King's Lynn and West Norfolk Pride

King's Lynn and West Norfolk Pride is an annual LGBT pride event and registered charity in the town of King's Lynn, England, intended to cover the borough of King's Lynn and West Norfolk. Founded by Norwich Pride attendees Josh Elms and Jo Rust, its first event occurred on 18 August 2018.

King's Lynn and West Norfolk Pride
King's Lynn Pride in the Market Place in 2019
FrequencyAnnually
Location(s)King's Lynn, England
Founded2018; 6 years ago (2018)
Most recent20 August 2024
Next event27 July 2024

History

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King's Lynn Pride was first established when founders Josh Elms and Jo Rust attended Norwich Pride in 2017, and decided to host an event for King's Lynn while on the journey home. This coincided with a peak in popularity for Norwich Pride, which saw over 10,000 people attend its 10th anniversary event in July 2018. Rust has stated that the event was not intended as a protest but instead as a celebration, and Elms has spoken on the event's intention to highlight that West Norfolk, which is more rural than Norwich, "has a diversity and a rich community".[1]

The first King's Lynn Pride took place on 18 August 2018, with 600 people expected to turn out. Organisers described the actual number of attendees as "unprecedented",[1] an estimated 1,000 people attending according to Elms, over double the number expected. According to online analytics, over 50% of attendees were from West Norfolk and 40% were specifically from King's Lynn.[2] The 2019 event took place on 17 August.[2]

King's Lynn Pride was cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but returned in 2022 with a turnout of around 2,500 people. The event was hosted by drag queen Titania Trust and supported by West Norfolk Police.[3]

The 2024 parade, now under the name King's Lynn and West Norfolk Pride, took place on 20 August, again hosted by Titania Trust. It began at 10am in Market Place and included a parade through King's Lynn's town centre and a free festival at the Walks. An after-party until the early morning also took place.[4]

References

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  1. ^ a b "King's Lynn Pride parade 'unprecedented'". BBC News. 18 August 2018. Retrieved 25 November 2024.
  2. ^ a b "King's Lynn Pride parade hailed a huge success". BBC News. 19 August 2018. Retrieved 25 November 2024.
  3. ^ "King's Lynn Pride event attended by thousands". BBC News. 21 August 2022. Retrieved 25 November 2024.
  4. ^ Devlin, Laura (17 August 2024). "King's Lynn to celebrate Pride with parade and festival". BBC News. Retrieved 25 November 2024.