Image: SCOPIX
Folkestone was awash with colour and community spirit yesterday as hundreds gathered for the town’s ninth annual Pride festival on Saturday, 25 July 2026.
Photos: SCOPIX
The daytime celebration kicked off at 1:00 PM with a lively parade marching from the bottom of the Old High Street, weaving through the Sandgate Road precinct, and concluding at the clifftop Leas Bandstand around 1:45 PM. Participants filled the streets wearing vibrant costumes and carrying diversity banners to promote inclusion and tolerance.
The festivities continued at the Leas Bandstand promenade, where thousands enjoyed a free, community-led outdoor picnic overlooking the English Channel.
Prominent drag artist Tiana Biscuit hosted the afternoon stage, which featured a diverse lineup of entertainment including Chappell Roan tribute act “The Midwest Princess”, the Homoparody dance troupe, the Queer Line Dance Club, and various local vendors.
As darkness fell, the celebrations transitioned to the Creative Folkestone Quarterhouse on Tontine Street for the official ticketed “OutOut” afterparty.
Running from 9:00 PM until 2:00 AM, the high-energy indoor event featured an electronic music lineup headlined by BBC Radio 1 broadcaster and DJ Jaguar, with supporting sets from Oli Keens and Teutonic Kaboom. Organisers declared the day a resounding success in creating safe, visible spaces for the LGBTQ+ community throughout the district.