Prep all done for Channel Islands Pride

The ninth edition of the popular LGBT+ event takes place in Town tomorrow afternoon, with hundreds of participants set to congregate in Candie Gardens at 1pm before parading down to the Pride main stage in Market Square at 4pm.

Pride organiser and Liberate CEO Ellie Jones was hopeful that a rainy forecast for tomorrow would not put too much of a dampener on proceedings.

‘I never look at what the weather is going to do to be honest. We had torrential rain the first time we held Pride in 2016 and it was still a success,’ she said.

‘It’ll be what it’ll be.’

When the parade arrives, the stage will play host to a wedding, before a variety of UK-based performing drag queens – including former winner of Ru Paul’s Drag Race: UK vs The World Tia Kofi – and musical tribute acts provide several hours of entertainment.

A family zone, silent disco and quiet zone will also be on-site.

The day will conclude with an after-party at Canvas nightclub from 9pm, with Russell Small from The Freemasons and popular gay radio DJ Craig Law headlining.

Limited tickets for the after-party will be available on the door.

Separate events are also taking place at the Peninsula Hotel, with drag bingo being held this evening and a barbecue happening on Sunday.

Mx Jones was grateful to KPMG for providing 250 rainbow-coloured umbrellas, which are being hung up as a canopy in Market Square.

A first-ever performance in Guernsey from Jersey’s national ballet – the Ballet D’Jerri – and a drag queen story hour, as well as a range of stalls, will be among the entertainment on offer in Candie Gardens, while Mx Jones said she was then looking to the two Pride brides – Freddie Palmer and Becca Morris – seeing each other for the first time in their wedding dresses in the lower section of the gardens.

A qualified celebrant, she will be the one to officially marry the couple later in the afternoon.

‘For same-sex marriage it’s just such a wonderful thing as it wasn’t even legal in Guernsey back when we first hosted Pride in 2016,’ Mx Jones said.

‘It’s also personally nice for me as Freddie and Becca used to come to the LGBT+ youth group I ran, so it’s a bit full circle.’

She was expecting the visiting drag queens to be popular and huge sing-a-longs when tribute acts for both Ariana Grande and Madonna took to the stage, while she was pleased local talent would be represented in the form of local band The Six.

‘There should be something for everyone,’ she said.

The event is free, however Mx Jones said donations would be warmly welcomed.

‘We’d love to raise £10,000 if possible. It costs about £90,000 to put Pride on and we fully fund it ourselves, so if we can get something back on top of our sponsorships then that’ll help us continue to put events like this on in the future.’

n An interview with Pride brides Freddie Palmer and Becca Morris will appear in tomorrow’s Guernsey Press.

Timetable

Candie Gardens:

1pm: Drag Queen Story Hour

2pm: Faolan Griffin

2.30pm: Ballet D’Jerri

3pm: Mercedes Bends, Paige Three and Miss Leigh Ding

3.45pm: Samba Burros

4pm: Pride Parade to the main stage in Market Square

Main Stage:

5pm: speeches and welcome

5.15pm: Ballet D’Jerri

5.30pm: Pride Brides with music by Faolan Griffin

5.45pm: Ariana Grande tribute: Bella Grande

6.45pm: The Six

7.30pm: Madonna Tribute: Melissa Totten

8.30pm Tia Kofi

9pm: After-party at Canvas nightclub