The 2001 Pride season kicks off this Bank Holiday weekend and it's all happening in
Birmingham. It looks like it's going to be a great weekend of all the normal Pride
fun and games and
the new chair of the organising committee Upton Clue is predicting a massive success in his
welcome message, "Welcome to Birmingham Gay & Lesbian Pride 2001, the
first Pride event of the year, and one which it’s estimated will attract a staggering
100,000 people! Who would have thought when we started out five years ago, with a turn-out of
15,000 down on Kent Street, that Pride would grow so quickly and so spectacularly!"
One aim this year has to make the celebration involve the whole community, with tents for
Black and Asian gay men and women and children too. |
| There are events over the whole weekend as well as special parties
in Birmingham's gay clubs and pubs. Pride kicked off on Saturday afternoon with
an Official Opening in Victoria Square with a keynote speech by Stonewall's
Angela Mason.
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Sunday sees the Mass Camp Parade through the streets of the city
starting at 1pm, but assembly starts at 10.45. Pictures on this page are of some of
last year's participants. There's a Street Party from 2pm going right through the evening
with a Firework Finale. Monday sees the Village Fete with a host of stalls
and the finals of Pride's version of Big Brother Big Sister. Across the weekend many
venues have late extensions and the city will be definitely buzzing. Full details can
be found on the Birmingham Pride website.
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