Here's all the information you need to know about Bournemouth's Pride Parade
Today Dorset celebrates equality and diversity with its community
Bournemouth's annual Pride Festival takes place today.
Last year, Bourne Free was cancelled because of the pandemic but this year they are back with a bang and the theme is 'stronger together'.
It was due to take place in Meyrick park in July but again, Coronavirus meant the team had to push it back to today, the 21st of August.
Here's the parade information
The route for this year has changed and will not feature any vehicles. Instead there will be a walking parade only, this is down to government guidelines.
The parade will begin at midday on August 21st 2021 at Meyrick Park and then the group will walk towards the town hall, then left towards the square and up Avenue Road and to The Triangle, where the parade should finish at 1pm.
With the theme 'stronger together' the Bourne Free team want people to get creative, with colour, flare and pride!
Who will be performing?
The Saturday is when the Bourne Free's main event is happening with lots of acts including Ru Paul's Drag Race star Veronica Green who will be headlining tonight.
Find out more about tonight's line up in the Facebook post below.
Why did Bourne Free start?
Bourne Free was originally set up in 2004 when a far right organisation was due to come to Bournemouth to preach that homosexuality was wrong. Many prominent figures and active members of the gay communities in the area came together to organise an event in the Lower Gardens for a day of celebration, rather than of hostility.
The event included entertainers performing at The Bandstand to support diversity, a balloon release with a 2 minute silence for victims of hate crime and Bournemouth’s first Gay Pride march. By the end of the day the Bounre Free committee was born.
It was decided that the committee would get back together and repeat the event every year, but as an official charity with designated roles. Bourne Free would become an annual celebration in the heart of Bournemouth for everyone to see the diversities in the community and to enjoy a variety of entertainment. In 2006, the title of the event was changed to the Bourne Free Pride Festival.