Pride promises fun and frolics

Chichester Pride bursts to life with seven hours of fun and frolics as it returns to the city for its third edition.

It will all be happening on the front lawn at Chichester College between 12 and 7pm on Saturday, May 25. Dawn Gracie, one of the key figures in its organisation, said: “This is year three and Iamabsolutelythrilledattheway people have embraced Pride in Chichester.chichesterhasreally taken to Pride, and the support from the councils and from Bid has been overwhelming.”

As for the entertainment: “For the first year ever we have got Rupaul's drag race star Sum Ting Wong: “They will be one of the big highlights. I never use the word headliner because everyone is a headliner as far as I'm concerned but Sum Tingwongwill definitely be one of the highlights.” Chichester College, the University of Chichester, CAOS Musical Productionsandastrongline-up of drag queens and drag kings will also be taking part: “And we are very excited that for the second year we are bringing The Cocoa Butter Club. We had them last year. Chichester is 94 per cent white and given that we are wanting to be inclusive and display diversity we want to representthesixpercentnon-white community. They are an ensembleofperformersofcolour.they are a London-based co-op and they are doing a takeover to perform the finest cabaret.”

For the first time, Chichester Pride will be preceded by a parade. Leaving from Priory Park on Saturday at 10.30, it will process along Guildhall Street and thenturnleftdownnorthstreet towards the Market Cross. It will then sweep around the Market Cross and will finish outside the cathedral for speeches.