Leeds Pride
Introduction '''Leeds Pride''' is an annual LGBT Pride celebration held in the city of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. Leeds Pride is one of the biggest free pride events in the UK.
History Leeds Pride first took place in August 2006 (then called Leeds Gay Pride) - there had been previous Pride events in Leeds such as ''Hyde Out'' in 2000 and in the few years before the first Leeds Pride, an informal picnic on Woodhouse Moor. Leeds Pride was supported by the city council and local business with 6,500 attending. In 2009 the numbers attending the event had almost doubled, to 12000, with over 1,000 participating in the parade. In its tenth year (2016) the name had changed to Leeds Pride and it had over 40,000 people in attendance, with the figure expected to grow in year on year.The 2018 Leeds Pride took place on Sunday 5 August with over 100 floats.
Parade The parade starts at Millennium Square at around 2.00 pm finishing on Lower Briggate by The Calls with a huge party. The economic impact to the city centre of Leeds is approximately £3.8 million.Buildings on the parade route often have temporary decorations in the colours of the Rainbow flag. In 2017, the railway viaduct over Lower Briggate was painted in these colours and named 'Freedom Bridge" by Leeds City Council and Network Rail. Steps going up to the station are also painted in the same colours as is a telephone box (an aql wi-fi hub, close to their headquarters) on Bridge End.File:166-169, Briggate.jpg|Temporary decoration for the 2018 paradeFile:Rainbow steps Leeds 16 August 2018.jpg|Steps up towards the stationFile:Rainbow kiosk Leeds 25 August 2018.jpg|Telephone kiosk on Bridge End
Rainbow plaques In association with the 2018 event, Leeds Civic Trust announced that it would be expanding its blue plaque scheme to create a trail of Rainbow Plaques to commemorate those who have contributed to the LGBT+ story of Leeds. A map has been published showing the location of 15 plaques.The Grove Rainbow Plaque.jpg|Plaque 1 on the Grove Inn, Back RowCharlie's Nightclub Rainbow Plaque.jpg|Plaque 2 on Queen's Court, BriggateMill Hill Chapel Rainbow Plaque.jpg|Plaque 4 on Mill Hill Unitarian ChapelCyril Livingstone Rainbow Plaque.jpg|Plaque 5 on Hotel Chocolat, Albion PlaceDV8 Rainbow Plaque.jpg|Plaque 6 on the wall of Yorkshire Dance, St Peter's SquareAngela Morley Rainbow Plaque.jpg|Plaque 7 on the BBC building, St Peter's SquareRobert Hawthorn Kitson Rainbow Plaque.jpg|Plaque 9 in the entrance to Leeds City Art GallerySwarthmore Centre Rainbow Plaque.jpg|Plaque 10 on the Swarthmore Centre, Woodhouse SquareSoft Cell Rainbow Plaque.jpg|Plaque 11 on Leeds Beckett University Student Union buildingNicola Adams Rainbow Plaque.jpg|Plaque 12 on First Direct ArenaTransvestism Conference Rainbow Plaque.jpg|Plaque 13 on the Parkinson Building, University of LeedsSection 28 Rainbow Plaque.jpg|Plaque 14 on Leeds Central LibraryPolari Rainbow Plaque.jpg|Plaque 15 on Leeds City Varieties theatre
See also * LGBT culture in Leeds* List of Leeds Civic Trust plaques
References
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