Liverpool Pride Announce New Patrons And Reveal New Media Partners For 2018

Liverpool Pride has announced three new Patrons for the 2018 festival taking place later this month.

Radio City Talk presenter, performer and media personality Pete Price, Flight Lieutenant Caroline Paige, and Liverpool singer/songwriter, performer and founder of Sense of Sound Jennifer John are all being welcomed in to the Pride family.

They join current Pride Patrons Angela Eagle MP and the Bishop of Liverpool, the Rt Rev Paul Bayes as supporters of the event.

The free festival, now in its ninth consecutive year, is a colourful celebration of all things LGBT+. This year it takes place over the weekend of 28-29 July and its theme is #AllTogetherNow.

Liverpool's Pete Price started his career as a stand-up comedian, winning the ITV talent show New Faces. He became a radio DJ and presenter in his early 20s, and is also a popular performer, appearing in many of the city's pantomimes.

Flt Lt Caroline Paige, from Cheshire, joined the RAF as a male officer in 1980 and worked as a fast jet and battlefield helicopter navigator, serving in the Gulf War and in Bosnia.

In 1999 she became the first transgender officer to transition and serve openly in the UK Armed Forces, working on the frontline in Iraq and Afghanistan before finally retiring in 2014.

And Jennifer John is an award-winning businesswoman and creative dynamo who co-founded a capella vocal ensemble Sense of Sound in 1992. She is also a singer/songwriter, vocal teacher, workshop leader, mentor and manager.

Liverpool Pride Co-chair John Bird said today: "Liverpool is a culturally rich city with so many incredible individuals who bring so much to it.

"As a charity, we wish to recognise members of the LGBT+ community and its allies who support the community, our charity, and are prolific figures in their fields, and that support us in furthering the message of Liverpool Pride's campaign in tackling homophobia, biphobia and transphobia.

"We're incredibly proud to welcome Pete Price, Caroline Paige and Jennifer John into that fold, as they have been incredible pillars for us (and the wide community) over the years, and we want to thank them in a special way."

Liverpool Pride is also revealing two new media partners for the 2018 event - The Guide Liverpool and Gay Times.

The Guide is a leading Liverpool website covering events, music, style, nightlife, culture and lifestyle across the city.

Gay Times, founded in 1984, is the UK's longest-running monthly magazine for gay and bisexual men.

Liverpool Pride has grown to become one of the city's major annual events. Last year a record 8,000 people joined the Pride march and more than 50,000 festivalgoers enjoyed two days of entertainment to celebrate lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities.

The 2018 event takes place on Saturday 28 July and Sunday 29 July, and this year has a new home in Tithebarn Street. Organisers believe the location will prove popular with festivalgoers given its proximity to the city's Gay Quarter and nearby Pownall Square, the site of Mersey Pride in 1995.

#AllTogetherNow complements a city-wide season of events and performances under the #Liverpool2018 banner - marking 10 years since the city was named European Capital of Culture 2008.

The Liverpool Pride Festival 2018 also marks a decade since the death of gay teenager Michael Causer, who lost his life on 2 August 2008 after a vicious homophobic attack.

The Liverpool Pride March officially starts the Liverpool Pride weekend on Saturday 28 July, starting from St George's Hall and finishing at Moorfields.

And Sophie Ellis-Bextor will wow Pride festivalgoers when she headlines the Barclays Main Stage, situated near the Superlambanana.

The main stage line-up also include includes international drag star, and winner of Celebrity Big Brother 2018, Courtney Act; cast from Kinky Boots which comes to the Liverpool Empire in spring 2019; Queen Zee; Osvaldo Supino; The Major Tour; Melissa Totten; Rogue Minogue, and House of Suarez.

Meanwhile the Manchester Airport San Francisco stage will be in the square between Vernon Street and Cunliffe Street, and sponsor Manchester Airport (the UK's global gateway in the North) will also host the Manchester Airport VIP Boston Bar.

The fun continues on Sunday 28 July with Liverpool Pride Sundae and the #AllTogetherNow Community Zone. The Youth & Community Zone returns with festivalgoers' favourite market and information stalls, as well as an Acoustic music stage programmed by We Want Women and Grin Theatre with input from youth groups GYRO, The Action Youth and Wirral Work It Out.

Family day Pride Sundae's hub at The Bluecoat will feature dance, arts and craft activities, food market, and barbecue in the Bluecoat Garden, alongside Pride events at the International Slavery Museum, Walker Art Gallery, Museum of Liverpool and Liverpool Cathedral.

Ahead of Pride weekend there are a host of live performances and events at city centre locations.

The Ruby Slippers comedy play, which runs at the Royal Court Liverpool from 24-28 July, features Liverpool actor Kurtis Stacey and much-loved drag queen Divina de Campo, and promises to be a riot of fun and laughter.

Live theatre continues with Grin Theatre: Queertet 2018 at The Casa on 26-27 July. Featuring two new plays and two updated productions from the Queertet catalogue,

Pride at The Pictures features two films - All About My Mother at Picturehouse at FACT on 23 July; and Brazilica LGBT Film Night featuring Divine Divas at the Output Gallery, Seel Street, on 30 July.

Tate Exchange will host Liverpool Pride: Producing Equality. Between 16 and 22 July, Pride Volunteers will be on hand to demonstrate the excitement and commitment with which people across our region create a Pride festival. Art banners from Oliver Bliss, Brian D Hanlon, Sophie Green and Ben Youdan will be on display, with an opportunity for visitors to create their own through workshops.

And Come Out of the Shadows returns for a third year, when buildings across Liverpool and the surrounding areas are illuminated in Rainbow colours between 19 July and 2 August to challenge hate crime and show their support for LGBT+ communities.

Liverpool Pride Festival is proud to be working with headline sponsor Barclays; sponsor Manchester Airport; Homes For Everyone; Mayor of Liverpool and Media Partners Radio City, DIVA Magazine, The Guide Liverpool and Gay Times.