Heartlands Pride, Athlone’s Winter Pride festival, is set to return in 2024 for its second year. Running from November 29 to December 1, the event promises a range of activities that aim to create a fun and inclusive atmosphere for all attendees.
On Friday, November 29, the festivities will begin at 5pm with Drag & Draw hosted by the TUS Students’ Union in the John McCormack Hall. Open to the public for those aged 18 and older (with TUS Athlone students welcome from age 17), this playful event invites participants to sketch a posing drag queen in a lighthearted setting.
Later, from 7pm to 9pm, there will be a Youth Pride Party featuring a movie night and pizza for LGBTQ+ teenagers. The day will wrap up with the Heartlands Pride Official After Party at Maisie’s Athlone starting at 9pm, featuring performances by Haus of Kwen, As Above So Below, Disgraceful Cabaret, Sassy Weef, Domino, Liadh, and DJ Annie Banter. This event is strictly 18+.
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Saturday, November 30, will kick off with a Pride Breakfast at Magico Café at 11am. This event is free and open to all ages, creating an inviting start to the day. From 1pm to 5pm, attendees can enjoy the Rainbow Umbrella Market at Dead Centre Brewing, followed by Pride Cocktails at the same venue starting at 5pm.
The celebrations will continue on Sunday, December 1, with a Trans Social Club from 3pm to 5pm. The final event of the weekend, a Wine & Quiz Night at FINE Athlone, will begin at 5pm and run into the night. This ticketed event is priced at €15 and is limited to those 18 and older.
Raffle tickets will be sold at each event throughout the weekend and online, and organisers are additionally actively seeking sponsorships and raffle contributions from local businesses to help support the celebration.
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Christine O’Mahony, Chairperson of Heartlands Pride and organiser of Heartlands Winter Pride expressed her excitement about the upcoming event: “We are thrilled to present the second Heartlands Pride in Athlone. The support has been incredible, and our goal is to create a welcoming space for the community this November. We encourage everyone to follow our social media channels and contribute to our crowdfunder if they can.”
O’Mahony also addressed the challenges faced by the organisation, noting incidents of harassment from homophobic individuals. She emphasised the urgent need for more action against hate speech and highlighted that significant work remains in ensuring equality for the LGBTQ+ community, particularly in the Midlands.
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