Our LGBT+ family’s biggest celebration of the year got a huge look-in from the organisers of Pride at the awesome Body&Soul festival on Saturday. Not only were revellers spoiled for choice with a host of queer acts, the boutique event also threw its first ever Pride parade!

With the help of hundreds of delighted folk, a gigantic rainbow flag was unfurled, stretching as far as the eye could see. A joyous stream of musicians, dancers and partiers held it aloft, winding their way throughout the campsites, attracting others to join in as they passed.

With the 35th anniversary of the Dublin LGBT+Pride Parade on its way, the organisers figured Body&Soul could host the perfect warm up event. Inspired by the theme of Dublin’s celebration – ‘We Are Family’, they realised the boutique music event was all about reuniting with old friends, creating new friendships and getting thousands of people together in a celebration of life and love. Exactly what Pride is about.

The parade finished up at the Mother stage, the queer hub of the festival. For festival goers who hadn’t quite got their Pride fix, the gloriously gay area played host to a rainbow of queer acts.

Bunny got the audience to their feet with her spandex extravaganza Drag Aerobics, helping fairy folk to limber up for a day’s dancing. The No Shame Glitter Disco took the guilt out of guilty pleasures, embracing the kind of musical gems usually hidden under a stack of cooler vinyl.

The queerest collection of show-stoppers, the amazing Glitter Hole, took over the main stage in the evening, making it explode in a shower of glitter, confetti and insane performance.

Closing a Pride filled day perfectly were the famous Mother DJs, doing what they do best – getting a festival to its feet. Taking over at midnight, the air was filled with thumping tunes, clapping hands and stamping feet.

Queers ruled at Body&Soul.