What to expect at Reading Pride this year

Reading Pride is back for its 21st year with the usual ‘Love Unites’ parade through the town centre and festival area in Kings Meadow. The event will take place on Saturday, August 31, this year.

People celebrating are invited to gather outside Reading Train Station from 10am to 10.30am for the parade, which will set off at 11am. By around 12pm the parade will arrive at the festival site.

Asked whether revellers can expect anything new this year, Mikey Russell, a Pride trustee, said: “There’s always something new. We have the Queenz drag acts headlining this year, and even more stalls than last year as well.

READ MORE: Reading Pride celebrates 20th anniversary in 2023 

“Also the Pride Extra stage has been renamed Pride Wilde, after Oscar Wilde.

“It will be run by Iota Events as an alternative drag stage, there will also be a little bit of history of the event and LGBTQ+ people in Reading.

“The family area continues to grow, that’s very important, this is a family event and everything in the family area is designed to be age-appropriate.”

A crowd member enjoys themselves at Reading Pride 2023 in Kings Meadow.A crowd member enjoys themselves at Reading Pride 2023 in Kings Meadow. (Image: Kerry Kleis)

Ahead of celebrations, Reading Pride has applied to put on live music, recorded music and dance performances from 12pm to 8pm on a Friday and Saturday.

Mr Russell clarified that activities on the Friday are for the soundcheck only, which will last for a few hours.

Organisers have also applied to sell alcohol from 11am to 8pm on Saturday.

You can comment on the licensing application by emailing licensing@reading.gov.uk . The deadline for responses is Friday, July 12.

Reading Chronicle | Town Centre