Leeds Pride has hailed its landmark 20th anniversary celebrations as the biggest and most successful festival in its history, after more than 90,000 people descended on Leeds city centre for a weekend of celebration, entertainment and community spirit.
This year’s event marked a major milestone for the festival, with the introduction of its first-ever full weekend programme. Following the overwhelming success of the expanded format, organisers have confirmed that Leeds Pride will return on Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 July 2027, establishing the two-day celebration as an annual fixture in the city’s events calendar.
The two-day event marked the first full weekend celebration transforming Leeds into a vibrant celebration of LGBTQ+ pride, welcoming thousands of visitors from across Yorkshire and beyond while delivering a significant boost to the city’s hospitality and visitor economy.
Headlined by La Voix, Sweet Female Attitude, Tomara Thomas, Livin’ Joy ft. Luzahnn and Baga Chipz, the milestone event featured its largest entertainment programme ever, alongside performances from emerging local artists across multiple stages. Presenters Emmerdale’s Bradley Riches, Soraya Vivian, Mamma Bear and St Sordid Secret kept crowds entertained throughout the weekend.
One of the standout additions to this year’s celebrations was the launch of The Freedom Party, Leeds Pride’s first-ever ticketed Saturday event. The new format proved a huge success, attracting thousands of attendees while generating vital income to help secure the long-term future of Leeds Pride.
The expanded festival footprint, enhanced VIP experience and wider range of food, drink, market stalls and community activities helped create the biggest Pride celebration the city has ever seen, with visitors enjoying more entertainment and experiences than ever before.
The iconic Leeds Pride Parade once again brought colour and energy to the city streets, with community groups, charities, businesses and organisations coming together in a powerful display of visibility, inclusion and solidarity.
Jet2 returned for a third consecutive year as headline sponsor, supporting another landmark event and helping Leeds Pride continue to grow as one of the UK’s leading city-centre Pride celebrations.
A spokesperson for Leeds Pride said: “Seeing thousands of people come together to celebrate our 20th anniversary has been incredible. The atmosphere across the city all weekend was simply unforgettable and it’s a testament to everything Leeds Pride stands for.
“From the spectacular parade to an outstanding line-up of performers and the fantastic response to our new Freedom Party, this has been our biggest and most ambitious event yet. None of it would be possible without our volunteers, sponsors, partners, performers and, of course, everyone who came along to celebrate with us.
“A special thanks also to the emergency services and Leeds City Council for helping deliver a safe, welcoming and memorable celebration that marked two decades of Leeds Pride in spectacular style.
Alongside the main festival programme, the celebrations included a packed schedule of fringe events, community performances and fundraising activities, reinforcing Leeds Pride’s commitment to supporting LGBTQ+ organisations and creating an inclusive event for everyone.
The spokesperson added: “Leeds Pride has always been about bringing people together in the heart of the city, and this weekend once again demonstrated just how special that is. Not only have we celebrated our LGBTQ+ community, but we’ve also welcomed tens of thousands of visitors into Leeds, supporting local businesses, hospitality venues and the wider city economy.
“As we look ahead, we’re excited to build on the success of this milestone year and continue making Leeds Pride bigger and better for future generations.”
Website: https://leedspride.com/
Social: @leedsprideofficial
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