King's Lynn and West Norfolk Pride
 | |
 The annual Pride parade entering The Walks, King's Lynn. | |
 Area served by King's Lynn and West Norfolk Pride | |
| Founded | 2018 |
|---|---|
| Founders | Darren Whiley, Francis Bone, Jo Rust. |
| Purpose | Championing the inclusion of LGBTQIA+ individuals in King's Lynn & West Norfolk |
Region | King's Lynn & West Norfolk |
Chairperson | Darren Whiley |
Key people | Darren Whiley, Francis Bone, Jo Rust, Nathan Pearson
|
| Website | klwnpride |
King's Lynn and West Norfolk Pride is a community organisation in the town of King's Lynn, England, intended to serve the borough of King's Lynn and West Norfolk. They also organise an annual LGBTQIA+ pride parade through King's Lynn, and a free festival in The Walks.
History
King's Lynn Pride was first established when founders Darren Whiley, Francis Bone and Jo Rust attended Norwich Pride in 2017, and decided to host an event for King's Lynn while on the journey home. Josh Elms joined the organisation shortly after. This coincided with a peak in popularity for Norwich Pride, which saw over 10,000 people attend its 10th anniversary event in July 2018. Rust has stated that the event was not intended as a protest but instead as a celebration, and Elms has spoken on the event's intention to highlight that West Norfolk, which is more rural than Norwich, "has a diversity and a rich community".[1]
The organisation now works throughout the year to support the local LGBTQIA+ community through events, resources and advocacy. King's Lynn and West Norfolk Pride is currently an unregistered charity in the process of becoming a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO).
While the organisation hosts an annual pride celebration, it operates year-round to improve visibility, equality, and awareness for the LGBTQIA+ community in King's Lynn and West Norfolk, providing meaningful community events and support throughout the year.[2]
Events
2018
The first King's Lynn Pride took place on 18 August 2018, with 600 people expected to turn out. Organisers described the actual number of attendees as "unprecedented",[1] an estimated 1,000 people attending according to Elms, over double the number expected. According to online analytics, over 50% of attendees were from West Norfolk and 40% were specifically from King's Lynn.[3]
2019
The 2019 event took place on 17 August.[3]
2020-2021
King's Lynn Pride was cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. An online pride was held in it's place.
2022
The event returned in 2022 with a turnout of around 2,500 people. The event was hosted by drag queen Titania Trust and supported by West Norfolk Police.[4]
2023
The 2023 event took place on the 19th of August.
2024
The 2024 parade, now under the name King's Lynn and West Norfolk Pride, took place on 20 August, again hosted by Titania Trust. It began at 10am in the Tuesday Market Place and included a parade through King's Lynn's town centre and a free festival at the Walks. An after-party until the early morning also took place.[5]
2025
The 2025 Pride celebration was attended with great success, with attendees coming from as far as Manchester. The event was hosted by drag performer Bigg Taystee.
References
- ^ a b "King's Lynn Pride parade 'unprecedented'". BBC News. 18 August 2018. Retrieved 25 November 2024.
- ^ "KLWN Pride | LGBTQIA+ Support, Events & Community in King's Lynn & West Norfolk". 29 May 2025. Retrieved 13 February 2026.
- ^ a b "King's Lynn Pride parade hailed a huge success". BBC News. 19 August 2018. Retrieved 25 November 2024.
- ^ "King's Lynn Pride event attended by thousands". BBC News. 21 August 2022. Retrieved 25 November 2024.
- ^ Devlin, Laura (17 August 2024). "King's Lynn to celebrate Pride with parade and festival". BBC News. Retrieved 25 November 2024.