Local Alliance Party councillor Peter Lavery said that Lurgan has “rarely looked so colourful” after the Co Armagh town hosted its first official Pride event on Saturday.
The area last week followed in the footsteps of Ballymena, which announced then that it will hold the Mid and East Antrim area’s inaugural Pride parade in 2025 in an effort to celebrate “diversity, inclusion and cross-community unity”.
Lurgan Pride took place a lot earlier, with a parade kicking off celebrations after noon today.
The proceedings involved family-friendly entertainment, a street festival with food stalls, educational talks and workshops, live music and local drag queen performers.
The first event was a discussion and book-reading from 11am to 12 noon in the Building Bridges Community Arts Theatre with Shirley-Anne McMillan.
At 11.30am, there was a ‘story time’ session and rainbow crafts in Lurgan Library, followed by the Pride event’s opening ceremony and Carnegie Street parade at 12.30pm.
PACEMAKER BELFAST
1230Hrs
Saturday 5th October 2024
Lurgan
Co Armagh
Lurgan holds its first ever Pride Parade in Carnegie Street. Drag Queens lead 100s of supporters of the LGBTQIA+ community down Carnegie Street.
Meanwhile a (10 participants) counter Pride Parade protest from White Fields Gospel group Tandragee Co Armagh, was held in the town centre.
The afternoon saw a variety of activities, including a crafter’s fair in Building Bridges Community Arts Theatre (1-3pm) and Pride information at a ‘stall village’ in Lurgan Library (1-3pm).
Fa Joe’s pub was the venue for afternoon music, performance and poetry sessions from 1-4pm, while there were educational LGBTQ+ talks at Building Bridges from 3-5pm.
An 18+ ticketed cabaret is also running from 8pm at the Cellar Bar, after Drag Queen Bingo.
A Pride afterparty disco will be held in the Batcave Bar from 9pm and there will be live bands in Fa Joe’s (£5 entry) from 10pm.
Many political representatives joined in with the parade and festivities, while a small group of preachers gathered to protest the event.
Cllr Peter Lavery said: “Lurgan has rarely looked so colourful! ️
“Well done to all the organisers and volunteers of the first ever Lurgan Pride event today.
“A historic day for Lurgan!”
Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council advised motorists and road users that the Carnegie Street in Lurgan would be closed from 10am to 10pm.