UK Black Pride has announced the date and location of its annual protest and celebration following the success of its record-breaking event last summer.
On 20 August, it will return to the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in Stratford, London, where it took place in 2022.
The theme will be announced at a later date, organisers confirmed.
UK Black Pride co-founder and Executive Director, Lady Phyll Opoku-Gyimah, said that when she and a group of Black lesbians set out to create their own Pride event due to others feeling “exclusive and unwelcoming,” they were told “no one would support” it.
“Here we are, 18 years later,” she continued. “Bigger, bolder, braver and brighter than ever. It’s been a journey, and we have to thank everyone from the community that has been with us at every and any stage. 2023 marks a historic year for us, and to be able to return to the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, where we saw 25,000 people share their joy and queerness with us, is incredible. We cannot wait to welcome our family back and continue to leave a legacy for the next generation of Black and POC queer love and progress.”
Last year’s UK Black Pride was the “largest Black Pride in the world”
Last year’s UK Black Pride to be held in person since 2019 after the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in 2020 and 2021’s being moved online.
More than 25,000 people attended, which organisers said made it the “largest Black Pride in the world”.
The day saw performances from artists such as Emeli Sandé, Sadie Sinner and Gok Wan, with Dréya Mac delivering a show-stopping headline set.
Also present was Heartstopper star Yasmin Finney, who told GAY TIMES that the massive turnout made her “feel really humble”.
READ MORE: UK Black Pride: Four queer Black creatives share what ‘power’ means to them
Those in attendance were treated to a number of stalls from community-focused groups and organisations, such as the Terrence Higgins Trust, Tonic Housing and NHS Barts Health which was administering free mpox vaccinations.
The theme of ‘power’ was at the core of UK Black Pride last year, something which organisers explained was a way to “honour the power our communities continue to wield to ensure that our communities are defended and supported, loved and protected.”
More details about this year’s UK Black Pride will be announced in due course.
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