PRIDE CYMRU’S big weekend is back today and tomorrow and the crowds will be in the Capital for the annual weekend filled music, events, togetherness and love.
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Last year the crowds came out in their thousands for the first Pride in three years. Here’s a look back at day one, in the bright sunshine of the Welsh Capital – PRIDE CYMRU 2022.
To use that well worn cliche ‘there’s something for everyone‘ is, well – cliched and well worn.
Simply put it’s 2 days of pure party atmosphere and extravagant entertainment. A celebration of the importance of LGBT+, people and culture in our communities as well as bringing more than 200,000 of us together in Wales’ capital city.
They’ve been doing this for a long time now, because of lockdown and missed events it’s difficult to put a number on it, so we’ll stick with the original Mardi Gras date which started in 1999 in Bute Park, by the Circle of Stones. Back then it was a one day thing and attracted around 2000 people.
Here’s a selection of our pictures from last year.
The Pride festival entertainment covers 3 stages over the 2 days with jam packed performances from a mix of big names and local talent! Here’s a small flavour of what’s to come. To see the full line- up, go HERE.
SATURDAY
YOUNGR
Since breaking through in 2016 with his self-released debut single ‘Out Of My System’, the multi-talented musician has racked up over 100 million global Streams and played over 150 shows in 40 countries around the word, including sold-out tours across Europe and North America.
Youngr made a name for himself with his unique one-take live videos of dancefloor friendly bootlegs, with his take on ‘Sweet Disposition’ by The Temper Trap going viral and racking up over 15 million video views within the first two weeks.
SOPHIE ELLIS-BEXTOR
Sophie Ellis-Bextor shot to fame as a vocalist on Spiller’s huge number one single, ‘Groovejet’ and her worldwide smash hit, ‘Murder on the Dancefloor’. Her debut solo album, ‘Read My Lips’, was released in 2001 and sold more than 2 million copies worldwide. Her subsequent album releases include ‘Shoot from the Hip’ (2003), ‘Trip the Light Fantastic’ (2007) and ‘Make a Scene’ (2011). In 2014, Sophie released her album ‘Wanderlust’ on her own label EBGB’s, which was co-written and produced by Ed Harcourt. It proved to be a critical and commercial success spending 3 weeks in the UK top 10 and selling over 100,000 copies.
Saturday also includes appearances from JODIE HARSH, JULY JONES and the superb HOUSE GOSPEL CHOIR.
SUNDAY
MARISHA WALLACE
It’s been a while since Marisha was last here giving a superb performance at the Royal College of Music and Drama, she is one performer you do not want to miss.
Singer and actor Marisha is a Broadway and West End sensation, best known for starring in Something Rotten, Dreamgirls, Waitress and currently taking on the role of Motormouth Maybelle in Hairspray! We saw her in that show and she was exceptional.
She’s topped the music charts with her cover of Annie’s Tomorrow, released at the peak of the pandemic to raise funds for performers out of work. It was on the back of that release that her Tomorrow Tour brought her to Cardiff.
Marking her TV debut in 2021, Marisha starred in season two of Netflix’s Feel Good alongside Mae Martin, Lisa Kudrow and Eve and in CBBC’s Almost Never where she played a radio executive. This added to an already incredible 12 months for Marisha where she fronted a Charlotte Tilbury campaign, performed on This Morning to celebrate LGBTQ+ Pride, had Radio 2’s Album of the Week, performed on Strictly Come Dancing, released her EP and sang for the Queen at the Royal Variety Show.
THE FEELING
As separations go, this one couldn’t have been more civil. There were no awkward exchanges or scores to be settled when The Feeling decided to go on an indefinite hiatus in 2016.
Merely a sense that the next challenges that lay ahead didn’t necessarily fall within the parameters of a group that had existed in one form or another since they were teenagers. Five albums in ten years had yielded a string of radio classics such as Sewn, Never Be Lonely, Without You, I Thought It Was Over and Fill My Little World, the group’s status cemented by the celebratory live shows that earned them an intensely loyal fanbase right up to the back-to-basics power pop of their eponymous fifth album.
Bassist Richard Jones said….
“It wasn’t like we were splitting up, as such, more that we agreed to put nothing in the diary.”
CLAIRE RICHARDS
Claire is best known as one-fifth of STEPS, one of the UK’s all-time most successful pop groups. The band have sold over 20 million records with 14 top five singles, 4 number one albums, hits including 5,6,7,8, Chain Reaction, One for Sorrow, #1’s Tragedy and Heartbeat, and many more. 2011 saw the band achieve another #1 album with their ‘The Ultimate Collection’ release, followed by a Sky 1 documentary series ‘Steps Reunion’ – the highest rated original programme on Sky that year.
Also appearing on Sunday is BLACK PEPPA, DOLLY PARTON EXPERIENCE and Midlands based singer-songwriter GINNY LEMON.
As you may have heard Dan say in the film at the top of the page, Pride Cymru is a volunteer led organisation, with a team who all work hard together to make the festival happen every year and to bring together the LGBTQ+ community within Wales!
We suppose family best sums up the theme of the whole event. Everyone coming together, throwing a big party, celebrating something very special and having a great time in the process.
As well as the annual Pride event which looks to connect the LGBT+ community physically, PRIDE CYMRU work throughout the year to increase engagement between different parts of the LGBT+ community so that we can support each other and grow as a united and empowered part of society.
They proudly work with organisations such as Glitter Cymru, Bi Cymru, Victim Support and the Deaf Hub Wales in a way that can benefit all parts of the LGBT+ community.
In summing up such a massive occasion I guess we would say it’s about bringing people together to help break down social barriers, which sadly still exist. They also do so much charitable good over the three days. Give people a chance to volunteer and be an important part of its success. Most importantly however, it’s great fun and with all this on offer, it really couldn’t be anything but…..
PRIDE CYMRU’S Big Weekend takes place over this weekend – Saturday 17th and Sunday 18th June at Cardiff Castle, and of course the whole of the city. It will be incredible, but on a practical note also be incredibly busy, so be aware of that if you are travelling in and around Cardiff. Please note that children under the age of 14 will have to be accompanied by an adult at the gigs.
In the meantime head to the website for all the information – PRIDE CYMRU.
