanwhile, at the Boujee Barn, there were stalls set up by the North Wales Trans, Intersex and Nonbinary Network, North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner, Viva LGBT, Fire Pride Network, Foster Wales Denbighshire, Unique, and Fast Track Cymru.
Also in attendance at Saturday's event were Bearjamin the Fundraising Bear (Richard Kendrick) and North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner, Andy Dunbobbin.
Above, you can enjoy a selection of photos from the event.
The Cross Foxes said: "A massive thank you to our team here at the Foxes, Prestatyn Town Council and Morgan and all the volunteers, the acts and singers, stall holders and charities.
"But most of all, everyone including our lovely customers who came out to party and were allies for Prestatyn's first Pride parade and event.
"We could not be more pleased at the day how it went, and the fun, laughter and smiles the whole day long, and the partying on into the night.
"It was a fabulous day of fun, and it was lovely to see everyone so happy, even in the rain at the beginning of the day, until the sun appeared and shined down on the day. Thank you!"
Drag artist The Royal Serenity, who was among the performers at the event, said: "Bringing Pride to small towns like Prestatyn is crucial for LGBT+ visibility, community building, and challenging ignorance.
"Not only do they create safe spaces for individuals to be themselves and connect but it also helps those who may have felt isolated or those who didn't know how to get the resources or the support they need.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Wales Online
3 hours ago
- Wales Online
Married At First Sight icon pays a visit to ‘big, bold and beautiful' Cardiff
Married At First Sight icon pays a visit to 'big, bold and beautiful' Cardiff The reality TV star arrived in the Welsh capital just in time for a vibrant weekend of Pride celebrations Mel Schilling appears on both UK and Australian versions of the popular dating show (Image: 2025 Getty Images ) Married At First Sight UK favourite Mel Schilling made a surprise stop in Cardiff this weekend, and shared her appreciation for Cardiff's Pride Cymru celebrations over the weekend. The relationship expert shared a snap of Queen Street filled with rainbow flags and crowds on her Instagram story, captioning it: 'When you arrive in Cardiff in the middle of a big, bold, beautiful Pride celebration.' This was also followed by a shot of Cardiff Castle with a gif attached saying 'Show your pride', and paired with the song I Am What I Am by Gloria Gaynor. It's not clear why Mel was in the capital, but her timing lined up perfectly with Pride Cymru, which returned to the city on Saturday for its 40th anniversary. For the latest TV and showbiz gossip sign up to our newsletter Mel Schilling shared a snap of Queen Street filled with rainbow flags and crowds on her Instagram story (Image: Instagram: @mel_schilling1 ) The 53-year-old relationship expert appears on both UK and Australian versions of the popular dating show which sees strangers marrying each other after meeting for the first time at the alter. She's appeared in 16 seasons of the programme in total, 11 Down Under and five in the UK, and she's hinted that she's got exciting news coming very soon. Article continues below Mel told the Mirror earlier this month "I have some exciting stuff coming down the line. Nothing I can talk about yet but some of it is TV but also moving into other mediums as well so I have a lot really exciting stuff coming up and I cannot wait to start sharing it so watch this space." As well as working on secret projects, Mel has teamed up with Tesco to launch the UK's first supermarket wedding gift registry offering couples a range of gift packages covering off the everyday essentials. The first Pride in Wales took place back in 1985 with fewer than 100 people, but fast forward to this weekend, and thousands turned up, with more people signing up in advance than ever before. The atmosphere throughout the day was full of plenty of colour, energy and celebration, with families, performers and community groups all taking part in the lively event. Lots of people spoke about the importance of visibility, especially this year with the LGBTQ+, telling WalesOnline that the community is still facing a number of barriers in society. The protest group Cymru Queers for Palestine blocked the original parade route near Cardiff Castle after saying they had tried to engage with Pride Cymru before the event but felt they were ignored. Hannah, from Cymru Queers for Palestine said: "We contacted Pride, met with them and they ignored us. So we will not stop and we will not rest until we say that Pride Cymru has no ties to the Israeli war machine.' The parade was rerouted, and Pride Cymru later released a statement saying: 'Despite our best efforts to engage with the group ahead of and during the event, the situation on the ground made it impossible to proceed with the original parade route as planned. 'Pride is a space for protest, celebration, and solidarity. We remain committed to creating a Pride that reflects the diversity and voices of our entire community.' Article continues below The celebrations carried on in Coopers Field, with performances from Ella Henderson, Shola Ama, Kimberly Wyatt, Booty Luv and local drag star Carrie Sauce. Whether Mel Schilling was here for work or just passing through, it's safe to say she definitely got a warm, and very colourful Cardiff welcome.


