Happy Valley Pride Returns with Weekend Festival
Monday, 30 August 2021
Happy Valley Pride returns to Hebden Bridge with a special weekend festival from the Friday 10 to Sunday 12 September 2021.
Iconic, Scottish singer, songwriter Horse McDonald headlines the event.
In 2020, Happy Valley Pride went online and was attended by thousands of people from across the world. For 2021 there will be a mix of in-person and online events, all for free.
The full line up is now available on their brand-new website at www.happyvalleypride.co.uk and includes:
Our Pride - Exhibition Launch night
A specially commissioned collection of portraits of members of the local queer community taken by photographer Bruce Cutts (the After Alice Project). These images show their subjects in places that have been important to them during the pandemic.
- Friday 10, 7pm. The Town Hall, Hebden Bridge HX7 7BY.
The Pride Pink Picnic
The big day of celebration in the park, there will be singers, speakers, DJ's, food, drink, an Info Fair from local LGBTQ+ organisations, stalls and the Pink Pooch Dog Parade returns. Performers include singers Horse McDonald ('One of the finest voices of modern times' – Q Magazine), Beau Azra and Terry Logan, alongside poet Clare Shaw and DJ Red Helen.
- Saturday 11 September, 11am – 7pm, Calder Holmes Park, Hebden Bridge, HX7 6HJ.
Family Vogue Ball
Experience the life-enhancing power of the ballroom. Four houses go head-to-head and will catwalk, dance and lip sync to be crowned by the audience. The show has been designed to be socially distanced. Presented by Darren Pritchard Dance and produced by Switchflicker Productions. Commissioned by Z-arts, Homotopia and Black Gold Arts. Supported by Arts Council England.
- Sunday 12 September, 2 – 2.30pm, The Birchcliffe Centre, Birchcliffe Rd, Hebden Bridge, HX7 8DB
DIGITAL EVENTS
Jinkx Monsoon and Peppermint in conversation with Kate O'Donnell
Jinkx Monsoon and Peppermint are two of the biggest names to have come out of the TV phenomenon RuPaul's Drag Race and both are proudly trans. In this revealing discussion they chat to Happy Valley Pride patron Kate O'Donnell about gender, identity and their drag histories.
- Friday 10 September, 8 – 8.45 pm
Matthew Todd – Out of the Straight Jacket
Matthew Todd is the award-winning former editor of Attitude magazine and author of the best-selling book on gay mental health, Straight Jacket (Penguin). In this live digital event, he explains how the experience of growing up in our society is deeply traumatic for many LGBTQ folk, how it can affect us, and what we can do about it. Followed by a Q&A.
- Sunday 12 September, 7 – 8.30pm, online at happyvalleypride.co.uk
- This is part of the (Mind Your Head mental health campaign in partnership with The Brunswick Centre.
Tim Whitehead – Happy Valley Pride Artistic Director said:
"It is so exciting to be back in-person for a very special weekend! We have a huge variety of events and activities across three days, including our big Pink Picnic, a very special photo exhibition and much more. We will be joined by some very special guests including the amazing Horse McDonald and award-winning writer Matthew Todd. It has been such a tough time these past 18 months, so we hope you can join us in-person or online and help celebrate the LGBTQ+ community in the valley and beyond. It is more important than ever to be here, be you and be proud!"