Ulverston to host first-ever Pride festival this summer

The group behind Ulverston Pride Festival said it hopes to 'bring love, tolerance and Pride' to the town with live music, entertainment, games and dancing.

The event is set to take place on July 20 with a stage at the Market Cross to run from 10am until 5pm - hosted by Ulverston's Miss Patty Dale.

Miss Patty Dale. (Image: Submitted)

All the acts to perform on stage will be local as a way to support artists from across the south of the county including from Ulverston, Barrow and Kendal.

The event is being organised and developed by members of Ulverston Pride Community Group, which provides an online community, weekly meetings and a safe place for finding partnerships, companionship and advice.

"We are championing inclusivity and equity in Ulverston and the surrounding areas," said Alasdair Wilkinson-Marsh, director of the festival.

"It is a day out in Ulverston for you to come as you are and be celebrated."

Schools will represent themselves at the family festival, which will also have market stalls available for visitors championing local suppliers. 

The festival will also include a pride history stand and real-life stories to be told on stage.

The director said: "It is going to be a fabulous day, beautiful, colourful and entertaining, but it is also going to be informative. 

"We are not forgetting what the Pride community has had to go through to be able to get to the stage where we are today."

Fundraiser bingo night. (Image: Submitted)There is also a fundraising evening taking place on April 20 with a Cabaret Bingo Night with Miss Patty Dale and Nova Gina as hosts. Doors open at 7.30pm and tickets cost £15.

To financially support the festival, funds are being raised via GoFundMe. The team needs to raise £5,000 and has so far collected £145.

The fundraising page can be accessed here.