Known very well in the U.K. but not as well outside of the country, Blackpool is a British coastal resort town (population 140,000) on the Irish Sea, north of Liverpool and northwest of Manchester (England's major gay hub after London). Very steadily over the past two decades, it's become Northern England's premier gay and lesbian beach destination, and the weekend of June 8 and 9, 2013, the city hosts Blackpool Pride Festival, a lively series of parties, concerts, and gatherings.
Book rooms and compare rates on hotels in Blackpool during Gay Pride.
More on Blackpool Pride 2013 will be posted here as information becomes available. Here's a look at last year's event:
The Blackpool Gay Pride Festival takes place at North Pier, starting at noon, on Saturday and features dozens of community and retail market stalls and a host of great performers, including Angie Brown, Ikenna, Tina Cousins, Kaos Theory, Scooch, Toyah, Hazell Dean, and many others.
The city's many gay-popular restaurants and bars, gay hotels, and shops have special events and parties throughout Pride Weekend. Check local gay resources, such as Blackpool's online Gay Guide, for details. Also check out the excellent GLBT site at Visit Blackpool, the region's official tourism organization.
