Council urged to ensure return of Wakefield Pride

Wakefield Council has been urged to help ensure the city's Pride festival returns later this year.

The 2025 festival was due to take place at Thornes Park on 2 and 3 August but was cancelled after what organisers said was a "catastrophic" loss of grants and sponsorship.

Addressing a full council meeting on Wednesday, Independent councillor Martin Roberts asked what was being done to ensure the "vital event" - which celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2024 - would return.

In response, Hannah Appleyard, cabinet member for culture, leisure and sport, said it was important for the city "to be inclusive and to celebrate everybody in our society."

The 2025 event was due to coincide with the Good Times Festival with artists including Blazin' Squad and Toploader due to perform.

However, in July, organisers said statement they had had to take the "difficult decision" to postpone until 2026, after funding they were relying on was pulled.

"Despite frantic and extensive efforts by the team we have been unable to secure additional financial backing to keep the event afloat," they added.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Roberts said: "Last year, we did see that Wakefield Pride didn't take place.

"What is the council doing to ensure that it does take place, because I think it was a vital event lost from last year's calendar?

"I think it further needs to be reinforced, because we are seeing councils that do have an agenda of cancelling them, and see that aspect of cultural life being cancelled out."

Appleyard said cabinet members had previously been involved in the supporting Pride and they would "look to see that we can get that event".

She said: "I couldn't agree more, it was a loss and we are certainly not a party that would support losing Pride.

"It was a loss last year, there was a lot of complications as to the reasons why it didn't go ahead.

"I think now, more than ever, we really, really need to be inclusive and to celebrate everybody in our society."

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