Thousands are expected to descend on Kirkcaldy this weekend for the region’s third annual celebration of the LGBTI community.
Fife Pride has grown bigger and better since the inaugural event in 2017, and the vibrant parade through the town on Saturday will mark the start of an afternoon and evening filled with activities and entertainment for all the family.
Hometown hero Stevie McCrorie, winner of The Voice in 2015, will be the headline act, and he will be supported by a host of other bands, singers and performers in the Town Square including rising local star Billy Reekie and international LGBT sensation Ross Alexander.
The Fife Pride movement began in 2016 when Fife’s LGBTI+ Network agreed the kingdom needed its own Pride.
Pink Saltire took on the co-ordinating role for Pride 2017, which proved more successful than imagined by attracting more than 3,000 people, with numbers increasing to 5,000 in 2018.
And Pat Greenhough, from the Fife Centre for Equalities, is hopeful Pride 2019 will go on to eclipse those numbers.
“The response for the Pride movement in Kirkcaldy has been overwhelming and it shows how important it is for the LGBTI community to be visible, valued and respected for who they are,” Pat said.
“It also gives the opportunity for the people of Fife and surrounding areas to show their support and demonstrate that there is a real commitment from the community to tackle discrimination and show their support for the LGBTI community in Fife.
“But there is more to be done and we would like to keep on reducing discrimination and celebrate diversity.
“This year is a special year and marks Stonewall50, the uprising that sparked a global push for LGBT rights and I think the thing we must never forget is Pride is a positive stance against discrimination and violence towards the LGBTI community and we need to celebrate diversity and be proud of who we are, and we aim to demonstrate this year that we support everyone’s rights and in particular trans rights.”
The Fife Pride parade will muster in Carlyle Road before its official start at noon, travelling down Kirk Wynd and along the High Street to the main arena in front of the Town House.
That will be the main focus for the various acts on stage throughout the rest of the day, but the very successful Youth Zone – co-designed by local young people – will return to the Adam Smith Theatre, while there will be a number of charity and advice stalls as well.
Town centre venue O’Connell’s will also host the official Fife Pride After Party from 8pm to 2am.
