Galway’s annual Pride Festival is back again this month with a packed programme taking place from 13 – 16 August.
It kicks off on Thursday 13 August with a Pride Youth Day in Fr Burke Park. This will feature plenty of amenities for under 18s and is alcohol free.
The official launch of Pride Festival takes place in Monroe’s Live that evening, Thursday 13 August, at 8pm with all the community invited. Well known local band The Cozy Cartel will provide entertainment on the night with finger food and wine to be served.
On Friday 14 August, Seven on Bridge Street will host a series of lectures starting at 1pm. A transgender day of remembrance will take place near the Town Hall Theatre at 5pm, with a Gender Fabulosity Fashion Show in NUI Galways’s The Cube at 8pm, featuring Ivan Fahy. Friday night in Monroe’s Live begins at 9pm when The Clandestinos and DJ Ruth from Break for the Border Dublin will entertain you for the Filthy Gorgeous Club Night, which has the theme of ‘Express Yourself’.
Saturday 15 August sees the annual Pride and Now Equality Parade led by grand marshal Pat Carey. It will start at Eyre Square at 1.30pm and finish at the museum at 3.30pm – with Galway’s fantastic Oddity providing festive entertainment. Johnny Garvey and his gospel choir will lead people as Community Pride hold a vigil to remember loved ones and a balloon release in their memory.
On the same day, Annual Pride Family Day and Dog show will take place in Fr Burke Park between 4pm and 6pm. Take yourself down west to the Pride Festival Beer Garden from 3.30pm where Sara O’Kane, local drag acts Kiki St Clair and guests and a selection of DJs will entertain the socks off you. This will be followed later that night by Dublin’s Victoria Secret Drag Act and also Dublin’s Euphoria with transgender dancers in Roisin Dubh. This event being hosted by Mr Gay Ireland Marcos Vinicius. Meanwhile Seven Bridge Street hosts Bear Night from 9pm.
This brings us up to Sunday in Monroe’s Tavern which will host the Pride Brunch from 1pm with crooner John Nolan and Sara O’Kane bringing us into the party mood as the annual Pride Boat Cruise on the Corrib Princess takes place. Bus departs Monroe’s at 5.30pm and the cruise sets sail from Woodquay at 6.30pm sharp with DJs Vinny and Tanya blasting out the 70s, 80s and 90s tunes until 8.30pm. Then it’s back to Monroe’s Tavern to dance the night away with a 90s hits DJ.
