Pride back in Guernsey in 2020 after success in Jersey
PREPARATIONS are under way already for Channel Islands Pride, which will be held in Guernsey next year.
It follows a rainbow-filled weekend in Jersey for which islanders turned out in force to celebrate diversity.
Thousands attended the event on Saturday in St Helier, which saw celebrations begin at Les Jardins de la Mer and then continue to St Aubin’s Bay as a string of musical acts, including Sister Disco and the London Gay Big Band, brought a party atmosphere to the island.
One aim of this year’s Pride of the Beach event was to celebrate Jersey’s community, coastline and heritage as beach games, including backward-running races and a sandcastle competition, as well as kilted yoga, took over the bay.
Organisers said that it was a celebration of the community at its best, affirming our common humanity while honouring our differences, where we fight for everyone’s right to live free from prejudice, persecution and invisibility.
Pride director and Liberate Jersey’s Christian May said the event had been a great success.
‘This year’s Channel Islands Pride was the biggest Pride we have organised, with an estimated 6,000 people attending across the day,’ he said.
‘We were especially delighted that so many families took part, thanks to our new family zone in the Pride Village. We were also delighted to have Olly Pike, Calum McSwiggan and the Kilted Yogis as our guests.
‘St Aubin’s Bay was a fantastic and picturesque backdrop for Pride this year, and allowed us to expand our festivities onto the beach, including our tug of love, drag races and beach yoga with the Kilted Yogis.’
The weather certainly helped, with many people enjoying the entertainment and sunshine on the beach.
Mr May added that Pride saves lives by bringing the LGBT+ community together in the face of adversity and personal trauma.
‘Pride was born not from our desire to celebrate, but from protest,’ he said.
‘It is important for us to continue Pride to show our support for those members of the LGBTQ community worldwide who feel they do not have avenues of support or who are subject to hate, oppression and persecution.’
