Nottingham Pride line up announced ahead of 2023 celebrations in the city

Organisers of Nottinghamshire Pride have announced the first selection of acts due to perform at the event taking place on the stage on Heathcoat Street in the city centre on Saturday, July 29. The line-up will include Nottingham’s own Girlband, singer-songwriter Rob Green and Transgender Musician, Yay Maria along with drag queen Kitty Tray.

Pride favourite, Charity Shop Sue will be returning for another year much to the delight of fans. Nottingham dancers, Twisted Pole will also perform on the day. There will also be performances from drag queen Liv and the winners of the recent Nottingham’s Drag Pageant.

There are also speeches held on the day which will include an address from local MP for Nottingham East Nadia Whittome, trans activist Tania Stevenson and Nottingham against Transphobia. Other performances will include singer Bexx, drag group Notts Hosts, singer Tash Bird and performer Ashley Song.

There’ll be performances from ITV’s The Voice star LYVIA; the Lace City Chorus and Michaela Weeks’ Britney Spears tribute act.

Craig Martin, co-chair of Nottinghamshire Pride, said: “We’re really passionate about celebrating the many talented performers from across Nottinghamshire’s LGBTQ+ community. Each year we try to ensure we have a line-up that reflects the community’s rich diversity, and this year is no exception.

“From fantastic drag acts to some of the city’s top up-and-coming musicians, tribute acts to hard-hitting speeches, we’ll have something for everyone at this year’s Nottinghamshire Pride, with even more fantastic acts still to be revealed.”

This year, Pride will have the theme of ‘Together’, recognising the journey of the LGBTQ+ community in Nottinghamshire, including its past, present and future. As is tradition, the march will start from Lister Gate at 11 am before winding its way through the city and ending at Broad Street in Hockley.

The Pride March and stage is a free event which allows access to all members of the community throughout the day. Evening events are held across the city although some may be ticketed. It’s one of the highlights of the year not just for the community but its allies and supporters.

This year Nottinghamshire Pride charity took part in the city’s celebrations of Holocaust Memorial Day. This marked a first for the city, where the charity stood alongside religious leaders to remember the many LGBTQ+ people that were persecuted by the Nazis.

The has relied on the many volunteers who give up their time each year as march stewards, donation collectors and general event support. It is also supported by its sponsors which include: Sladen Estates, KuKu Creative, Nottingham City Council, Boots, Capital One, Acoustickle, Pendragon, E.ON, It’s In Nottingham, Cartwright Communications,Nottingham Express Transit (NET), Experian and East Midlands Airport.

Leigh Ellis, co-chair of Nottinghamshire Pride, added: “We have always seen Notts Pride as a platform for LGBTQ+ visibility and our theme for this year’s Pride celebrations, Together, reflects that. It’s about celebrating the power of standing together with our trans and non-binary siblings at a time when they face increased hatred and negative portrayals from politicians and the media. We work year-round to do this, with the Pride event marking just one of many support initiatives we provide as a charity.

“We also work closely with city schools, supporting their pride celebrations and awareness, and offer a helping hand to community networks, allowing them to be key pillars of the local community while providing help for those that need it.

“It’s why we march, and is why our Pride celebrations are such an important part of what we do. We hope to see lots of people from across the city join us on July 29 to celebrate the city’s LGBTQ+ community during what is set to be the most colourful and vibrant day of the year.”