A market town will host its first Pride event next month to celebrate all members of the LGBTQ+ community.

Plans have been finalised for Ulverston Pride Festival 2024, which will see a day of fun and entertainment take over the town.

On Saturday July 20, festivities will include live music and more than 25 stalls, including pop ups from a host of local businesses.

Some ‘wonderful’ performers and stage guests have been booked to provide both entertainment and to share their support.

There will be talks on the history of Pride as well as life stories from people who will share their experiences of growing up queer in Ulverston.

The mayor of Ulverston Graham Scrogham will attend the event as well as members of the local police force and the fire department.

Ulverston Pride will run from 10am to 5pm but celebrations will continue at The Hope and Anchor where the ‘infamous’ drag queen Miss Patty Dale is hosting an evening of ‘queer Karaoke’.

Miss Patty Dale, who is one of ten members of the Ulverston based planning committee, said: “Pride is important because the community is often misunderstood. Members are subjected to abuse and our rights are constantly challenged by the government.”

She said it had taken a lot of years to get back to the level of social acceptance there is now after the first AIDS epidemic in the 1980s set things back.

Ulverston Pride Festival is about celebrating identity and aims to provide a safe space for people to express themselves.

Patty said: “Things need to change; Pride isn’t just a festival it’s also a protest. Homophobia still exists in the world, but Pride is about accepting us for who we are and who we love.”

In the world today, 71 countries won’t accept homosexual relationships and would subject a homosexual man to prison or worse. While 73 counties do not allow same sex marriages.

Alasdair Wilkinson-Marsh, who is helping organise the event alongside Patty, said: “We’d love to see everybody. Pride is totally inclusive, no-one should be judged for who they are. Hopefully it can help people see past the assumptions to who we are as individuals.”

Patty said: “If you like music and entertainment and you’re not offended by a man in a dress, you should absolutely come along, everyone is welcome, no matter their age, gender, sexuality or race.

“We want people to feel empowered, its about normalisation and creating a space everyone can share.”

There is also a Pre-Pride party at the Roxy Cinema on Friday July 19 which will be a showing of the 2014 film Pride starring Bill Nighy at 7:30pm.

Organisers behind Pride events in Kendal, Barrow and even further afield have joined forces to support bringing the festival to Ulverston.