Chesterfield Pride returns with chart-topping acts and drag queens for a family-friendly fun day with great atmosphere

Chesterfield Pride is back for its ninth year on Sunday, July 21 when one of the region’s biggest LGBTQ celebrations takes over Stand Road recreation ground on Whittington Moor.

Dan Walker, chief organiser in a team of volunteers, said: “We’ve got a fantastic line-up of artists over two stages, headlined by Liberty X, Amelle from the Sugababes, Nathan Moore from Brother Beyond, Cheeky Girls, Kelly Llorenna and the world-famous Donna Marie who is a phenomenal Lady Gaga tribute.

"We’ve got some huge names on the cabaret stage including people from RuPaul’s Drag Race and local artists like Brooklyn who is a 10-year-old busker, Lexi Whiteside who has been travelling around the world and is back in Chesterfield, Tommy Jones and The Shambles.

"The event is family friendly – it’s very welcoming and a great atmosphere. I love seeing people of all ages enjoying a fun day.”

This year will feature an extended cabaret stage, a bigger VIP area and a record 50 stalls. Pride volunteers have been working with Derbyshire LGBT+ to extend their area so visitors can find out what the organisation does and how it can help with issues.

Dam said: “We are one of the region's biggest LGBTQ Pride events. I just focus on making Chesterfield the best it can be. We really are punching above our weight; to say that we are a town of 100,000 people we are up there with some of the bigger city Pride events."

At least 5,000 people are expected to attend Chesterfield Pride. With tickets costing just £7 each and free for under 16s, the audience number could rise to 7,000 if the weather is good on the day. Dan said: “Last year we had five and a half thousand people and it rained for three hours at the start.”

Supporters from as far afield as London and Norwich have snapped up advance tickets. It is not yet known whether the person who travelled from Germany to see Nathan Moore performing at Chesterfield Pride in 2022 will be returning this year.

Dan said: “We’ve been really lucky that our VIP tickets and early bird passes all sold out in record time. We don’t get any funding from the council so everything is generated from ticket sales, stalls and sponsorship. We’ve got some fantastic sponsors like Tesco and Meadowhall; we’re getting a lot of attention from bigger companies noticing what we do, how we’re doing it and taking an interest in it.”

Chesterfield Pride runs from 1pm until 7pm. For tickets and further information, go to www.chesterfieldpride.co.uk