More than 65,000 visitors are expected to attend the UK’s second largest free LGBT festival this weekend, helping to promote community and diversity in the North East of England. Newcastle Pride, which runs from Friday to Sunday (18-19 July) will offer a whole host of live music and family entertainment across the city’s Town Moor and Times Square, including high profile performances by Sinitta, Shayne Ward, Faye Tozer and many more!

Highlights include live music at the Pride in the City stage at Times Square, outside the Centre for Life, from 6.30pm to 10.30pm on Friday and Saturday and from 5.30pm until 8.30pm on Sunday, all sponsored by NE1. The Main Stage at the Town Moor will also play host to a wide range of performances, including a Champagne and Showtunes evening with The Echo-fonics from 7.15pm on Friday.

From 12.30pm until 6pm on Saturday, Sinitta, Faye Tozer and Shayne Ward will be on stage; and from 11am until 5pm on Sunday, the Main Stage will welcome S Club 7’s Jo O’Meara, X Factor star Lloyd Daniels and Eurodance group The Vengaboys.

On both Saturday and Sunday the Town Moor will also play host to a fairground, range of stalls and various entertainment and information zones, including the Family Zone, complete with a sensory space, circus workshop and arts and crafts, the Youth Zone, for ages 12 and above and the Steve Paske Health Zone, which will be offering free advice and STI Testing throughout the weekend.

The Trans Zone will also return for its second year, headlined once again by trans comedian Bethany Black – and also featuring So So Gay Deputy Editor AJ McKenna in her other job as a performance poet!

Before that, visitors have the opportunity to take part in the annual Newcastle Pride parade, which sets off from the Civic Centre to the Town Moor at midday on Saturday.

Mark Nichols, Chair of Northern Pride, which organises the event, said: ‘This is the biggest Newcastle Pride we’ve ever staged and is now officially the second largest free LGBT festival in the UK. We’re expecting more than 65,000 people to attend over the course of the three days and, with such a wide range of activities on offer, I’m sure there’ll be something to suit every taste and age.’

Newcastle Pride 2014 is free to attend.

Dates and times

Friday 18 July

6.30pm – 10pm – PRIDE IN THE CITY stage @Times Square
7.15pm – 9.15pm – MAIN STAGE @ Town Moor – Champagne and Showtunes

Saturday 19 July

Noon – parade from Newcastle Civic Centre to the Town Moor
12.15pm – 2pm – MAIN STAGE @ Town Moor – Gaynor Marshall, Opening Speeches, Northern Proud Voices, Allan Jay
2pm – 4pm – MAIN STAGE @ Town Moor – Kelly Wilde, Rihanna Reloaded, Betty Legs Diamond, Eliza Doe
4pm – 6pm – MAIN STAGE @ Town Moor – Faye Tozer, Joseph Whelan, Sinitta, Shayne Ward

There will also be stalls, a fairground and various other entertainment zones running throughout the afternoon, along with additional entertainment at the Pride in the City stage (Times Square) from 6.30pm until 10pm, with a candlelit vigil taking place at 9pm.

Sunday 20 July

11am – 1pm – MAIN STAGE @Town Moor – Pride Radio DJ, Totally GAGA, Kerrianne Covall
1pm – 3pm – MAIN STAGE @Town Moor -Jo O’Meara, Lorraine Crosby, Jersey 4, FriXion, Lloyd Daniels
3pm – 5pm – MAIN STAGE @Town Moor -Tess Tickle & The Draggets, Angie Brown, Vengaboys

There will also be stalls, a fairground and various other entertainment zones running throughout the afternoon, with additional entertainment at the Pride in the City stage (Times Square) from 5.30pm until 8.30pm.