Northern Pride is creating a space for everybody at this year’s Pride in the City, presented in partnership with Newcastle NE1. The festival weekend will see the largest Family and Youth Zone to date, located at the Assembly Rooms, Westgate Road.
Supported by civil engineering organisation, Morgan Sindall Infrastructure, the Family and Youth zone is a free space which caters for LGBTQIA+ families and queer young people, with hands-on activities, arts and crafts, and live performances, the zone will be open Saturday 20 July from 12 pm-5 pm.
In line with its mission to showcase local talent, the space will feature a range of performances, workshops and readings, and aims to bring families and young people with shared experiences together, where they feel safe and can see and relate to wonderful families like theirs.
Director of Northern Pride, Ste Dunn, said: “The Family and Youth zone is one of our most popular areas, and so we wanted to go even bigger and better this year, to create an exciting and unique area where families and young people can go to feel inspired and understood. With this year’s theme Unapologetically Visible’, it’s important for young people to see others like them, and to be able to relate to and share experiences with like-minded people and families. After its substantial investment, we’re looking forward to bringing people together at one of Newcastle’s oldest and grandest Georgian
buildings.”
Chris Dransfield, Social Value Manager from Morgan Sindall Infrastructure added: “We’re delighted to be sponsoring the Family and Youth zone again at this year’s Pride in the City. It’s an incredibly important part of the festival and the Pride story and a real opportunity to involve as many people as possible, of all ages and families in the celebrations. Its new location will bring joy to a huge audience this year and with
so much going on it’s something we can all be really proud of. As the main contractor on the six new stations which will be created as part of the reintroduced Northumberland line, connecting communities is at the heart of what we do – which is why working with Northern Pride is so important to us.”
Northern Pride has curated a special programme of events to keep everyone entertained in the Family and Youth Zone this year. Featuring a range of exclusive performances, workshops and readings for everyone to enjoy.
The Programme:
ATOMS Education - The Sound of Science: Countdown to Chaos!
ATOMS Education CIC, is an LGBTQIA+-led organisation that provides workshops to children around science, technology, engineering, arts and maths. They are joining us on the Family and Youth stage for a fantastic new interactive show: The Sound ofScience: Countdown to Chaos!
Time: 1:00PM
BookWyrm – Durham Bookshop
BookWyrm is an indie queer bookshop owned by a husband/husband duo, who will be bringing their amazing Durham bookshop to Newcastle this year to provide a pop-up children’s bookshop in the Family and Youth Zone open from 12-5 pm. With a focus on LGBTQIA+ books as well as those by local authors, Miles Nelson, will be providing a reading of his own works from 12:30-1 pm.
Time: 12:-5 pm
Drag Castle
A dazzling family show featuring the fabulous Frida Sapphic, the charismatic Baron LaVey, and the enchanting Ivy! A vibrant afternoon of inspirational drag performances and heartwarming entertainment for all ages. Experience the joy, creativity, and inclusivity of Pride in a show that promises to be unforgettable.
Time: 3:00 pm
Lucy Phurr
The fabulous and fierce queen Lucy Phurr is back by popular demand this year to round off the Family and Youth Zone with a Family Disco! Get your dancing feet on and prepare to boogie and celebrate.
Time:4:00pm
Sarah Fae – Rainbow Brain
Local children’s author Sarah Fae will be joining us in the Family and Youth Zone this year. She will be debuting her latest creation ‘Rainbow Brain,’ with us, bringing a love of art, literacy, colour & magic.
Time: 12-5:00 pm
Recyke y’bike
Recyke y'bike is a charity passionate about recycling bikes and giving them back to
the community. The team offer multiple services including bike maintenance lessons, bike servicing, young volunteering opportunities, women's workshops and LGBTQ+ workshops. You can find them outside the Family and Youth Zone for pride this year offering advice on how to look after your bikes!
Time: 12-5:00 pm
True Colours
True Colours are back, after a whirlwind year featuring on DIY SOS with Strictly Come Dancing Stars they are back for a celebration showcase of music, dance, drama and singing!
Time: 2 pm
Unfolding Theatre
The Family and Youth Zone wouldn’t be complete without the Unfolding Theatre’s amazing upcycled stage and we are delighted to say that it is coming with us to the Assembly Rooms this year!! Check out the App or watch out for posts on the lineup this year, expect book reading, science chaos, Family Drag and Disco! The Unfolding Theatre will also be providing a wonderful drop-in workshop throughout the day based on adventures, dragons and more!
Time: 12-5pm
These events feature as part of a wider programme of exciting events which will celebrate the wonderfully vibrant queer community, the valuable impact they have on society and the richness of their talents. Events are running from July 5th to 21st, in the lead-up to Pride in the City.
The main event, which will take place over the weekend of 19th -21st July, has moved from the Town Moor to various locations across Newcastle. The Pride Arena, at Central Park in Times Square, will host Drag icons, 90s favourites, top DJs, leading tribute acts and local stars for this year’s new-look Northern Pride.
Across the city, the Curious Arts Stage will take over Northern Stage, the Family and Youth activities will consume the newly renovated Assembly Rooms, and the vibrant market stalls will take over the streets surrounding Greys Monument and Old Eldon Square, truly encompassing a city-wide take over.
Comments