Swindon Pride is returning this weekend with a line-up of Eurovision favourites, chart toppers, RuPaul stars and local talent.
Kicking off on Saturday, August 12 in Queens Park, the family-friendly event is celebrating its 15th year and will run between 12-6pm.
There will be a family circus zone, a Pride march through the streets of Swindon, food and live entertainment throughout the day as well as a quiet zone for anyone needing a moment to themselves.
Here’s the line-up and famous faces you can expect to see:
Spotlight Swindon
Opening the event at lunchtime, this local choir features members aged 18-50 who are dedicated to creating a safe space for talented performers with additional needs.
Billy and Louie
The singing twin duo from Wiltshire are returning to the Pride stage ahead of the launch of their new album.
The twins appeared on BBC’s Little Mix: The Search where they blew the girlband away with their vocals. Their pride setlist is rumoured to feature songs from some of music’s most famous divas.
Jade Young: A celebration of Shania Twain
Wiltshire’s very own country star Jade Young will be taking to the stage in a celebration of country pop’s living legend, Shania Twain. Promising iconic Shania outfits and an incredible voice, Jade’s tribute performance should be a sellout.
Miss Jam Tart
This West Country queen is a host, live singer and an incredible keyworker. She was voted the 27th coolest person in Bristol, out of nearly half a million, so her credentials are strong.
Don One
Don One has a voice people have probably heard without even realising. They are a drag king who can sing, rap and act, as well as a comedian and spoken word artist.
But their most well-known appearance is probably as a TV regular, introducing Joe Lycett on Channel 4’s Late Night Lycett.
Bellatrix
Nope, not Lestrange. This Bellatrix is an award-winning non-binary artist who has been an advocate for underrepresented individuals. They are the first female professional beatboxer in the UK, as well as a songwriter and multi-instrumentalist.
Lawn Manor Academy Dance Group
This explosive local dance group have been travelling the world after they were chosen to perform at Disneyland this year.
The group won a 2022 nationwide dance competition and have been going from strength to strength ever since.
Nicki French
Nicki French represented the nation on TV as the UK’s entry to the 2000s Eurovision.
She is also an official chart-topper, after her dance version of ‘Total Eclipse of the Heart’ smashed into the UK charts. Pride organisers say they can’t wait to have Eurovision royalty grace their stage.
Tia Kofi
As the night goes on the acts only get more famous. Drag star Tia Kofi hit TV screens as a fan favourite in season two of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK.
This year, Tia has released their EP ‘Pride, Power, Pop’ which can be streamed now.
Scooch
Swindon and Wiltshire Pride’s headlining act for 2023 is Eurovision legend Scooch, who represented the UK in 2007 with the iconic anthem Flying the Flag.
The song went on to be the highest-charting UK Eurovision entry since Katrina and the Waves, and they have since released four other UK Top 40 singles.
More information on the event’s accessibility and details of the pride march can be found on the Swindon and Wiltshire Pride website.
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