Colourful event fills Norwich with Pride as members of the LGBT community from across Norfolk come to the city to celebrate

Last year's parade cemented the event as integral to the city's summer calendar, this year it has had to contend with a season of big British events, but is still looking as strong as ever. PHOTO: ANTONY KELLY © ARCHANT NORFOLK 2011

The Norwich Pride 2012 celebration is set to bring yoga, morris dancers, the town crier, show tunes and plenty of colour to the city this weekend.

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The organisers of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) event, now in its fourth year, said they had worked hard to make it stand out in a summer of big happenings, and are looking to include more families and the wider community.

The big day is today, and will see a large picnic in Chapelfield Park and the usual vibrant parade through the city streets.

But the day will start with a symbol of how the movement has become integrated into the city, as the Gay Pride flag is raised at the Castle Museum.

Norwich Pride secretary Michelle Savage said: “The city has a good reputation for being diverse and creative. Norwich Pride is multi-generational. People bring their parents, children and grandchildren. There is a real sense of family, we see everybody standing up and saying ‘we want to live in a diverse city’.”

Outside The Forum at 10am, Jenni Chamberlain, chairman of Norfolk County Council’s Strategic Equality Group, will give a speech to open the event. All day long there will be LGBT films at Fusion Cinema in The Forum as well as stalls, events and talks.

The Pride Picnic begins at noon, with music and dance shows, and a workshop as part of the Football versus Homophobia movement. This will run between 2pm and 3pm, and the parade will begin about 2.15pm, after the town crier has assembled people in unique style in the park at 2pm.

“More and more organisations are taking part, we have messages of support from churches and shops holding displays,” said Ms Savage. “It is growing all the time. People know what Norwich Pride is, and they trust it.”

The events centre on Chapelfield Park and the Forum, with organisers promising that a Pride Show on Millennium Plain will be “the most exciting yet”. Ms Savage said: “We have a vision of turning Norwich into a rainbow. A place where people can feel safe and proud.”

For a list of events visit www.norwichpride.org.uk