Silver Pride 2021

Now in its second year, Silver Pride is a unique online festival that celebrates older LGBT+ people and generates intergenerational communication.

Over three days of summer, Silver Pride presents a smorgasbord of guests, sessions and events. Broadway and Hollywood star Alan Cumming is our “opening gala” guest; our Big Saturday Interview is with actress Michelle Hardwick, currently appearing in Emmerdale; and actor and writer Simon Callow will be in conversation with theatre director Robert Hastie.

Photographer Sunil Gupta will give the Silver Pride Keynote, discussing his life and work, while best-selling crime writer Val McDermid will be in conversation with Radio 4’s Paddy O’Connell about the intersection between class and sexuality.

Bright Light Bright Light will be playing an exclusive DJ set while Queer Ears’ Leftfield Jukebox platforms queer artist and composer Yann Novak and Birmingham-based Iain Armstrong.

Michelle Hardwick said: “I’m thrilled to be part of such an exciting line-up for Silver Pride 2021. Times have been tough for everyone lately and events like Silver Pride are the perfect antidote to those times. I can’t think of a better way to spend a summer weekend!”

Bright Light Bright Light said: “There is embarrassingly little dialogue between generations in the LGBTQ+ community given that we are only able to live openly because of the protests, actions and hard work of older generations. It’s lovely to be asked to be part of Silver Pride and not only dive into the musical world of some of the artists who created the space for future artists – queer and otherwise – but also to be part of something focusing on and honouring the generations above – many of whom were lost to AIDS, and those still with us deserve to be celebrated.”

Running July 30 and 31 & August 1, Silver Pride includes panel discussions, a cookalong and a singalong. Straight Jacket author Matthew Todd and novelist Matt Cain will discuss their work, and there will even be a lock-in as writers Paul Flynn and Jeremy Atherton-Lin discuss the pivotal place of the pub in the gay experience.

The programme also features specially commissioned films: Drag Queen Story Hours, This is Me and, a sneak preview of Maisie, Lee Cooper’s documentary about Britain’s oldest drag artiste.

Other guests include Britain’s first out Muslim drag queen Asifa Lahore, New York’s king of gossip Ben Widdicombe, and Gogglebox’s Stephen Webb.

With this year’s theme ‘everyday heroes’, Silver Pride is a celebration of the heroism that LGBT+ people show in order just to live their authentic lives. It is also a commemoration of those who went before us – those who marched and fought and campaigned and died for the freedoms we enjoy today.

Silver Pride Founder Craig Burton said: “We want to create conversations about and generate noise around the lives of older LGBT+ folks, as well as promoting intergenerational communication. These ambitions are reflected in our programme: it’s aimed at older people but there really is something for everyone.”

Burton adds: “We’ve made tickets free this year because we want to make the festival as accessible as possible – though we hope folks will consider donating what they can afford so Silver Pride can support grassroots LGBT+ groups and organisations across the UK.”

All donations will go to a special Silver Pride fund, being overseen by the LGBT Consortium, and will be distributed to groups catering for older LGBT+ people and creating much-needed community.

Silver Pride runs July 30 – August 1.

For more information on Silver Pride, including news on new guests, how to get tickets and how to donate, go to www.silverprideuk.com or follow us on Twitter @silverprideuk or on Instagram @silverprideuk or on Facebook: search for silverprideuk

 

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