Hundreds turn out to celebrate Wolverhampton Pride

Susie Rack & Alex McIntyre
BBC News, West Midlands
Wolverhampton Today A parade of people dressed in bright, rainbow colours walk down a high street. One woman is holding a sign that says "Wolves at Work".Wolverhampton Today
Wolverhampton Today Two people standing next to each other and smiling for the camera. One is dressed in a white shirt and holding a rainbow umbrella. The other is holding a cardboard sign which says "protect trans youth" with a blue, pink and white circle in the middle. Other people are standing around them nearby.Wolverhampton Today

Hundreds of people turned out to celebrate Wolverhampton Pride
Rain failed to deter those in attendance

Wolverhampton took on rainbow hues on Saturday as hundreds of people gathered in the city centre to celebrate Pride.

Shops, businesses and venues adopted the colours as a centre-piece parade wound its way through streets from 13:00 BST.

A stage in Market Square, renamed Pride Plaza, offered entertainment to the crowds.

"We are a rainbow city," said organiser Beth Coey Archer. "The whole of the city is covered in rainbows."

She described Pride as a vital event for the local LGBTQ+ community and said it was important they "continued to be visual and represented".

"We also then look at the progress we need to make moving forward, as well as celebrating all the progress that we've made to date," she added.

Wolverhampton Today People walking towards the camera through a city centre street as part of a parade. Many are wearing rainbow colours and purple shirts. One man at the front is wearing a gold mayoral chain. Six people at the front are holding a large multi-coloured banner which says "#TransPeopleAreLoved, make love the loudest voice, we stand in solidarity with the transgender community".Wolverhampton Today
Organisers said there were more than 1,000 people in attendance

The entertainment on Pride Plaza included music performances from Pussycat Dolls member Kimberly Wyatt and drag vocal group Queenz.

Taylor Swift tribute act Lauren G and Wolverhampton trans rapper Nate Ethan were also among the line-up.

As part of the weekend celebrations, a Wolverhampton Pride picnic is scheduled to be held in West Park from 11:00 BST on Sunday.

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