Chester pride – We are proud of our City. #Review

Victoria Hayes
15th August 2022

Chester Pride returned this weekend and we were over joyed to see the love, support and joy. It positively flowed through the city.

From small local businesses, to large corporations, everyone was raising a rainbow flag and a smile in the city centre and boy was it colourful. Chester Pride is a celebrating diversity and the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender + community.

Photo courtesy of Izzy Cook (YFNW)

The parade not only featured our LGBTQPI+ community but also a wonderful array of local business leaders like Jamie Christon, CEO of Chester Zoo, our local MP Chris Matheson and other local politicians, the Lord and Lady Mayoress also braved the heat to stand as allies and declare that in Chester, everyone is welcome.

Lord and Lady Mayoress of Chester – photo courtesy of the Lord Mayor’s Office.

Chester Pride has suffered its share of set backs, not just the Covid ones, but having an act cancel late on in the proceedings is incredibly challenging especially for this kind of free community event; but everyone who attended will agree that they rose to the challenge tremendously and organised an event that the City can be proud of and will hopefully keep returning year after year. The organisers need a medal, to be able deliver the event as volunteers and keep it free is a massive achievement.

Paraders were “guarded” by roman soldiers, Proud Mary’s singing everyone along and marched along with the City of Chester brass band and the whole city came alive with the power of the parade. There were people from the University, the local police, housing association, fire service, Pride at Airbus, M & S Bank. Bank of America. the NHS, local council and I know that I’ll have missed many incredible supporters of the event.

Even the city itself was lit up with rainbow colours to celebrate and show support. Shop windows were decorated and Chester’s rows were festooned with rainbows.

Hospitality businesses joined in offering special pride cocktails, cupcakes and other rainbow themed treats.

The parade culminated in Castle Square with an afternoon of music and entertainment and the sound resonated clearly across the City, in Chester #loveislove and #lovealwayswins. 

Well done Chester Pride.