Edinburgh Reporter
7 hours ago
- Edinburgh Reporter
Edinburgh Deaf Festival has a vibrant new line up for this year
The Edinburgh Deaf Festival is back for 2025, with a vibrant programme of shows and events embracing everything from new drama to comedy, music and magic. After a long, tough but ultimately successful campaign, this unique annual celebration of deaf culture, is laying the foundations for future expansion after securing three-year funding from Creative Scotland. Last night saw the launch of a programme featuring more than 70 scheduled events and activities from 8-17 August. Among those taking part in the fourth annual festival are comedians John Smith and Gavin Lilley and Gaelic and Scots singer and musician Evie Waddell, who are all well-known to hearing audiences. There will be a specially commissioned production written and directed by Nadia Nadarajah, who recently earned huge acclaim as Cleopatra in Antony and Cleopatra at The Globe. Nadia, who is also the festival's Creative Programmer, said: 'This year, we've got a lot that's new, so we can deliver even more of what we know the deaf community wants. 'And we are doing much more to engage with hearing audiences, to give them the opportunity to discover something new by experiencing deaf culture and the work of enormously talented deaf performers. 'Last year was very difficult because of funding challenges and the future looked very uncertain. We had a real struggle but we were persistent, and didn't want to give up. 'So, I am really excited, because finally we've got the three-year funding from Creative Scotland, which is amazing and gives us the stability to grow in coming years.' As part of the drive to expand the festival's reach among hearing audiences Evie will perform at Summerhall as well as the Deaf Action HQ and venue in Albany Street. Among the highlights in this year's programme are: Echoes Across Time: Three women, three timelines. In 2000 and 2012 deaf women vanished without explanation. In 2025 small traces of their lives begin to reappear. A specially commissioned new production by Nadia Nadarajah. Performed in BSL with English voiceover for hearing audiences. Three women, three timelines. In 2000 and 2012 deaf women vanished without explanation. In 2025 small traces of their lives begin to reappear. A specially commissioned new production by Nadia Nadarajah. Performed in BSL with English voiceover for hearing audiences. John Smith Show's 20 Years of Laughter: Celebrate two decades of sharp wit and non-stop laughter with one of the UK's best-known deaf comedians. Celebrate two decades of sharp wit and non-stop laughter with one of the UK's best-known deaf comedians. Deaffy Drag Queeny: Glitter, Gags and GSV: Deaffy drag queens Mary and Danielle bring cheeky charm, outrageous wit and deaf gay Pride to the stage. Deaffy drag queens Mary and Danielle bring cheeky charm, outrageous wit and deaf gay Pride to the stage. Ivory Cutlery by Evie Wadell: Let your imagination run wild with Evie Waddell as she presents a visual and musical storytelling experience inspired by the magnificently eccentric Scottish poet and singer Ivor Cutler. Let your imagination run wild with Evie Waddell as she presents a visual and musical storytelling experience inspired by the magnificently eccentric Scottish poet and singer Ivor Cutler. Gavin Lilley: Signs of the Times: A hugely popular deaf comedian who bridges the gap with hearing audiences with his fresh take on everything from parenthood to travel misadventures. A hugely popular deaf comedian who bridges the gap with hearing audiences with his fresh take on everything from parenthood to travel misadventures. Magic Morgan and Liliana: A family-friendly show packed with illusions, comedy and mime. A family-friendly show packed with illusions, comedy and mime. Scratch Night: An evening of bold new ideas from comedy to experimental acts – raw creativity which may be the next big thing. Deaf Action Organised by Deaf Action (the world's oldest deaf charity and deaf-led organisation which dates back 190 years to 1835) the festival continues the pioneering work that made Edinburgh a world-leader in championing the interests of deaf people. Philip Gerrard, CEO of organisers Deaf Action, said: 'We have been at the heart of efforts to promote the interests of the deaf community for 190 years, and the Edinburgh Deaf Festival continues that pioneering work. 'We fought hard to keep it alive, and now it is back and stronger than ever. 'The deaf community has a lively, vibrant and distinctive culture – along with a multitude of highly talented performers and other creatives. 'This 10-day festival is a unique chance for deaf people to come together to enjoy and celebrate that culture and to provide a platform for deaf performers to reach hearing audiences and have more of a presence in the performing arts mainstream.' Other festival events include a networking session with Scottish-based theatre company Solar Bear, allowing deaf and hearing creatives to connect, a pub quiz, karaoke, discussions, parties and film screenings. There will be comedy and drama workshops, guided tours of The Georgian House, the Royal Botanic Garden and National Galleries Scotland. A festival Youth Club for deaf young people aged 10-18 will run from 8-10 August and there will be a parent and toddler group. The festival, which runs in collaboration with the Fringe, is also working with Summerhall, the Edinburgh International Festival and the Edinburgh International Book Festival to provide a range of accessible events. An interpreter and captioning request service will allow deaf people to arrange an interpreter or captioner for Fringe shows that are not accessible. Deaf Action is working with local businesses to create The Edinburgh Signing Quarter, a network of deaf-friendly cafés and bars in the Broughton Street and Canonmills area. Like this: Like Related


Scotsman
8 hours ago
- Scotsman
Pride Edinburgh March 2025 brings colour to the city centre
Although the weather was slightly damper and darker than many had predicted on Saturday, the Edinburgh Pride march brought fun and colour to the city centre and old town, as thousands of people took part, including Scottish crime writer Val McDermid. Edinburgh was a sea of colour on Saturday as the city celebrated its 29th Pride parade, with the city painted with all the colours of the rainbow to promote inclusivity and diversity. The event has its origins in 'Lark in the Park' - an event organised by the Scottish Homosexual Rights Group in Princes Street Gardens in 1988. Six years later the first Pride Scotland March took place, with over 3,000 people taking part and enjoying a festival in the Meadows. There had since been 28 Prides in Edinburgh, due to a two year gap caused by the global pandemic, and pride and colour were yet again on show in the city centre on Saturday for the 29th hosting of the event in Scotland's Capital. 1 . Bringing the colour The annual Edinburgh Pride march took place in the city centre on Saturday, June 21, 2025. | Getty Images Photo: Jeff J Mitchell Photo Sales 2 . Crime writer Scottish crime writer Val McDermid (centre, right) joined Scotland's LGBTQ+ community at the annual Pride March in Edinburgh. | Getty Images Photo: Jeff J Mitchell Photo Sales 3 . Huge crowd Thousands flocked to the 30th Edinburgh Pride parade on Saturday in the city centre. | Getty Images Photo: Jeff J Mitchell Photo Sales 4 . Beard power This man attended Edinburgh Pride 2025 with a rainbow multi-coloured beard on Saturday. | Getty Images Photo: Jeff J Mitchell Photo Sales Related topics: PrideEdinburghDiversityPeopleScotland