The 2026 edition of Mid & East Antrim Pride is set to take place on Saturday, June 20, in the town of Ballymena. This year’s Pride marks the second annual celebration of the event. Organisers are aiming to bring a vibrant day of visibility and community, under the theme of ‘Louder, Prouder, Stronger’.
The day begins with a ‘Pride Morning’ at The Braid Arts Centre in Ballymena, running from 10am to 1pm. The event has free entry and will feature community stalls, information stands, entertainment and some opportunities for connection, reflection and overall celebration of the local LGBTQ+ community.
The Mid & East Antrim Pride parade is set to then assemble at the Ardeevin entrance via Waveney Road. It will kick off at 2pm and pass through other central streets in a show of community solidarity. Community groups, organisations, individuals and allies are all invited to join in on what organisers anticipate to be the largest Pride procession the borough has seen yet.
After the parade has concluded, celebrations will continue with the official Mid East & Antrim Pride After Party at the local Front Page Bar. The event night will feature a lineup of live entertainment, DJs and performances. This is a free, non-ticketed event which aims to provide an inclusive and energetic space for everyone to enjoy.
On top of the official event, multiple local businesses in Ballymena are planning to host their own Pride events and promotions throughout the day.
“Mid & East Antrim Pride 2026 is about being louder in our visibility, prouder in our identity, and stronger together as a community,” organisers said. “This year’s programme reflects the growth of Pride in our area and the incredible support from local people, groups and businesses.”
This year’s Pride is especially important after the 2025 celebration, where, in the early hours of the morning prior to the event, two men attempted to disrupt the parade by spreading slurry along its planned route. The men, aged 19 and 20, wore balaclavas and spread hen waste along the streets of Ballymena at around 2:45am.
Despite this, the parade went ahead with organiser Curtis Lee taking to Instagram to celebrate: “For the last 10 months, I’ve been told not to go ahead with Mid & East Antrim Pride 2025. I held my nerve, because a tiny part of me always believed that we live amongst largely decent, accepting & hard working tolerant people.”
He continued, “But I think yesterday took us all by surprise, when we turned up towards Wellington St (and the closer we got to the harmony hub), the volume of people was absolutely unreal. Ballymena, you did us all proud. This is the town I love, this is real community.”
As hostility towards the community continues, this year matters just as much as any in showing local and national support for queer communities all across Ireland. So, if you’re in the area or just want to show up for rural LGBTQ+ communities, consider taking part in the 2026 Mid & East Antrim Pride celebrations.
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