Buildings to be lit up in rainbow colours to mark cancelled Leeds Pride 2020 parade

The annual LGBT celebrations were due to take place on Sunday, August 2 but were cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Leeds City Council will be celebrating the LGBT+ in Leeds by lighting up civic buildings.

It will also proudly be flying the pride, bi and trans flags.

Organisers of Leeds Pride are encouraging people to celebrate at home and to tag #LeedsPrideAtHome on social media.

The council have reminded people who are heading into the city centre to plan ahead as most venues have reduced capacity.

Councillor Jonathan Pryor, Leeds City Council’s executive board member for learning, skills, employment and equality said: "It has been fantastic to see how Leeds Pride has grown over the past 15 years and it has become such an important event for the city.

"Although the celebrations will be quieter this year, our commitment to supporting the LGBT+ community is louder than ever and we are proud to fly the pride, bi and trans flags from our civic buildings and light them up in the colours of the rainbow.

"Leeds is an inclusive and diverse city and we will continue to work hard to ensure everyone feels welcome here. I urge anyone who is celebrating this weekend to do so safely and sensibly."

Lord Mayor of Leeds, Councillor Eileen Taylor said: "Leeds Pride is one of the real highlights in our city’s events calendar and it is a huge shame that this year’s had to be cancelled, although that was of course the right decision to make in these unprecedented circumstances.

"I hope to see the celebrations back next year, bigger and better than ever before."

Councillor Hannah Bithell, Leeds City Council’s LGBT+ Champion said: "It is a shame Leeds Pride could not go ahead this weekend, especially as 2020 marks the 50th anniversary of the first major Pride march in New York in 1970.

"Leeds Pride is a fantastic celebration of our LGBT+ communities, is free to everyone, and continues to develop each year.

"I know the event will continue to grow as soon as it is able to, but for now we must celebrate differently in order to keep everyone safe."

Leeds Pride is set to return on August 1 2021.

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Thank you

Laura Collins