A COMPLETE GUIDE TO PLANNING FOR PRIDE

Tens of thousands of people are set to celebrate Bristol Pride's 15th anniversary on Saturday.

As one of the UK's largest Pride events it is open to all on a donation-only basis, with a huge amount to explore.

But with a parade, a festival, afterparties and hundreds of performers across the city, planning for the day can be overwhelming.

To help, here is a complete guide to the key events happening throughout the day.

How to join the parade

Everyone who wants to celebrate LGBT+ human rights is welcome to join the parade on Saturday morning.

The event is a walking parade, with vehicles and floats not allowed. It runs for two miles through the city centre.

The march will begin to gather at 10:00 BST, starting at the bandstand end of Castle Park, setting off at about 10:45.

The parade is not sectioned and there are no specific business blocks, meaning everyone is free to join together.

The route will take about an hour to complete, and will end in the Amphitheatre at Bristol's Harbourside.

There is a short hill incline on Union Street, so organisers have said some may wish to join the parade later on at the other end of Castle Park, where it meets Wine Street.

Getting around

Once the parade has arrived at the Amphitheatre, festival-goers will be met by shuttle buses ready to take people up to the Downs.

Alternatively, people with supporter wristbands will be able to travel free on First buses from the nearest bus stops at College Green on the Cenotaph.

Bus travel is free across the whole day for wristband holders, who will receive instructions on how to activate a free ticket through the First Bus app.

Do you need tickets?

In short, no - Bristol Pride remains donation-only.

But as we have mentioned above, supporters can buy wristbands at different price points ranging from £9 to £45, which include a number of benefits.

These range from free travel, food and drink discounts and dedicated gate lanes to fast track entry to the official afterparty and a welcome drink.

What's on at the festival site?

There is a huge range of things to see and do at the festival site itself, with more than nine hours of performances on the main stage where the line-up will begin at 12:45 BST.

The day will be headlined by The Human League, taking to the stage at 20:40 BST after an eclectic range of other acts including Ladytron, Claire Richards from Steps and Cher tribute Essentially Cher.

There are four other stages at the festival - Cabaret, Uplift, the Pride Circus Tent and the Dance Performance Stage - all of which have a full programme of performances running throughout the day.

The Cabaret Stage features a full line-up of some of the leading drag artists working across the UK circuit, including stars from Rupaul’s Drag Race UK and worldwide acts.

The newly-named Uplift Stage will showcase Bristol's queer art, music, and performance community, featuring musicians, storytelling, poetry, dance, circus puppetry and drag.

Besides hundreds of different performances the festival site will also host a range of community stalls run by social and support groups, charities and support services, a family area, an alcohol-free youth area and a diverse sensory calm space.

Food and drink stalls, as well as other stalls run by traders selling merchandise, will also be on site.

What's on for kids?

After the parade, families are welcome to continue the celebrations at the festival site, with a specific family area dedicated to fun for all ages.

Kids festival specialists Junkfish will be making a return, bringing outdoor fun and games such as circus skills and giant garden games.

Children will have the opportunity to try plate spinning, hula hooping or stilt walking, play a game of giant chess or Jenga, or race balls down a recycled Junk Ball Run.

As well as Lego, Duplo and Playdough stations there will also be craft stations where families can make a Pride flag or a pair of colourful wings to wear.

Drag Story Time will take place on the hour every hour from 13:00 to 16:00 BST, with readings of LGBT+ stories lasting 30 minutes.

The Avon Gorge & Downs Wildlife Project will also be in attendance with a butterfly and dragonfly workshop, as well as lots of information about wildlife in the Avon Gorge and on the Downs.

What's the weather forecast?

After an unsettled summer so far, the weather forecast is looking largely dry on Saturday with only a small chance of showers from late morning onwards.

On the whole conditions are expected to remain steady with sunny intervals and a gentle breeze, with temperatures peaking at about 18C in the afternoon.

It might be worth packing a light jacket or jumper for the evening festivities, with the mercury set to fall to about 14C by 21:00 BST.

Afterparties

If you've still not had your fill of celebrations by the end of the festival, there is a range of afterparties to join across the city.

The official afterparty will kick off at the O2 Academy Bristol from 22:00 BST, with headliners Confidence Man DJs with DTYM, 90s & 00s party One More Time and Aether taking dancers into the night.

Besides the flagship event at one of Bristol's biggest venues, a range of other venues are also hosting events including the Queenshilling, Basement45, Old Market Assembly and Lakota.

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