A PRIDE event in Aberystwyth is to return this month for the first time in more than a decade.
As the Cambrian News reported in February, the new organisers were inspired by the town finally being confirmed as the ‘LGBTQ+ capital of Wales’ in a landmark Office for National Statistics (ONS) study.
The event is set for Saturday, 22 April from 10am to 4.30pm at the town’s bandstand on the seafront.
It will offer activities such as badge making and screen printing as well as entertainment and performances – including LGBTQ+ story time for children earlier in the day. More acts are set to be announced soon.
There hasn’t been an official event in Aberystwyth or Ceredigion since ‘Pride on the Prom’ in 2012.
Organiser Ren Williams says they want it to be focused on the spirit of the original pride, Welsh queer culture and language, and for it to be inclusive to families and kids, disabled and neurodivergent people.
Today, they said: "The line up is finalised! This is our afternoon entertainment for Pride in Aber!
"After the parade at 1pm, we will have Aberystwyth based singer Lizzy Burdon, followed by Danny Sioned performing in Welsh And English, Glycerine Glitterqueens a trans performer and Serenity Drag - the Queen of Ceredigion!
"I am so excited to bring this to you in just over a week!"
In February, Ren said: “We have been working on a plan to stage a Pride event for a few months but the census lit a fire under me to get moving!
“I think it’s important to have a pride event because it brings together the queer community, a very diverse set of people, and unites us.
"Pride is as important as it ever was, with hate crime rising and protests and legal movements against the RSE (Relationships and Sexuality Education syllabus in schools) because it mentions same-sex families (families like mine - I have two kids).
“Pride helps show the world Aberystwyth (and Ceredigion) support and loves its queer community and shows young queer people or people not ready (or able) to come out yet, that it’s a safe place and it is possible.”
Ren said they were not surprised by the ONS data which appears to suggest Aberystwyth South ward has more LGBTQ+ people (16.5 per cent) than anywhere else in the nation.
Ceredigion county also ranked highest of all regions in the study for those who described themselves as queer, non-binary, bisexual, pansexual, asexual and other unspecified non-heterosexual orientations.
Ceredigion also has the highest concentration of people (0.7 per cent) - equal with Cardiff - aged 16 and over who identify with a gender identity different to their sex registered at birth.
Pride originated with the events of the Stonewall Inn rebellion in which thousands of LGBTQ+ New Yorkers gathered to march against stigmatisation, oppression and police brutality.
Ren runs Queer Little Shop in Aberystwyth which creates clothing, badges and art dedicated to the LGBTQ+ community and its story.