North East Pride 2022: All you need to know about Northern Pride in Newcastle this weekend

The end of this week marks the start of Newcastle’s Pride schedule, a time for anyone in the LGBTQ+ community to celebrate and promote the push for equality, self-affirmation and visibility within society.

Started as a way to commemorate the Stonewall riots, Pride is now a worldwide movement with parades and celebrations held across the world, but what is happening in the North East across the month?

Newcastle’s main Pride event is actually taking place after Pride month itself this year. Northern Pride will take place across the weekend of July 22 – 24 and organisers are promising the most inclusive and accessible festival to date.

Friday July 22 is an all ticketed event at Newcastle’s Town Moor where Broadway star and choreographer Todrick Hall will be headlining a fundraiser to ensure the rest of the weekend is able to remain free in future years.

Joining Hall will be Ru Paul’s Drag Race UK finalist and fan favourite Bimini Bon Boulash and DJ Jodie Harsh who headlined Northern Pride 2021 in a virtual capacity. Tickets remain available to buy online.

Anyone with tickets can also expect performances from Joe McElderry and singer-songwriter Katy B.

Appearing on the main bill this year is a series of big names as well as up and comers, with 90% of the acts coming from the local region.

Saturday will be main stage action in the form of a Mel C DJ set, singer Karen Harding and Choriza May, who rose to fame thanks to her role on the third season of Ru Paul’s Drag Race UK.

The final day will see main stage appearances from Louise, another set from Joe McElderry while a DJ set from Adele Roberts will keep crowds in the mood.

The free weekend will begin on Saturday July 23 and will see the site split into two areas. The festival area is set to be a place of celebration and performance where big names will take to a main stage while visitors can enjoy a funfair, cabaret stage and the rainbow village, which will be full of local and national charities and businesses. The village will only be open on the Saturday of the weekend.

The second zone is the Community Village, a place for hands on activities, services and information which will be home to an arts stage, celebrating the North East’s culture scene, family events, street performers and a sports zone which will be part of Newcastle Pride celebrations for the first time.

The zone will look to show off the best inclusive and accessible clubs from around the region.

Among the speakers throughout the weekend is Kristone Garina, President of the European Pride Organising Association who will be reflecting on the impact of the war in Ukraine on the LGBTQ+ community.

Saturday will also see the Pride march start from Newcastle’s Civic Centre at 12 noon with this year’s theme being Remember, Resist and Rise Up.