All the Margate Pride 2024 events you’ll want to check out
Margate Pride will return for its ninth year next month. Always a highlight of the summer calendar, there is, as ever, a great programme of events both on the day and in the run up. Lots will sell out and everyone’s diaries are already getting booked up, so we’ve pulled together everything you might want to check out.
There’s the full Pride itinerary, all the after parties, and the many events you’ll find around town throughout July and early August, before the big event itself on August 10.
Margate Pride Day
The big day is August 10 this year and as ever there is a huge amount going on all over Margate throughout the day and into the night.
Pride Parade
The centrepiece of the whole event, Margate’s Pride Parade always balances celebration and protest well. With no corporate involvement or floats, the focus is entirely on people and the event’s mission statement “to advance equity and justice for LGBTQIA+ people in all communities across Margate and beyond.” Having consistently grown in size every year, it’s advisable to get down early. There will be activities for under 10s from 10am and a dog parade at 11am, before the march gets moving at midday. 12pm, Walpole Bay Lawns, Free. Register to take part in the parade and for priority access to all daytime events.
Dreamland daytime programme
The parade will wind its way through Margate and finish at Dreamland, where a programme of free events has been laid on until 4pm. As well as speeches from activists and queer community leaders - including Margate Black Pride, Parental Acceptance, Queer Refugees Unite - there will be drag performances, live music and the final of queer beauty pageant Mx Margate. 1-4pm, Dreamland, Free. Register for priority access.
Youth Pride
This year will also see the first edition of Margate’s Youth Pride, produced for and by 13-19 year olds. Taking place in Dreamland’s Hall By The Sea venue, it will feature live music, crafting, the final of the Little Mx Margate beauty pageant (hosted by CBBC’s Dr Ronx!) and a Youth Pride march around Dreamland. 2-4.30pm, Hall By The Sea, Free. Register for priority access.
Dreamland Drag Party
The evening at Dreamland will be a exDRAGaganza with performances from big hitters Jodie Harsh, Bimini Bon Boulash and Raven Mandella are the headline names. Margate Pride organiser Amy Zing and Queer House Party's Harry Gay will also be keeping things moving with a b2b DJ set. And, of course, Margate’s amazing family of drag acts will be on stage too, including Dame Jame, Janet District Council, Pretzel Cage, Shelly Grotto and Chai La-They. 6-11pm, £17-£42. Tickets here.
After parties
Want more Pride? Want more party? Carry on at one of the many Pride after parties dotted around town. It’s always tough to choose where to go but pre-booking is strongly advised. Here are our picks.
Margate Pride After Party
The official after party with DJ set from Cockles And Muscles, Back To Ours, Shimmy, Les Beaux and more. Margate Arts Club, 276 Northdown Road, 7pm-2am, £15 OTD (or try your luck on the waiting list).
Queer House Party
Taking over the Lido Cliff Bar this is another sure sell out, so don’t hang around. The headline DJ set here will come from Victoria Peckham and Rita Lin of U OK HUN? Lido Cliff Bar, 1 Ethelbert Terrace, 11pm-4am. Tickets £15.
CAMP Margate Pride After Party
CAMP takes over Margate Leisure Centre with DJ sets from Fèmmme Fraîche’s Michelle Manetti, Angel D’lite, Ms.G, Grace Campling. Margate Leisure Centre, 66 Edgar Road, 9pm-3am. Tickets £20.50.
Adonis
Over at Faith In Strangers, J.Aria, Marie Malarie and Shay Malt from London club night, Adonis will bring sweaty London queer raver vibes to the seaside. Faith In Strangers, 17 Ethelbert Crescent, 6pm-2.30am. Tickets £21.83.
SPICE
Definitely the cheesiest afterparty going but no doubt a lot of fun, Spice Girls tribute act SPICE will be performing at Justine’s. Justine’s, 1-2 Marine Gardens, Doors 7.30pm. Tickets £22.60.
Other events
There are also many events taking place in the run up to Margate Pride Day, with a mixture of celebration, socialising and reminders that Pride is still a protest.
