Happening this Saturday, June 17, Northern Ireland will celebrate its first Pride parade of the year in Omagh. Get ready to raise your rainbow flags high and stride with pride as the parade takes to the streets to celebrate diversity, inclusivity and equality. 

The march will kick off at 1pm from Main St Car Park, but everyone attending is encouraged to gather at 12pm because before the parade kicks off, prominent organisations such as Mermaids NI, The Rainbow Project NI, Communication Workers Unionv and HereNI will share inspiring insights on advocacy and empowerment within the LGBTQ+ community.

The parade will then commence with colourful floats, lively music, and an outpouring of love, showcasing the unity and resilience of the LGBTQ+ community. Alongside members of the community and their friends, over 25 organisations will join the event including QUEERSPACE, Cara-Friend, Shopmobility Omagh, Cookstown Samba band, Northern Ireland Public Service Alliance (NIPSA), Hospital Road Youth Club, Equity, and many more.

Join us for Omagh Pride on 17th June!
? 1PM – 2PM Parade sets off & ends @Main_Street_Omagh Car Park, passing Scarffes Entry, High St, Bridge St & more.

12:30 PM for inspiring speeches.

2PM – 7PM enjoy Pride Fest with live performances, stalls, and love! ?✨ #OmaghPride pic.twitter.com/rKzQ6P5Qjm

— Omagh Pride (@OmaghPride) June 7, 2023

After the parade, an exhilarating lineup of performances awaits attendees at Main St Car Park. Participants will enjoy live performances from Essentially Cher, CHERYM, Kandy Carousel, Dylan McKee DJ, Brothers Inc., Richard Joke, local drag queens, and more. The event will be hosted by Cat Brogan and Shane Pritchard, adding an extra dose of excitement to the festivities. 

There will also be various community stalls to explore, featuring organisations including many of those mentioned above.

Of course, there will also be plenty of food options, so after exerting energy at the march, feel free to refuel by visiting some of the vibrant stalls. From savoury delights to sweet treats, there’s something guaranteed to satisfy every palate.

For the little ones, there will be a fun-filled Kids Zone, offering all kinds of fun activities, including face painting.

After the daytime event, organisers are inviting attendees to join them for an exhilarating after-party at the Aviary Bar. For those looking to keep the Omagh Pride celebrations going, dance, socialise, and continue spreading the message of love and acceptance throughout the night and celebrate the start of Pride season in Northern Ireland in style.

In addition to the parade, performances, and stalls, Omagh Pride is offering a variety of other events throughout the week.

There will be a screening of The Troubles I’ve Seen, a captivating documentary by LGBT NI Heritage, an inclusive Rugby match organised by Belfast Azlans RFC and Sporting Pride, which will be Omagh’s first-ever inclusive community rugby game. Furthermore, the What does agreement mean to you? workshop by Ulster Presents at Ulster University has been organised to mark the 25th anniversary of the Belfast Good Friday Agreement, and to take a closer look at the artwork ‘AGREEMENT’ by Amanda Dunsmore as a basis to engage in meaningful conversation about agreement in our current social and political landscape.

Elsewhere in Ireland, Wexford Pride has also just announced a Soapbox Event for this Sunday, June 18. After the successful ‘Pride in the Park’ back in May, organisers now want to concentrate on giving a voice to the experiences of LGBTQ+ people in Co Wexford. The event will serve as a reminder of the work that remains to be done, and, similarly to Omagh Pride’s celebrations, will emphasise the importance of inclusivity and equality.

 

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Find more information on all of the events on Omagh Pride’s website and Wexford Pride’s socials.