Change to long-standing free event comes as organisers battle tighter budgets
For nearly two decades Pride in Gloucestershire has been a free, open celebration in Gloucester Park. That will change this year: organisers have announced the festival will introduce ticketed entry for the 20th anniversary event on 12 September.
Advance adult tickets are being set at £8, with on-the-day adult entry costing £10. Concessions are available for younger people, and the promoters have created a higher-tier ticket for those able and willing to subsidise the cost of staging the festival.
| Ticket type | Price |
|---|---|
| Adult (advance) | £8 |
| Adult (on the day) | £10 |
| Under-16 (advance) | £5 |
| True cost supporter | £42.50 |
Line-up aims to mark anniversary with bigger acts
The headline performer announced for the park is Nadine Coyle, formerly of Girls Aloud. The billed line-up also includes novelty and variety acts such as the Cheeky Girls and performers from RuPaul's Drag Race, alongside other named artists.
The day's schedule will include a march starting from the cathedral at 11:00 BST, followed by the ticketed festival in Gloucester Park from 12:00 to 20:30 on the same day.
Organisers cite rising costs and shrinking sponsorship
Richard Stevens, chair of the Pride in Gloucestershire committee, said the move was a difficult but necessary step after a period of increasing costs and dwindling external funding. The group has also been running community-focused programming and said it wanted to enlarge the main stage offering for the anniversary.
"We have made the tough decision to charge entry due to rising costs and dwindling funding from grants and corporate sponsorship,"
Last year organisers appealed for donations after facing a budget shortfall of £25,000. They say the funding landscape has been difficult for a number of years, with more groups competing for a smaller pool of grants and fewer companies willing to sponsor events.
Measures to keep Pride accessible
Organisers have emphasised they do not want to exclude people. To that end they are running a pay-it-forward scheme to enable people who cannot afford full-price tickets to attend, and there are cheaper options for under-16s.
- March starts at Gloucester Cathedral at 11:00 BST.
- Park event runs 12:00–20:30 on 12 September.
- Advance and concession tickets available, plus supporter option.
The change reflects a wider challenge facing many community festivals: balancing ambition and sustainability while trying to remain inclusive. For residents planning to attend, buying advance tickets is likely to be cheaper and helps organisers plan for numbers on the day.
More information and ticket details are being managed by the Pride in Gloucestershire team; those who may struggle to afford a ticket are encouraged to look into the pay-it-forward scheme when it becomes available.
