Bracknell Forest Pride 2025

Over the weekend, Bracknell Forest Council shared a post on social media advertising activities at Bracknell Forest Pride on 7 June. The post included the full name of the compere, a drag artist who has been at previous community and family events.

Our previous information has only included the first name of the drag artist, Fonda. We were planning to share only that name in our other publicity.

However, a human error occurred and a previously discarded poster with the full name was shared. We apologise for this human error.

It should be noted that this was only shared on social media sites that require people to be 13 years old to sign up. It was not shared elsewhere and certainly not where small children would see it.

We understand that some people are upset about the person’s stage name. However it is not unusual for drag artists, like pantomime dames, to have a name that is a double entendre.

Due to this upset, we will make sure the rest of our publicity only uses Fonda. We have double-checked our scheduled posts and other assets today. Additionally, we can confirm the compere has been briefed to provide family friendly content at the event. The same applies to all the other acts and entertainers.

Celebrate Bracknell Forest Pride on Saturday 7 June

In partnership with The Lexicon, we are excited about the return of Bracknell Pride for its third year! Bracknell Pride is an open, welcoming community event.  It’s a celebration of inclusion, hope and love, for everyone. With more music, stalls and colour, 2025 promises to be our biggest event ever.

Celebrate with us on Saturday 7 June 2025 from 11am until 7pm. Food stalls, free music and entertainment will help to make this an unmissable day for all.

Pride is an annual celebration of LGBTQIA+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (or sometimes questioning), intersex, asexual, and others) communities all around the world.

LGBTQIA+ people still face unacceptable stigma and discrimination just simply for being themselves. We continue to see homophobia, biphobia and transphobia today. 

Pride recognises LGBTQIA+ people, their history and their fight for equality. Pride month is marked around the world to promote acceptance and the right to be yourself. 

More information on Pride is available on the BBC’s website.

Pride raises awareness of important topics like inclusion and LGBTQIA+ rights. 

Pride began after the 1969 Stonewall riots. The Stonewall riots were important protests that took place in 1969 in the USA. It changed gay rights for a lot of people in America and around the world.

The first Pride marches started the following year, on 28 June 1970, to commemorate the riot. These one-day celebrations eventually evolved into a full month.

Today Pride helps to create safe spaces, build support and remind us that there is still work to do. It is a deeply meaningful and moving time which holds great significance for the LGBTQIA+ community.

Pride helps everyone to feel welcome and valued in their community. Events like our Pride parade bring people together, raises awareness and shows that our town supports equality. 

Celebrating Pride makes our community stronger and more inclusive for everyone.

Parade starts at 11:45am

The parade will start at 11:45am outside Easthampstead Works.

The parade will proceed through the town before finishing at midday in Bond Square. Why not make a sign and join in!

What's on

Bracknell Forest Pride will have:

A range of organisations will be at Pride to offer advice, resources and a friendly space to talk. There will be a ‘quiet hour’ from 11am to midday, where visitors can speak with these groups before acts take to the stage at midday.

Accessibility

BSL interpreters will be on hand for the performances, located at the front right of the stage and facing the audience. We are grateful to Specsavers for sponsoring the BSL interpretation.

The parade will follow a flat and accessible route. The parade route is step-free, fully accessible and disability friendly. It will follow a flat route that is suitable for people with disabilities and those who use mobility scooters and wheelchairs.

There will be a ‘quiet hour’ from 11am to midday without music or announcements.

There will also be a ‘chill zone’ which will feature bean bags and a space to take a break from the events.

This year, Bracknell Forest Pride will take place on Saturday, 7 June from 11am to 7pm.

The event starts at 11am in Bond Square, The Lexicon (between M&S and Waitrose). There will be a ‘quiet hour’ from 11am to midday, where visitors can speak with the support and advice organisations before acts take to the stage at midday.

The last performance will finish at around 7pm.

As well as fabulous music, attendees can get their face painted and enjoy the party atmosphere, free of charge.

Prices apply at food and drink stalls.

Bracknell Forest Pride is free to enter and not ticketed. Everyone is welcome!

Dogs are welcome on site. However, the event can be noisy and there is limited shelter, so discretion is advised.

Children are welcome. This is a family-friendly event, but we do ask that young children be supervised at all times.

This is an outdoor event so please dress appropriately for the weather conditions. You are encouraged to wear as much colour and sparkle as you can!

There are several car parks, including accessible parking spaces, within easy reach of Bond Square. You can find more information about car parking on The Lexicon's parking page. 

Public transport 

The Lexicon is easily reached by all forms of public transport. Visible directional signage to the town centre and The Lexicon is available to follow from the train and bus station.

Once you are in The Lexicon, just follow the party noise! If you are coming by taxi, the closest drop-off point is at Waitrose.

We will have a photographer and a videographer on-site to take photos and film the event. 

These photos will be used for communications and marketing purposes by Bracknell Forest Council, The Lexicon and other partners involved in running Pride.

Partners and sponsors

Bracknell Forest Council, along with local community groups and support organisations, have collaborated to create a fun, inclusive, and family-friendly event. 

We extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who has dedicated their time and energy to support this event. 

Special thanks to our lead sponsors, TD SYNNEX and Bracknell Town Council, and our event partner, The Lexicon, for their generous support.