The picturesque market town of Thame in Oxfordshire will be celebrating its first-ever ThamePride Festival in June, marking an important milestone for LGBTQ+ celebration in Thame and its surrounding villages.
Running from 19-22 June, the festival promises to bring colour, joy and inclusivity to the heart of the town with four days of memorable and fabulous fun, bringing the community together in vibrant style.
The main celebration on Midsummer’s Day 21 June is dialling up the colour, and will see Thame’s town centre transformed into the ThamePride Village (free entry midday-10pm) bursting with rainbow energy.
This fun, family-friendly day will be packed with live music and entertainment, from drag performances, street magic, clairvoyants and face painting, to juggling and unicycling, flower garland making, storytelling, LGBTQ+ history plus many other exciting events.
On 19 June, ahead of this groundbreaking festival, a powerful new photographic portrait exhibition “Here We Are”, celebrating Thame’s LGBTQ+ community, will be officially opened by the Mayor of Thame, Councillor Andy Gilbert.
To get everyone in the mood for the big day, the weekend kicks off on Friday 20 June with a flamboyant and glitzy ThamePride Cabaret.
Wrapping up the festival, two film screenings on 22 June will include the 2014 film ‘Pride’, followed by a very special live appearance and Q&A session with Jonathan Blake, portrayed by Dominic West in the film. Blake was the key inspiration for ‘Pride’, a true story that follows a group of gay and lesbian activists who raised money to support the striking miners' families in 1984.
“This is going to be a fun and informative weekend for everyone, marking a new chapter for the town,” says Festival Director and Thame Deputy Mayor, David Dawson. “As an increasingly diverse community, ThamePride Festival will show what an inclusive and welcoming town we are.”
For more details about this inaugural festival go to Thame Pride .co.uk