Get ready Oxfordshire because Pride 2024 is set to be the most spectacular celebration yet with a huge programme of events planned county-wide, starting this weekend.
WITNEY: Kicking off the fun is Witney Pride from 12 noon on Saturday (May 25) with the Witney Pride Parade & Festival beginning at Marriots Walk and processing to the Leys Rec Ground where food, fun, fizz and frolics can be had.
The music and entertainment line-up is fantastic with Voice Box Choir warming up everyone in the parade from 11.30am, and from 1pm-late you can enjoy West Oxfordshire Academy Of Performing Arts, Camilla Lewington, The Kokroachez, Gordan Mackay, Oxfordshire Drag Collective, Kyle Finn, Buttercross Ukelele Group and headliner Laura King as Madonna. And don’t forget to nab a cocktail at Gin and Tit!
BANBURY: It’s the first ever Banbury Pride this year and the fun starts on Friday May 31 at The Banbury Cross with Karaoke Tony and Miss Lightning, followed by Drag Legend Tina Sparkle live on Stage at The Coach at 9pm. Then on Saturday June 1 join the street party from 12pm till 7.30pm with face painting, local live music, a drag meet and a greets photo booth, plus music at The Apothecary Tap (Synthanasia), The Coach (DJ Birch, Hollie Marie) and The Banbury Cross Live (Paul Lyons).
The fun continues on Sunday June 2 with Meet and Greet with the Hooky Horses, live Music from Hot Sauce Rhythm and Brass, The big Gay Quiz at The Coach and more live music by Josh and Coral at The Banbury Cross.
CHIPPING NORTON: Head to the Town Hall and Topside on June 1 for an action packed programme, themed ‘express yourself’ which aims to bring the town alive. From 10am- 4pm enjoy live music, arts, a daytime street market and and music and entertainment from Where’s Jenny, Slozaworld, The Strumpets, Alan Asound, Chaos Theory and DJ Amnesia.
The afterparty from 7.30pm-11.30pm with live music, Burlesque, Drag artists & Incredible DJ, such as Cream Tease of Oxford, and The Oxford Drag Collective should be a night to remember. Tickets on sale here https://rb.gy/dmpjjl
OXFORD: This year Oxford is pulling out all the stops to make Oxford Pride 2024 not just bigger, but better and more inclusive on Saturday June 8, ensuring an unforgettable experience for everyone with three stages to choose from packed full of entertainment.
The brand new third stage—the Cabaret Stage – runs from 6pm – 10pm, and features a dazzling array of live acts, extraordinary performances, drag shows, soulful singers and mesmerising dance routines.
However, the heart of Oxford Pride is still the parade which has seen an unprecedented surge in registrations, and more participants than ever before which is guaranteed to be a vibrant, colourful and joyous march through the streets of Oxford.
And let’s not forget headline act Queenz! Fresh from their sell-out West End show, these five incredible performers are ready to light up Oxford Pride with their sensational talent. Known for their electrifying performances and charismatic stage presence, Queenz are not to be missed.
But first up on SUNDAY 2 JUNE 2024 at 2-5PM is the Pride Dog Show 2024, a free family-friendly event with celebrity judges, open to all at Oxford Castle Quarter.
As for the big day on Saturday June 8, the parade will start in Radcliffe Square at 10.30am and march through Broad Street, Cornmarket, Carfax, Queen Street and Bonn Square into the various event sites.
The main stage, market place and ‘Food Yard’ are located in the Castle Quarter, ‘Paradise Square Gardens’ is for relaxing and watching all the action on the big screen (new for this year), the Community Stage is on Norfolk Street and market stalls in Leiden Square in the Westgate.
And then the fun begins with an incredible line-up on the Main Stage from 12 noon at Oxford Castle Square. Acts include 14 year-old singer-songwriter JENNAH (noon), 12-piece funk band DOTS FUNK ODYSSEY (12.50pm), CLARE CORDELL who has been likened to Adele (1-40pm), The ULTIMATE BOY BAND (2.15pm)
The Community Stage Lineup at Westgate Leiden Square kicks off with drag king NICOLAS HOARE (noon), then PJ TAYLOR (12.25pm), a talented LGBTQIA+ singer-songwriter, CHARLIE BENNET (12.50pm) whose single, “Is This Falling?” garnered millions of streams, WOSELEY (1.25pm) who blends contemporary R&B with synth-pop elements, ALAN ASOUND (1.55pm) a non-binary singer-songwriter/performer based in Brighton.
Funk band FUNKINSTEINS (2.20 PM) follow, HENRY VIII (2.45pm) aka Hannah Clift, who won the prestigious Next Hot Spud award from the Oxford Drag Collective.
American duo TELEPHONE TAG (3.05pm) continue the line-up, HAYLEE DUO (3.30pm) perform their pop, soul, and soft rock songs, FREDDIE JOON (3.55pm) and her infectious dance backbeats and the GLAMOROUS KARAOKE WINNER (4:20pm) thanks to Glamorous in Oxford which hosts a series of karaoke nights to raise funds for Oxford Pride and crown a winner to perform at Oxford Pride Community Stage 2024.
Vibrant rock/pop Drag Queen cabaret act MISS BRIDY & THE TWO NOTES is on at 4.40pm and then headline act OXFORD DRAG COLLECTIVE at 5.05pm
The fun then moves to the Cabaret Stage Lineup on Paradise Street. Indian singer-songwriter, musician, and poet ROKAT is on at 6pm, Trans powerhouse performer ACE at 6.35pm, leading cabaret queen RUSTY KATE at 7.10pm, SEBASTIAN ANGELIQUE, London’s Beast of Boylesque at 7.55pm, cabaret star LOURDE GODD at 8.05pm and HEADLINE ACT SCARLETT HARLETT at 9.05pm the Cockney Princess from London who gained fame on RuPaul’s Drag Race UK.
For more details on Oxford Pride go to https://oxfordpride.uk
