The sun held out for a vibrant and joyful celebration of Margate Pride today (August 11).
The free community, arranged by not for profit community interest company Margate Pride, included the parade from Walpole Bay to the seafront, joined by well-known locals such as Maurice Morris and visitors alike.
Margate you were amazing! Thank you to everyone that came to join in @margatepride. We hope you've enjoyed the parade as much as we did #loveislove #lovemargate #pride2018🏳️🌈 https://t.co/UDLaQEMu0K pic.twitter.com/YoOd1megiX
— Roost Restaurant (@roostmargate) August 11, 2018
A rally included speakers Sue Sanders (LGBT History month) Lady Phyll (UK Black Pride) and Charlie Craggs (writer My Trans Sisters) while a street party -ongoing until 6pm – had DJs, performers, live music from Rebecca Taylor, The Margate Super Group, Grace Shush (Miss Sink The Pink 2018) and the Social Singing Choir.
Tudor House joined the celebrations with a colourful bunting decoration outside the property.
Rebecca Gordon-Nesbitt, Labour’s candidate for South Thanet, joined the parade.
She said: “Pride this year was bigger and better than ever before and a great celebration of diversity in the area. Prejudice still undoubtedly exists, but seeing a wonderful march like this with more than 1,000 people taking part, does show that attitudes to diversity are changing – and much for the better.”
Tonight Ana Matronic will be DJing at Dreamland Sunset Session and Margate Arts Club takes over The Sundeck.
There are also drag shows and DJs all day and night at Sundowners and from 9pm-3am Cockles and Muscles (Margates answer to Studio 54) are at Lido Cliff Bar with a theme of Fierce Creatures : DJs Alex Noble, Josh Caffe, Keziah and Synth System Systers.
Members of the LGBT+ Network, Thanet Community Liaison Officer Tim Weaver and PCSOs pictured at today's @MargatePride parade.#margatepride #PolicewithPride #Margate #MoreThanTheBadge @GpaKent pic.twitter.com/mVn5YiJXOS
— Kent Police Thanet (@KentPoliceThan) August 11, 2018
Find details for Ana Matronic at Dreamland here
It was the Social Singing Choir, not the Margate Community Choir.
Disappointed to see ANTIFA in the parade, they have nothing to contribute to pride. Just a bunch of violent bullies .
I wasnt disappointed to see antiracists in the parade. Far from it. Why would anyone be profacist? Unless they are, well, facist?
Ian Venables
So left-wing anti-fascists are just “violent bullies”? What would we call the Nazis who murdered thousands of gay people in the concentration camps? “Non-violent sympathisers “? Are we really so safe and secure in Britain today? So certain that we would never face persecution for our sexual orientation, or race, or religion, or political views, that we can write off anybody who might support us as “violent bullies”? I look around me and see the hate being stirred up against anybody who doesn’t conform to a straight, white , English identity. I won’t dismiss anybody who wants to support me when things get difficult.