The Wicklow Pride Festival Committee have announced the 2023 Wicklow Pride Festival will take place in Wicklow Town this July!
Initially formed as Arklow Pride in 2014, the name was updated to Wicklow Pride in 2015 to incorporate the entire county. Founder of Wicklow Pride, film director Dave Thomas, put out the call last summer for volunteers to help with Wicklow Pride 2023 and the strong response has resulted in a new Wicklow Pride Festival Committee being formed in late 2022.
The committee consists of a cross section of Wicklow residents with various different professional, artistic and critical thinking skills, all with the same goal in mind. That is to bring Wicklow Pride to life for 2023 and beyond.
To idea behind the community event is to highlight and embrace the LGBTQI+ community here in Wicklow and ensure that all residents of Wicklow and new comers alike are welcomed and encouraged to be themselves without fear of others’ opinions of them. The event is a celebration of all members of the LGBTQI+ community and their allies. A recognition of how far Wicklow has come in regards to equality for all aswell as an acknowledgement of why we need Pride events to happen and to be supported.
Although the day will primarily be a celebration, the festival committee have recognised the need to highlight and reflect on the many struggles that have been endured by the extended lgbt community over the years. This includes the many lives stolen for no more reason than someone’s identity or sexual identity.
Whilst discussing the format and inclusions of the Festival, it was evident that Pride means so many things to different people and so the Festival Committee have been working on a series of short videos outlining what pride means to each of them. If you would like to submit a short video (max 1 minute long) on what Pride means to you, please do so here on their facebook page or on their instagram page.
If you are interested in volunteering on the Festival Day itself or with preparations before the big day, we are currently looking for volunteers to assist with sound and video production and would be delighted to hear from you.
In the meantime, you can keep up to date with fundraising in your local area, announcements on the festival itself and all things Wicklow Pride. Come and say hello to us on our socials!
