From 27-28 July, the award-winning event is back for a second year
BY YASMIN VINCE, IMAGE BY TRANS PRIDE HASTINGS
Pack your bags and book a ticket to the seaside, Trans Pride Hastings is back! It’s the second year the event will be happening and it will take place over the weekend of the 27-28 July. It made quite the impact last year, taking home the top prize Grassroots Pride of the Year at the Gaydio Pride Awards. For an even bigger and better weekend, the organisers have secured funding from Awards for All and the Arts Council.
Last year, Trans Pride Hastings raised over £7,500 from donations, local business sponsorships and fundraising events. There were fifteen events over eight days, including a march at Brighton Trans Pride that 30,000 people showed up for, a trans museum tour and a craft event for parents and partners. This year, the event has been condensed into one jam-packed weekend. The main events will be the Big Queer Party and Trans Pride Fest. As of 2023, the aim is to make it clear that the trans and non-binary community of Hastings are welcome and loved.
In the run-up to the big weekend, here’s everything you need to know to get yourselves ready.
What’s on each day?
Saturday 27 July – The Big Queer Party, Observer Building, 7 pm-late
This will feature an array of interactive performances, queer storytelling, cabaret and music to dance, so you can show off on the dancefloor.
Sunday 28 July – Trans Pride Fest, Hastings Museum and Art Gallery, 12-6 pm
Completely taking over the museum, attendees can take part in a queer market, a dog pageant, self-defence classes, zine-making workshops, pole dancing, skateboarding and live screen painting.
There will also be a Queer Ass Folk stage, which will feature cabaret performances, and Love You Sew Much, a crafting space that invites trans people and their families to share tips on how best to love and support the community.
Swimming sessions, Summerfields pool, 12-2 pm
From 12-1 pm, there will be a trans-only free swimming session at the pool right next door to Hastings Museum. From 1-2 pm, friends and family will be invited to join as well.
There will be other satellite events put on in collaboration with local businesses. Keep an eye out for a series of Paper Protest Workshops, where you can build a self-portrait automata. They also plan to march again at Trans Pride Brighton on 20 July.
Who’s performing at the Big Queer Party?
A cabaret show will be hosted by Krishna Istha, a comedian who has written for the hit teen TV show Sex Education and was featured on Hannah Gadsby’s Netflix special Gender Agenda. The show itself will feature Dairy King and Ms Sharon Le Grand.
There will also be interactive performances from gothic twins Mastolf and Mastej, The Drakes and Luc Grey.
DJ Suzi Mix will be setting the tone music-wise before St Leonards-based DJ Sarah Buller closes out the night.
What have the organisers said?
Co-organisers Zed and Victoria have both expressed a wish for the event to act as a place where the trans community can be celebrated.
Zed said: “It’s a very difficult time for our community politically and so we are interested in curating joyful experiences that empower local trans and non-binary folk.”
Victoria added: “It has never been more important to support the trans and non-binary community. Trans Pride Hastings exists not just to offer fun, affirming and empowering experiences, but to make it very clear that trans and non-binary folk are welcome, celebrated and most importantly loved.”
You can find out more here: transpridehastings.uk
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