Pride in Sunderland march and free concert with East 17 hits city centre this weekend

Throughout June, there’s been a host of Pride in Sunderland events, from cinema screenings and banner making sessions to a family picnic and art exhibition.

The finale for this year’s events takes place on Saturday, June 29, with a march through the city centre followed by a free concert.

The march will start from Park Lane at 11.30am with hundreds of members of the LGBQT+ community and their allies set to honour the founding of the Pride movement.

They’ll weave their way through the city centre to Sunniside Gardens where a free concert takes place from 12.30pm.

There will be non-stop performances throughout the day until 7pm from headliners East 17, as well as RuPaul Drag Race star Chorizo May, singer Jaymi Hensley from Union J, Kelly Wilde, Soraya Vivian, DJ Michael Maddison and Future is Queer – a group showcasing local queer artists.

And, from 7pm, visitors are being invited to the official after Pride party at Bobby’s Bar, Sunderland – which is being hosted by celebrity cleaning diva, Kim Woodburn with her Pride Duster Disco.

Peter Darrant, chair of organisers Out North East, said the event will be “a fantastic way to mark the end of the biggest and most ambitious Pride festival the city has ever hosted.

 “The support we have had from people across Wearside, from business and from organisations across Sunderland has been absolutely overwhelming and has enabled us to bring communities together like never before.

 “We are incredibly grateful to everyone who has taken part.”