Belfast Pride Returns Bigger and Better than ever before
The Belfast Pride Parade is returning to the streets of Belfast on Saturday 27th July 2024.
The Belfast Pride Festival was launched by Lord Mayor of Belfast, Cllr Micky Murray on Friday 19th July. The Belfast Pride Parade will take place at 1pm on Saturday 27th July, leaving from Custom House Square and travelling through the city.
Over 250 charities and organisations have registered to take part in the parade expected to be the largest the city has ever seen. The parade will be followed by the annual Party in the Square, headlined by local legend, Julian Simmons and his Ibiza Chill DJ set. ABBA tribute band Bjorn Identity will also perform along with a range of local talent.
The theme for Belfast Pride 2024 is Love your Mind and the Belfast Pride Parade will be led by the first out LGBTQIA+ Lord Mayor of Belfast, Cllr Micky Murray along with a range of mental health charities including Inspire, Aware and NSPCC.
Co-Chair of Belfast Pride Kirsty Mullholand said: “2023 was the largest Belfast Pride Festival to date, and thanks to all our supporters, partners, funders and sponsors – Belfast Pride 2024 is shaping up to be even bigger and better. The theme for Belfast Pride 2024 is Love Your Mind. Just about everyone across Belfast will have had experience dealing with mental health issues personally, with a partner, our children, a family member or a friend. And it is a sad fact that poor mental health is something that disproportionately affects members of the LGBTQIA+ community.
Being LGBTQIA+ doesn’t automatically mean that a person will struggle with their mental health, but it does mean that they are at a higher risk of experiencing poor mental health. Being LGBTQIA+ doesn’t cause these problems, but being on the receiving end of homophobia, biphobia, transphobia and other forms of discrimination can. Lack of acceptance, even rejection by friends and family, lack of access to gender affirming healthcare, isolation, bullying, discrimination, these things can all have a significantly negative impact on a person’s mental health and sense of wellbeing.
The flip side of this is that being out and proud can have a tremendously positive mental impact. The LGBTQIA+ community that we proudly celebrate, is like a bigger family to which we all belong, and it feels like home. Our message to all LGBTQIA+ people is that you are loved, you matter, and that belong here with all of us.
Co-Chair of Belfast Pride Neill Millar-McDonagh said: “Last year the theme for our festival was Stand By Your Trans. At Belfast Pride we are unapologetically trans inclusive. Trans, non-binary and gender-diverse people are at the heart of our community and should be supported, accepted and celebrated by every one of us. In recent years we have seen a shocking growth in transphobia on social media, from the media and from government. We were proud to put the struggle for trans equality front and centre of the 2023 festival, and we cannot understate how powerful it was to have more than 80,000 people on the streets of Belfast delivering a message of support and solidarity for our trans siblings. We remain committed to this fight.
We are very excited to return to the streets of Belfast with what promises to be the biggest Belfast Pride to date.
ENDS
Notes to Editors
1. Photo above of Lord Mayor of Belfast, Cllr Micky Murray launching the Belfast Pride Awards 2024 – Credit Bernie McAllister
