BASINGSTOKE’S first Pride is almost upon us, with the celebration of the LGBTQ+ community being held in the town centre on Saturday.

The festival, which will run on August 17, will kick off with a march at 12pm starting from Willows and will end at the Amphitheatre at Festival Place.

The parade will pass up Church Street, before going down Wote Street, skirting round Festival Place towards Seal Road and onto the amphitheatre.

RuPaul’s Drag Race UK star Crystal will welcome those who took part in the parade to the main festival space, before an array of performers will provide a wealth of entertainment.

READ MORE: Drag Race UK star announced as headline act for Basingstoke's first Pride parade

The acts include Big Jay, a drag monarch from Reading; Kyle Flynn, a singer/ songwriter who has been performing on the pride circuit since 2011; Basingstoke Amateur Operatic Society; and Velour, which blur the lines between Synth Pop, New Wave and Dark Wave.

London Pop Brass, who have an extensive repertoire, will be also bringing a vast diversity of songs.

For anyone not taking part in the march, award-winning DJ NikNak will be playing from 12pm.

During the event, which runs until 4pm, there will be a number of stalls selling items and offering advice and information.

Basingstoke Pride CIC has organised the event with support from Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council, which has allocated funding from its Pride in Place Fund that helps local not-for-profit organisations deliver new and innovative projects to enhance the local community.

SEE MORE: Basingstoke announces first LGBTQ+ Pride parade to take place in the town

Mia and Vee, directors of Basingstoke Pride CIC, previously said: "We're really excited to bring together Basingstoke's inaugural Pride Parade.

“We want to bring together the diverse community of Basingstoke, so our Pride will focus on being fun, colourful and family-friendly. We'll have plenty of music, local artists and activities for all, so we'll hopefully be bringing the entire community of Basingstoke together.

“Pride is an important statement for our town: that we are a welcoming, inclusive and diverse community. We're so proud of the group of volunteers that have helped make this happen, and the amazing support from the council and community leaders - it's testament to the idea that Pride can bring people together.

“As residents of Basingstoke, we felt like we were missing that sense of community and we wanted to build those connections. We hope Basingstoke Pride will be the foundation of our LGBTQ+ family's growth.”

For more information, go to basingstokepride.co.uk.