Brighton has always been home to one of our favourite Pride events, but recent times have been somewhat rocky for our beloved celebration by the beach, thanks to organisational politics.
Plus, after the debacle of World Pride arrangements in Londontown and the late date of this Summer’s Brighton festivities (September? Huh?) many held their breath to see what our favourite seaside town could conjure up this time ‘round. And you know what? They only went and served up a flaming fantastic weekend!
Yes, headliner Alexandra Burke may have pulled out at the last minute in mysterious circumstances (Official word was due to “technical and production issues on site” or “lost weave”, we weren’t really listening) but that didn’t stop the crackle of electricity you felt in the air immediately after stepping off the train at Brighton Station.
The absolute best thing about Brighton Pride has always been its ability to get almost everyone in town involved. Straight geezers with their faces painted hugging drag queens, giggling teenage girls having sneaky sips of booze whilst flirting with gay boys, muscle-bound party boys and asymmetrical-haired lesbians cracking jokes with elderly transsexuals, as twinks in tiny shorts shared cigarettes with a finger snapping diva in a decorated wheelchair.
This may sound like some kind of drunken gay utopia, but, you know what, for a day, it kinda was. The most magical thing about Brighton Pride is its ability to get businesses, police, community leaders, the homeless, the disabled, the deluded and the downright naughty to blow a whistle, wear pink, glitter up and forget their differences for at least a few hours.
Not forgetting the more die hard Pride aficionados who head to Preston Park for an explosion of music, colour, food, fairground rides, games and all manner of exuberant shenanigans.
And to top it all off, the legend that is Fatboy Slim (Norman Cook to his missus Zoe Ball) not only capped the night off by whipping these Brighton Belles into an absolute frenzy, but he looked like all his Christmas’s had come at once whilst doing it too.
A seriously major day! Well done Brighton… be proud!
Words by Lee Dalloway
Photos by www.ChrisJepson.com
