A celebration of the LGBTQI+ community
The annual LGBTQI+ Newcastle Pride Festival returns in 2022 with an amazing month-long program of out ’n’ proud glamorous and all-inclusive events.
Celebrate this colourful, sequin-filled festival of the year from Friday October 7th to Sunday November 6th, 2022!
To mark the launch of the Newcastle Pride Festival the ‘Pride Progress Flag’ will be raised at the official Festival Launch on Friday the 7th of October in Civic Park followed by ‘Night Circus’.
Festival favourites ‘Twisted Cabaret’, ‘Newcastle Fair Day’ and the ‘After Party’ will of course be making a return, and in exciting news for Lake Macquarie residents the 2022 Newcastle Pride Festival will also include an ‘80s Family Rainbow Lycra Bike Ride’ around Lake Macquarie, followed by ‘Pride by Night’ (fair day but at night) at Speers Point Park.
One of the most exciting parts of the 2022 Festival is the Newcastle Pride Youth Group and the inclusion of the Pride Youth Formal at Newcastle Museum, bringing the youth of the area a night they’ll never forget in a fun, safe and inclusive environment.
"Lee-Anne McDougall, Newcastle Pride Founder and President, said: "We were devastated after the cancellation of our 2020 and 2021 Festivals. Our committee works so hard to create such an inclusive and celebratory space for the people of Newcastle, Lake Macquarie and The Hunter, and to not be able to do that in the form of a Festival was heartbreaking.
"But we got through and we quickly turned our sights to the 2022 Festival with the aim of making it bigger and better than ever before and spreading our events out to reach as many people in our area as possible. I truly think we’ve done that with this year’s Festival program and we can’t wait for the people of Newcastle, Lake Macquarie and The Hunter to experience what we’ve put together”
"Our 2022 Festival encourages not only our community but everyone to be their true selves and feel accepted for who they are, regardless of their gender identity or sexuality.
"Everyone is welcome – we don’t exclude anyone based on sexuality, race, age or disability – all we ask for is a good attitude and the willingness to be social. We embrace, support and respect each other in whatever way we choose to identify. Let’s celebrate our uniqueness and differences, for it’s that which makes for an interesting, fun and inclusive world."
"Newcastle Pride is an inclusive, vibrant, fun Newcastle-based incorporated association, an LGBTQIA+ community-based charity organisation established in March 2018 and is 100% run by volunteers.
"We have now registered the names Lake Macquarie Pride and Hunter Pride with ASIC, under Newcastle Pride’s rainbow umbrella to reach out and include our Hunter Region communities. We aspire to a more inclusive future; a safer, happier, healthier and more culturally rich place for all of the LGBTQIA+ community through building coalitions and alliances within Newcastle, Lake Macquarie and the Hunter Region. A place where we celebrate equality, diversity, and authenticity."
Newcastle Pride Festival
When: Friday 7 October to Sunday 6 November 2022
For the full list of Festival events visit newcastlepride.com.au