Summer may be drawing to a close, but there are still plenty of reasons to fly those rainbow flags as Clonmel, Derry, and Youghal get set to keep the Pride festivities going this weekend.
We may be sick of all the rain we’ve had this summer, but we never get sick of celebrating Pride. And with two of the country’s newest Pride parades celebrating their 2nd birthdays and Derry marking 30 years of Foyle Pride, this Saturday, August 26, looks set to be awash with colour.
Clonmel
If you’re an early bird who can’t wait to get the day started, Clonmel is kicking off its Pride celebrations with the Parkrun at 9.30. Starting at the Gashouse Bridge, you can run, walk or crawl the 5km route along the scenic Blueway.
The Pride Breakfast takes place at Bodega 1830 from 10am to 11.30am, making sure you’re well-fed for the main event.
Clonmel’s second annual Pride Parade sets off from Gordon Street car park at 1pm (assembling from 12pm). Organisers are inviting everyone to march in solidarity with the group and to advocate for meaningful change.
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The parade will be followed by the free Pride at the Plaza event from 1.30pm to 4.30pm with live entertainment, food trucks, and endless fun for all ages. Drag queens Jeanie Mac and Éire Comme will co-host the celebrations with music from local talent.
The party carries on late into the night with ‘Pride After Dark’ at O’Keeffe’s from 8pm with drag, comedy, Sing Along Social and DJ Coyote.
Derry
Marking its 30th anniversary, Foyle Pride’s 10-day celebrations are already well and truly underway.
With this year’s Pride celebrating the theme of ‘Grassroots’, the Parade kicks off at 2pm from Waterside Railway Station with free entertainment afterwards in Guildhall Square.
HereNI will host a Family Fun Afternoon from 3pm in the Peace Garden with face painters, a circus skills workshop, bouncy castles and entertainment for all the family. They’ll also have a quieter space for those who need a break from the noise and crowds.
Meanwhile, the Official After Parade Party kicks off in Sandinos from 4.30pm with DJs and BBQ and Derry’s first-ever drag queen/king competition hosted by Miss Fonda Boyzz and Miss Mary Jane.
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Youghal
Like Clonmel, Youghal is delighted to be celebrating the town’s second-ever Pride with a fantastic lineup.
The Parade will assemble at Dolphin Square car park from 12:30pm and will be led out by the Grand Marshall, the Queen of Matchmaking, Eddie McGuinness, at 1pm.
The parade will be followed by a Family Fun Day in Green Park with entertainment from local musicians and Mockie Ah drag queens Queens Mia Gold, Letycha Le’Synn.
The event will also include games for all ages, face painting, a raffle and food from Tipsy Taco. Health Projects, Cumann na Daoine, and LINC will host information stalls and the DASH (Drug & Alcohol Sexual Health) van will be onsite to offer advice and rapid testing.
So, no matter where you are in the country, why not take a trip North or South this Saturday, August 26, and say goodbye to the summer with a last Pride hurrah in either Clonmel, Derry or Youghal? But be warned, with the possibility of heavy showers and even thunder, be sure to bring a brolly.
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