Northern Pride (festival)
Northern Pride is the biggest LGBT Pride (see Gay Pride) festival in the North East of England, hosted in Newcastle upon Tyne. It is held in July every year on the Town Moor, just outside the City Centre. The event is free for all who attend and offers music, stalls and a safe space for LGBT people, their families and friends. Northern Pride is a celebration of LGBT culture, history and societal diversity. Northern Pride presents Newcastle Pride each year which is a 3-day festival on Newcastle Town Moor and in Times Square in the Centre for Life. Along with the Main Stage the festival offers a Family Zone, Youth Zone, Trans Zone, Women's Zone, Steve Paske Health Zone, Cabaret Tent, Sports Zone. Bear Zone, Dance Tent, Market Stalls and Fair ground. In the run up to the Pride weekend Northern Pride holds a number of satellite events and just after the Pride weekend they hold the ever popular Paws with Pride pet show. More information about Northern Pride can be found at www.northern-pride.com
History
Building on the previous work of the organisation 'Pride On Tyne', the Northern Pride committee converted to a not for profit limited company in January 2009, having successfully hosted a Pride event in July 2008.
Since conception, the event has grown over the two years - with approximately 4,000 people in attendance in 2008 and 6,000 attending in 2009. Northern Pride presents Newcastle Pride which last years (2013) had 28'000 visit it for the 1 day festival. 2014 will see Newcastle Pride triple in size and become a 3-day festival over 2 sites while still remaining a free festival
Management
The committee is made up of volunteers, (re)elected at annual general meetings by the organisation's membership. The current committee are:
| Name | Title |
|---|---|
| Mark Nichols | Chair |
| Susan Musgrove | Company Secretary |
| Darren Irvine | Volunteering Director |
| Ken Mortimer | Finance Director/Treasurer |
| Jamie Betts | Entertainment Director |
Funding
The event attracts sponsorship from private organizations and local authorities. Northern Pride has built excellent relationships with trade unions who support the event.