Basingstoke Pride 2024 event deemed success by town's leaders

Hundreds of people paraded through the town centre on Saturday, August 17, to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community. 

The march kicked off at midday at Willows and ended at the Amphitheatre at Festival Place, where the community was treated to four hours of entertainment. 

PHOTOS: First Basingstoke Pride parade march fills town centre with joy and colour

Jenny Sibley with friend Bobbie Withers volunteering outside Festival Place

Friends Jenny Sibley, 31, and Bobbie Withers, 33, were volunteering at the event. 

Jenny, who now lives in Andover but had lived in Basingstoke for more than 20 years, was excited to see Pride come to the town. 

She said: "Being part of the LGBTQ+ community this is a big thing as it has never happened here before. It is great to be part of the first one and show support for marginalised communities.

"It is important for every town, including Basingstoke, to show people that all marginalised communities are heard."

LIVE UPDATES: Basingstoke to celebrate first-ever Pride with parade and festival

Labb Bott with friend Chloe Brickell (Image: Newsquest)

Colourfully dressed with facepaint and bubbles were Labb Bott, 21 from Eastleigh, with best friend Chloe Brickell, 24 from Blackdan.

Both told the Gazette they’ve experienced homophobic comments in town before so were relieved to see the first Pride.

@basingstokegazette Basingstoke's first ever Pride 🏳‍🌈🏳‍🌈🏳‍🌈 #LGBT #Basingstoke #BasingstokePride #lgbtqia #lgbtqtiktok #Hampshire #Pride ♬ original sound - Basingstoke Gazette

Labb said: "It is just amazing to have Pride here and it is the first one that is so important. It’s a great excuse to dress up like this for a start.

"But it shows us Basingstoke is safe and there is a community here. Everyone is welcome and it is inclusive."

Kristina Dobbins and Natasha Meredith with their sons Teddie Dobbins and Reuben Dobbins waiting for the parade to start. Kristina said: "It is important to be here, it’s the first one and it’s important to celebrate equality."

Sing Now Choir performing in Festival Place (Image: Newsquest)

Sing Now Choir, which has a group in Basingstoke, performed in Festival Place to celebrate the event. 

Founder and choir leader, Jack White, said: "We always love gigging in Festival Place because we have such great audiences here but especially today because it is Basingstoke's first pride.

"We are a community group made up of a mix of people so it is lovely to come out here today and bring some joy and music to Basingstoke." 

Basingstoke's MP Luke Murphy (Image: Newsquest)

Basingstoke's MP Luke Murphy told the Gazette he hopes to see many more Prides in the town.

He said: "It is amazing to be here at the first Pride march here in Basingstoke.

"As the first openly LGBTQ+ MP for Basingstoke, I am really proud to be here and celebrate with the community here today."

Councillor Paul Harvey, leader of Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council, also took part in the parade.

Council Leader Councillor Paul Harvey with deputy mayor Councillor Colin Phillimore (Image: Newsquest)

He said: "There are so many more people than we expected, it is amazing. It is exactly what we are about here in Basingstoke. It is a positive, amazing time about coming together and showing pride.

"People have come from across Basingstoke and Deane to be here which is amazing. There will definitely be more Pride events to come.

"This has been hugely successful. The organisers have been amazing and they deserve all the credit for coming all together to do this."

Basingstoke Pride CIC organised the event with support from Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council, which had 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.