PRIDE: Rainbow flag on City Hall for first time ever

The Rainbow flag will be flown on Belfast city hall on Saturday to celebrate pride for the first time ever.

On Friday night the Lord Mayor John Finucane received the flag from a flotilla of boats that sailed down Belfast Lough.

It comes as around 60,000 people are expected to descend on the city in what organisers say will be the biggest event to date.

PSNI Assistant Chief Constable George Clarke and US Consul General in Belfast Elizabeth Kennedy Trudeau also attended the Pride of Sail event on Friday evening.

Mr Finucane said he is proud to lead the parade on Saturday, describing it as one of the highlights of his year as mayor.

"This was an excellent event organised by Belfast Pride, they had a flotilla coming down the Lagan to present me with one of the original Gilbert Baker Pride flags to mark the significance of the Pride flag flying over the City Hall for the first time in our history as a city tomorrow and to celebrate what I think will be the biggest and the best ever Pride festival in Belfast.

"While we live in a time where rights for those in the LGBTQ community remain outstanding, to see that flag fly over the City Hall, to see that leadership from City Council, I think is very important because this is a city for everybody, everybody has their place here, and I think the energy, the vibrancy and the inclusive nature of the parade tomorrow is going to be an absolute joy and I encourage everybody to come down.

"I'm going to be exceptionally proud to be at the front of the Pride parade, I think it's something that brings so much energy into Belfast, it brings people together.

"There will be a record number of people on the march, there is going to be a record number of entries for floats coming down.

"It's absolutely one of my highlights of the year and I'm very proud to be mayor when the rainbow flag, the Pride flag, will fly from City Hall for the first time."