Ah Pride season, a wonderful time where fun and gay times are had by all! This year was my first time ever at Nottingham Pride with some lovely friends of mine and it was pretty damn great.
A very rainy day in Nottingham, and thousands of people gathered ready to march. Me and my friends were a few of those people. We waited and waited in the wings, and then just as we were starting to march the heavens opened and we were being rained on! But the rain did not deter people, we stomped on getting soaked through!
This combination of me Marching and it raining did mean I didn't get too many pictures. I loved being in it with my friends walking through Nottingham with thousands of other people, but I think nexy year I'll go back to watching and photographing. I missed out on seeing just who was there by being in on the action and I have to say I loove a good people watch.
This year will be my fifth year at Cardiff pride, but until two weeks ago it had been the only Pride I'd experienced and hadn't had too much to compare it to. And I'll admit I was surprised by Notts pride, it was a very different vibes from Cardiff pride, and a very different set up too. With it being in Hockley, in lots of narrow streets and no real place to chill out there was definitely a sense of having to spend money to sit down, and of course the rain didn't help. But it was also kind of nice to have local businesses involved and to not have to pay to get generally involved in pride at all! But I would say having somewhere just to sit and chill for the day was something I missed having in this pride.
The highlights? Rodent’s spoken word pieces were beautiful, they did a whole piece about climate change while wearing dress made of plastic waste and I loved it. Anna Phylactic’s two robotic routines were just so fun, Cybil War was captivating, Freida Slaves is my new dance inspiration, and I saw my first drag king performance! I’ll be honest, drag isn’t usually my favourite thing but this may have changed my mind. Other than the performers the music was right up my street, they played All the Things she said and me and my friends basically screamed out way through it, the teen feels that came back were intense to say the least. Beyond anything seeing this many people who were openly trans and GNC was really powerful and I really enjoyed dancing like an idiot with my pals feeling 100% safe. It was inclusive, diverse, and accessible and I cannot wait until the next Dirty filthy sexy night.
So that was my first Notts pride. Definitely different to what I’m used to in Cardiff, and if I could create the perfect amalgamation of the two I probably would. But they both have their own charm and I will hopefully be back for Notts pride next year. See you at the next pride, which is now only two weeks away in Cardiff, I am so excited!
Also interestingly my pride instagram post got more attention than my graduation one! I see where your priorities are guys!
Have you been to any Pride's this year? What's your favourite?
A very rainy day in Nottingham, and thousands of people gathered ready to march. Me and my friends were a few of those people. We waited and waited in the wings, and then just as we were starting to march the heavens opened and we were being rained on! But the rain did not deter people, we stomped on getting soaked through!
This year will be my fifth year at Cardiff pride, but until two weeks ago it had been the only Pride I'd experienced and hadn't had too much to compare it to. And I'll admit I was surprised by Notts pride, it was a very different vibes from Cardiff pride, and a very different set up too. With it being in Hockley, in lots of narrow streets and no real place to chill out there was definitely a sense of having to spend money to sit down, and of course the rain didn't help. But it was also kind of nice to have local businesses involved and to not have to pay to get generally involved in pride at all! But I would say having somewhere just to sit and chill for the day was something I missed having in this pride.
I did really enjoy wandering round and seeing everyone rainbow clad and enjoying themselves, especially the baby gays, there were so many baby gays. People were enjoying the main stage, kids were playing k-pop random dances (which I really had to stop myself getting involved in), and generally people were having a good time in spite of the rain. But I had the evening to be prepared for, and being hungover from graduation the night before I really needed a nap.
It was still nice to have a wander round and see everyone rainbow clad and enjoying themselves, especially the baby gays. So many baby gays. There were people enjoying the main stage, kids playing k-pop random dance (which I had to stop myself getting involved in), and generally people were having a good time in spite of the rain. But I had the evening to be prepared for, and being hungover from graduation the night before I needed a nap.
It was still nice to have a wander round and see everyone rainbow clad and enjoying themselves, especially the baby gays. So many baby gays. There were people enjoying the main stage, kids playing k-pop random dance (which I had to stop myself getting involved in), and generally people were having a good time in spite of the rain. But I had the evening to be prepared for, and being hungover from graduation the night before I needed a nap.
And so after the parade it was quick explore time, grab some
free stickers and temporary tattoos, lunch at Mocky’s, dessert at Doughnotts
(sadly they’d run out of pride doughnuts), and then off home for that well deserved nap before a night at Dirty Filthy Sexy. And oh boy was Dirty Filthy Sexy worh the nap, and worth subsequently having to drag my confused and tired post nap self out of bed. It was one of the best nights out I've been to. I played it safe and also didn't take my camera and so any photos below of the night are by Emotions from Photos / Tom Morely.
You know when you just walk into a place and immediately
feel 100% at home, that was this place. Everyone there was looking wonderfully openly queer and the performers! Oh the performers. I could go into all of them
but that would take far too long.
Despite only having two Jager bombs the whole night (I am a saint I know) I still managed to dance the night away... until crashing about 2am. I am not someone who can easily do more than one night in a row out.
Despite only having two Jager bombs the whole night (I am a saint I know) I still managed to dance the night away... until crashing about 2am. I am not someone who can easily do more than one night in a row out.
Anna Phylactic - Photo by Tom Morley
The highlights? Rodent’s spoken word pieces were beautiful, they did a whole piece about climate change while wearing dress made of plastic waste and I loved it. Anna Phylactic’s two robotic routines were just so fun, Cybil War was captivating, Freida Slaves is my new dance inspiration, and I saw my first drag king performance! I’ll be honest, drag isn’t usually my favourite thing but this may have changed my mind. Other than the performers the music was right up my street, they played All the Things she said and me and my friends basically screamed out way through it, the teen feels that came back were intense to say the least. Beyond anything seeing this many people who were openly trans and GNC was really powerful and I really enjoyed dancing like an idiot with my pals feeling 100% safe. It was inclusive, diverse, and accessible and I cannot wait until the next Dirty filthy sexy night.
So that was my first Notts pride. Definitely different to what I’m used to in Cardiff, and if I could create the perfect amalgamation of the two I probably would. But they both have their own charm and I will hopefully be back for Notts pride next year. See you at the next pride, which is now only two weeks away in Cardiff, I am so excited!
Have you been to any Pride's this year? What's your favourite?
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