July 6 - Margate Black Pride
Getting us started right away, this is happening today (if you’re reading as soon as we publish). Margate Black Pride takes over the Sun Deck with a DJ set from The Cocoa Butter Club, Mr Wesley Dykes, Shardeazy, DJ Shafire and more. The Sun Deck, Royal Crescent Promenade, 3-10pm. Free, just turn up.
July 18 - Tea Time Socials
This afternoon social event is aimed at “swishy seniors”, bringing together over 55s for tea, coffee, cake and a good chat. Tom Thumb Theatre, 2A Eastern Esplanade, 1-3pm. Free but RSVP.
July 18 - Margate Pride Quiz & Raffle
This always popular fundraising event is back again for another year, hosted by Pussy's Cabaret Collective. There will be a winner, but they’ll have to get through the clay round first. Cliftonville Community Centre, St Paul's Road, 6-10pm. Tickets £10.
31 July & 1 Aug - Banner and bunting making workshop
If you’re gonna march, you’re gonna need a banner. And probably some bunting. Sure, why not? These workshop sessions (four over the course of two days) have you covered. Several crafters will be on hand to help, including people from Queer Knit and Crafty Queers. Turner Contemporary, 10am-12pm & 1pm-3pm. Free, no booking required.
August 2 - Margate Pride Art Map launch
The Pride Art Map is your guide to the 50+ venues all around Margate exhibiting art by local and global queer artists as part of Margate Pride and has all the dates and times etc, for the two-week festival’s events. To mark the map’s launch and to add to the list of things to do, MPAM open call winning artist Liaqat Rasul will exhibit his works in Cliftonville. More details to come.
August 3 - Margate Pride Is A Drag
A special Pride edition of Pretzel Cage and Shelly Grotto’s Is A Drag night featuring Lori Mae, Cesar Gently, Alotta Hell, Mercury Rizing, Shorty, Bratty Sub and Dre. Margate Arts Club, 276 Northdown Road, 8pm-12.30am. Tickets £7-10.
August 5 - Striking With Pride
A movie double bill showing two films highlighting the unlikely alliance between a group of gay activists and a small mining community in a Welsh village during the mid-1980s miners strike. New documentary United At The Coalface will be screened first, following by a Q&A with director Ashley Francis-Roy. Following that will be the warm and moving 2014 comedy film Pride. Ark, Albion Road, 7pm-10pm. Book free tickets.
August 7 - One Thousand Tiny Stories grief workshop
Ahead of a performance of her play A Very Lesbian Love Story, artist and therapist Clare Beloved hosts this workshop. Attendees are invited to share their stories of grief and channel their feelings into something creative. Ark, Albion Road, 2.30-4.30pm. Free but registration required.
August 7 - Chump's Comedy Margate Pride Fundraiser
Just announced yesterday, Chump's comedy night will be hosting a special Margate Pride fundraiser just before the big event, featuring sets from Jodie Mitchell, Frankie Thompson and Sapphire McIntosh. The evening will be hosted by Dominic McGovern. Margate Arts Club, 276 Northdown Road, 7-9.30pm. Tickets £15.
August 8 - A Very Lesbian Love Story
Clare Beloved's one woman show tells the story of her journey - both figurative and literal - following the death of her wife. The monologue is delivered in both her own and her late wife’s words, weaving together a story of love and grief that will strike a chord with many. Ark, Albion Road, 7pm-10pm. Tickets £2-5.
August 8 - FilmPride
More to watch on the big screen, the organisers of The Brighton & Hove Pride Film Festival will be showing a programme of queer short films from around the world and covering a wide range of experiences. Ark, Albion Road, 7pm-10pm. Tickets £2-5.
August 9 - A Note To My Young, Queer Self
What would you tell your younger self about the life ahead of them if you could? For this event, local queer writers will share letters addressed to themselves doing just that, giving an insight into their personal journeys with a mix of sadness and laughter. Turner Contemporary, 7.45-9.20pm. Tickets £1+.