Harrogate Pride in Diversity cancelled as volunteers sought for 2023

Last updated Apr 29, 2022

Harrogate’s Pride in Diversity will not take place this year because of a lack of volunteers to make it possible.

Last held in 2019, the event has traditionally begun with a parade through the town centre led by an open-top bus.

It then featured a festival of live music, entertainment and stalls in the Valley Gardens, drawing crowds of up to 26,000 people.

Secretary Poppy Winks said they had considered holding a smaller event, but decided it would be better to focus on delivering a full-scale occasion in 2023.

She said:

“The plan is it will be the same as pre-pandemic. It’s a joyful day: people being together and celebrating who they are, whoever that is.

“To have that space in our town is really important. It’s a really unapologetic event; everybody is there for a reason and it doesn’t matter what that reason is.”

People of all genders, sexualities, ages and races came together for the celebration in 2019.

The cancellation this year means the event will have had a four-year break by the time it returns, having missed two years because of the covid pandemic.

Ms Winks said while there used to be a strong group of volunteers, many had moved on or started volunteering elsewhere.

The remaining team decided to announce their reasons for calling off this year’s event, and it has paid off with a number of individuals and organisations come forward with offers of support. Ms Winks added:

“It was not an easy decision, but being honest about our reasons for cancelling has made people think, ‘this is an event we like and we want to come forward and help make it happen’.

“The beauty is that now we have grown enough that we’re well-known and organisations like the theatre and the Victoria Shopping Centre have said they want to support us.”

Anyone interested in helping to organise next year’s event can contact Harrogate Pride in Diversity via its website.