We love being part of Medway Pride, and shining a light on the heritage of LGBTQ+ in our area – so we were delighted to take part in the Pride Fringe activities in The Old High Street Intra area in August.

As well as delivering a marquee-full of badge making at the Castle Gardens during Medway Pride celebrations on Sat 20th, we came up with activities for all ages in the run up to the big event. With venues Poco Loco, The Ship pub, Rochester Pizza Lounge, Sun Pier House and the Nags Head pub, we put together a joint programme of daytime and evening fun all along the High Street for the LGBTQ+ community and all who wanted to celebrate it.

With ‘Shiny, Printy Pride Drinkies‘ night, we got everyone wildly screen printing textile accessories with foil screen prints and making slogan T-shirts, while drinking delicious cocktails made by a pop-up Poco Loco bar, and listening to a Pride playlist.

A family workshop at INTRA set people up with temporary tattoos, badges and jewellery to wear for the parade and festival. Our windows gallery displayed Pride flags, a festival banner and an interesting timeline of key events in LGBTQ+ history in the run up to the event.

Many thanks to Hilary Cooke and the whole Medway Pride team for creating such a joyful and inclusive festival.

Medway Pride Fringe Festival was funded as part of the cultural programme of Historic England and Heritage Fund UK’s HSHAZ programme in our area, supported by Medway Council.