Foyle Pride has celebrated the launch of its programme for this years week-long Pride festival, the first time the event has been held in-person since 2019.
The theme for this year's Foyle Pride is "celebrate, inspire, protest, remember", bringing in the positivity of emerging after the COVID-19 pandemic while keeping Pride's roots in mind.
This years festivities will run from Sunday August 21 until Saturday August 27 with the programme of events including the Foyle Pride Awards, Big Pride Quiz of the Year, 'An Evening With Kellie Maloney', Pride Does Politics, and the ever-popular Foyle Pride parade from Duke Street Train Station.
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Kathleen Bradley, chairperson of Foyle Pride, spoke of her delight to welcome the in-person festivities back to the city after a difficult couple of years.
She said: “We’re really excited to present to you the 29th Foyle Pride. I hope you enjoy the events and get involved in as many as possible. Our Pride is all about involvement and connection - as a community, we are only as strong as the depth of our connection. So this week, let it be an opportunity to connect - and reconnect - after a long few years apart.
“I am thrilled at the lineup for this year! I do not want to give too much away right now but we have some very exciting personalities appearing throughout the week and I am very grateful to them for coming to Derry, getting involved and helping us to keep Derry on the map as a haven for LGBTQIA+ community and culture.”
Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, Sandra Duffy, said: “As Mayor, I am hugely proud to show my support for the 2022 Foyle Pride Festival and to extend my best wishes to everyone taking part in this year’s celebrations.
“I am delighted that this year’s parade is going ahead on Saturday, August 27 in its original format and that we can once again welcome people out onto the streets for this fantastic celebration. I have had the pleasure of meeting with representatives from Foyle Pride to hear about the excellent range of events and initiatives that have been organised, it really does promise to be a fantastic celebration.
“I want to pay tribute to everyone involved in Foyle Pride and for the excellent work they do to represent the local LGBT+ community and campaigning in solidarity with the global LGBT+ community. I would like to extend my congratulations to the festival organisers and with them every success for this year’s event.
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