The second Eastbourne Pride, held on Saturday July 21 in Princes Park, Eastbourne was organised by BourneOut LGBT.
THE day started with a parade from the Southern Water Treatment Plant at Langley Point car park at 11.00am. The small but enthusiastic gathering were escorted by drummers from the Eastbourne Bonfire Society along the short promenade to Fort Fun. From there they crossed Royal Parade Road and entered Princes Park through a decorative arch of pink balloons.
The event was free but a wristband obtained beforehand was required to gain entrance.
Once inside the park there was a welcome from the mainstage by Betty Gallacher, Chair of BourneOut LGBT and Councillor David Tutt, leader of Eastbourne Borough Council. The message to the audience was to show love and support to the LGBT+ communities.
The main stage was then given over to entertainment with singers and dancers including ‘ABBA Magic’, ‘Swoove’ dancing with Maria, an Eastbourne Belly Dancing Troupe and the day was brought to a close with an Elton John tribute act.
During the day collecting buckets were taken around the party-goers to raise funds for future events.
Princes Park provided plenty of room for visitors to enjoy refreshments from the food and drink stalls. A range of other stallholders were present including Brighton and Hove Buses who organised a shuttle bus for £2 per journey to and from Eastbourne rail station, the Police and a Gay Wedding organiser and a coconut shy. Several charities, including AGE UK, Care for the Carers, AGE Concern, Eastbourne Rainbow LGBT 50+ and St Wilfrid’s Hospice were also there.
As the final act brought the event to a close, organisers said they were looking forward to an even bigger and better Pride 2019.
