Liverpool Pride March CANCELLED

LCR Pride Foundation has announced it is cancelling Pride in Liverpool and its annual March with Pride for 2021. The event was due to take place on Saturday 31st July.

The organisation has explained that despite the Government’s roadmap out of lockdown and hopes for a more normal summer with the expected return of some larger-scale events, the uncertainty and risks around mass public gatherings and COVID-19 mean they've had to cancel the physical events for a second consecutive year.

It says that after investigations into all possible options to bring the annual march and Pride in Liverpool celebrations back did not deliver a safe and viable option.

Lewis Collins, Chair of the LCR Pride Foundation Board of Directors, said:

“Our decision to cancel Pride in Liverpool and March with Pride for 2021 has not been taken lightly.

“The organisation’s team and board have worked tirelessly with Liverpool City Council and other partners to explore all possibilities, but despite these efforts we have not found an option that would allow us to confidently proceed and deliver an event that would guarantee the safety, health and enjoyment of the people who attend each year, and the suppliers, businesses and partners that support the event.

“The health, safety and wellbeing of all involved with and attending the event is absolutely paramount. The ongoing uncertainty around COVID-19 restrictions and the limitations we face in terms of implementing COVID-19 security measures at a free-to-access event attracting 50,000 people, has made it clear that we will not be able to deliver Pride in Liverpool or March with Pride safely and effectively in 2021.

“We understand how important Pride in Liverpool is in bringing our communities together and realise the disappointment this announcement will cause. As always, we will shortly be announcing our annual theme and digital programme to ensure we can still celebrate Pride across the region and provide support and visibility to the city region’s LGBT+ community. We will of course continue to monitor the situation and explore smaller region-wide events, while also looking to our 2022 celebrations and preparing for what we are sure will be an incredible return for Pride in Liverpool.”

Andi Herring, CEO of LCR Pride Foundation explained why Liverpool's event is being cancelled when other cities events are going ahead:

"Unlike other Pride events that have announced 2021 dates, of which many are paid and ticketed events, Pride in Liverpool is a free-to-access event, which limits our charity’s ability to implement COVID-19 security measures such as smaller capacities, rapid testing at the site or in advance of entry, and the yet-to-be-confirmed ‘vaccine passports’. "

He also explained why they can not make it a ticketed event, Andy said:

"First and foremost, Pride in Liverpool has always been a free event and LCR Pride Foundation is committed to keeping it this way, so it remains accessible to the whole community. Our March with Pride is one of our most important elements and we proudly welcome all to protest without attendance restrictions or tickets, to implement these restrictions wouldn’t be practical or in keeping with our ethos.

"Secondly, the organisation of paid events on the scale of the larger ticketed Pride events take a significant amount of time and finance to curate and implement. With the guidance and potential restrictions unclear and ever-changing we simply could not predict what will be asked of us or what cost implications this may have to our charity. "