Pride in the West: Key events for 2026

1 hour ago

Jonathan HolmesWest of England

News image — This summer's Pride events will bring colourful parades to streets across the West

PA Media A crowd of people holding a giant pride flag above their heads. The flag stretches the length of the photograph. They are walking along a street and there are more people in the background. — This summer's Pride events will bring colourful parades to streets across the West

June is Pride month, an annual celebration of the LGBTQ+ community and traditionally when most of the Pride events kick off for the summer.

There are events in towns and villages across the West with attendances ranging from as many as 40,000 people to a few hundred.

We have put together a list of the main events happening this year, including some new Prides in towns which have never had them before.

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Where are the larger Pride events this year?

The largest event in the West is Bristol Pride, which returns on 27 June and runs until 12 July.

The main Pride Day is Saturday 11 July, with a walking parade leaving Castle Park at 11:00 BST.

The main festival then takes place on the Downs, with tens of thousands of people expected to attend to see headliners Sister Sledge and Jason Donovan.

Swindon and Wiltshire Pride takes place on 15 August at the GWR Park on Faringdon Road. Like Bristol Pride, there is also a march taking place on Regent Street between 11:00 and midday.

Organisers marked the start of Pride month by announcing Girls Aloud singer Nadine Coyle will be taking to the stage.

Event manager Paul Stewart said: "Nadine is a true pop icon, and her performance will be an unforgettable highlight for our community and visitors alike. This announcement sets the tone for what will be our biggest and most exciting Pride yet."

In Somerset, Weston-super-Mare Pride will return after a three year break on 27 June, with a march through the town centre, and a music event at Grove Park from 12:00 to 18:00.

Sarah Hammond, event co-ordinator at Weston Pride, said: "Pride feels more important than ever at the moment. Many LGBTQ+ people still face isolation and discrimination, especially online, and events like this remind people that they are not alone."

Pride in Gloucestershire will be on 12 September at Gloucester Park, with three stages and a march leaving Gloucester Cathedral at 11:00.

Bath Pride returns on 22 August, with what organisers describe as a "relaxed, community-led celebration in Sydney Gardens." They also say it is an alternative to larger Prides and suitable for those looking for a quieter event.

Weston Pride A group of people dressed in different colours and waving LGTBQ+ flags are standing by the beach in Weston-super-Mare. Several people are smiling towards the camera. The beach and sea are behind them. — Weston-super-Mare's Pride event will take place on 27 June

New Pride events

This year, the owners of the Bear Inn in Wincanton, Somerset, Kevin Moody and Dominic Winter, are organising Wincanton's first Pride event on 26 June.

"We've been really accepted here and we have lots of drag performances in the pub, and we knew that they hadn't done a Pride event before here, so why not give it a go?" said Winter.

They are planning a small parade, and stalls and music at the pub between 15:00 and 23:00.

Also new this year is Thornbury's Pride event on 6 June at The Swan on Thornbury High Street, between 10:00 and 17:00. Organisers have billed it as a "celebration of love, diversity, and our amazing community".

Not just the cities

Martock Pride returns for its second event at the Martock Recreation Ground and Parish Hall on 20 June.

Organiser Ruby Helyer said it was important for pride events to take place in smaller areas, because people with diverse stories "tend to get hidden", adding "people like myself who have hidden parts of my identity for my entire life, it's nice to finally have a time where I can feel proud to say who I am.

"We can have diversity in small villages, and I think that's really important."

Many other towns across the West have events coming up soon, including:

Calne Pride, a march through the town will take place on 6 June, leaving from Pocket Park at 13:00.
Wotton Pride - 12 and 13 June in Wotton-under-Edge, Gloucestershire
Chippenham PrideFest is mainly taking place around Island Park, with events happening across the town, between 12 and 14 June.
Stroud Pride - will start at midday on 25 July at Bank Gardens in Stroud
Glastonbury Pride on 26 July in Glastonbury town centre.
Yeovil Does Pride on 5 September. The event is now in its fifth year, with a parade through the town centre and a free event in the afternoon.
There is no Pride event in Taunton this year, but the Taunton Brewhouse are running a series of events throughout the month.