1st July 2023 was the first time I attended a Pride event in Bude, and it was a wonderful, feel-good day, so thank you to the Pride organisers and all involved in it – what a great success! Even the sun decided to shine.
Pride is a fun day, but it has a serious backstory.
For those who don’t know, the UK’s first Pride march was held in London on 1st July, as far back as 1972.
This date was chosen as the nearest Saturday to the anniversary of the riots at the Stonewall Inn in 1969, where LGBTQ+ patrons had been targeted by the New York Police Department. You can read more here.
Pride marches have since become annual events throughout the UK and around the world. Peter Tatchell, one of the organisers of the original Pride march in the UK said:
Our aim was to show that we were proud, not ashamed. Determined to come out of the shadows and stand up for our rights, we wanted to make ourselves visible and demand LGBT liberation.
I think Pride has succeeded.
Prior to the march that kick-started Pride Day in Bude, I had a meander around the many lovely stalls, then made my way to the Triangle to see the march begin, then dashed over to the Castle to see it arrive.
It was an amazing experience with so many people fabulously happy, dressed up and simply enjoying themselves – so much joy and laughter at this family-friendly, inclusive event.
The huge flag, the world’s biggest progress pride flag, was incredibly impressive – I’d never seen anything like it before.
Bude Pride, you made your mark!
“Pride celebrates love in all forms and highlights the power of unity and solidarity in the face of adversity”.
To help create that inclusive world, Bude Pride Education has a Facebook page where it is championing LGBTQ+ representation within primary education, the age at which children start questioning their own sense of identity. Check it out.
If you missed Pride Day in Bude, then check out these others:
Penzance Pride – 8th July: Promenade, TR18 4HH, 11:45am – 6pm
Redruth Pride – 15th July: The Buttermarket, TR15 2AU, 11:45am – 6pm
Newquay Pride – 22nd July: Killacourt, TR7 1DT, 11:45am – 8pm
Cornwall Pride (Truro) – 26th August: Lemon Quay, Truro, TR1 2LW, 11:45am – 8pm
I left Bude at 18 in the same year as the first Pride March. It was very moving to walk with that flag watching children dance and skateboard under it. Feeling free to be yourself should be enshrined as a human right.