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Brighton Pride 2022: Festival celebrates 30th anniversary

Watch: Party time as Brighton's Pride returns after Covid

One of the UK's biggest pride events is celebrating its 30th anniversary.

Brighton Pride was back on the streets of the south-coast city on Saturday, after being cancelled for the last two years due to Covid.

A large parade set off from Hove Lawns at 11:00 BST weaving its way through the streets of the city.

Global superstar Christina Aguilera is the headline act at a concert on Saturday evening, with Paloma Faith headlining on Sunday.

Eddie Mitchell Brighton PrideEddie Mitchell
An enormous rainbow flag was paraded through the city
Brighton Pride
Brighton Pride is one of the biggest and most colourful events of its kind in the UK
Eddie Mitchell Brighton PrideEddie Mitchell
Thousands took part in the Brighton Pride parade through the city

A Brighton Pride spokesperson said: "2022 will be a joyous commemoration of the brave trailblazers, campaigners and supporters who shaped the Pride movement in the city and helped us achieve the LGBT+ equality we all enjoy today."

The first Brighton Pride was held in 1973 but it did not return to the city again until 1991.

The event usually attracts crowds of about 250,000 people.

Brighton Pride Christina AguileraBrighton Pride
Christina Aguilera will headline the festival's main Saturday show on 6 August

The weekend-long festival, which includes a community parade and village party generates about £20m for the city economy annually.

Previous headliners include Kylie Minogue and Britney Spears. Mariah Carey's appearance was twice curtailed due to Covid.

This year's event also marks the 50th anniversary of the first march in the city organised by the Sussex Gay Liberation Front (SGLF).

Brighton Pride
Brighton Kemptown MP Lloyd Russell-Moyle joined the parade
George Montague parade
A bus named after veteran gay rights campaigner George Montague took part in the parade

Pride organiser Paul Kemp said: "It has been a very long wait but we're finally here. We're very excited to be back."

People draped in the blue and yellow flags of Ukraine took pride of place in the march chanting for peace in their country.

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Andy Garth/Argus Photographic Archives The marchAndy Garth/Argus Photographic Archives
Previously unseen images of a march in the city in 1973 went on display last year

Peter Tatchell, gay rights activist, said of the anniversary: "Pride is both a celebration of LGBT+ lives and culture and the contribution we make to the community, but is also a protest about rights.

"I'm so pleased that Brighton Pride has a theme this year of love, protest and unity and you can see around the streets banners highlighting human rights abuses against our community."

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