'˜Space and aliens' theme for this year's Hastings Pride

Hastings Pride will return later this month with a '¨theme of '˜space and aliens'.
Hastings Pride 2018. SUS-180208-165716001Hastings Pride 2018. SUS-180208-165716001
Hastings Pride 2018. SUS-180208-165716001

Hastings Pride week begins on August 20, culminating with a parade and festival on August 26.

Throughout this year’s event, there will be a wellbeing area offering help, support and information on issues and subjects which affect people in our community. Other stalls will also offer respite and care.

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There will be much more for children and teenagers to do this year, with lots of rides and carnival activities.

This year’s acts are due to be announced over the coming weeks, while a second stage will also have alternative high calibre performances and acts.

In addition to all this, there will be a huge array of food stalls and a relaxing Pride Owl & Pussycat Bar.

The event is free to attend but guests are encouraged to donate what they can afford as organisers rely on sponsorship and donations to keep it free for all.

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Natasha Scott, arts and entertainment director of Hastings Pride, said: “The event has to be free to bring everyone together, so we can celebrate creating a stronger loving community.

“This year’s theme of Space and Aliens may seem a little bit out there, literally, but there is an underlying important reason. In the last 12 months, we have seen a rise in hate crime along with a movement to exclude trans people from social spaces.

“So why space and aliens? The one thing that all the issues we highlighted have in common is xenophobia. Often xenophobia is talked about in terms of the hatred of other races or aliens, but its literal meaning is the fear of strangers. It is the fear of people who others do not know or understand, which has led to the rise in hate crime, a campaign of social exclusion towards the trans community and the feeling of the LGBT community feeling like second class citizens.

“Hastings Pride allows us all to celebrate the beauty of diversity. It allows everyone who sees that beauty and wants to help us to celebrate our diversity which will bring us all together to tear down these social barriers which oppress, marginalise and discriminate.”

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Optivo, On the Rocks and Substance have already confirmed they will be sponsoring Hastings Pride.

Should anyone else wish to sponsor this year’s Hastings Pride, contact [email protected] or [email protected] as soon as possible.

For details, including announcements of acts to be performing, visit www.hastingspride.org.uk/.

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