Electric Pink Voices

24/07/2026

Wish you were q***r. 💌

The forecast appears to be:
sunny spells, rising temperatures, and a strong chance of us thinking about Blackpool.

So here’s a postcard from the seaside.

A little bit of sunshine.
A little bit of camp.
A donkey, obviously.

Hand in Hand Festival
13–15 August 2027
Blackpool

More to come.

24/07/2026

We’ve started something new.

Letters from Blackpool is our behind-the-scenes series from the people helping shape Hand in Hand Festival Blackpool 2027.

Over the coming year, we’ll be sharing personal reflections from the team, local hosts and people building the festival with us — not just the polished updates, but the thinking, care, learning and graft behind the scenes.

The first letter is from Mark Hubbard, Joint Festival Director.

In Why we’re building this together, Mark reflects on what Bristol 2024 taught us, why Blackpool 2027 already feels real, and what it means to carry Hand in Hand forward with care.

Read Mark’s letter here: https://handinhandfestival.org/news-updates-announcements/community-updates/why-were-building-this-together/

Because Hand in Hand is not built by one person, one choir, or one city.

It is built through trust, friendship, shared work, spreadsheets, nerves, laughter, volunteers, performers, local knowledge, and a community that keeps showing up.

This is our first Letter from Blackpool.

And we’re so glad we’re building this together.

Mark reflects on the journey from Bristol to Blackpool, the care behind the scenes, and what it means to build the next Hand in Hand Festival together.

24/07/2026

34 choirs have already said yes to Blackpool.

From Glasgow to Cork, Newcastle to Cornwall, LGBTQ+ choirs across the UK and Ireland are getting ready to come together for one extraordinary weekend.

Every pink light is a choir bringing its own sound, stories and people to Hand in Hand Festival 2027.

And there is still room for yours.

Early Bird choir registration is open until 31 August 2026.

Hand in Hand Festival
13–15 August 2027
Blackpool



Contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data 2025. Credit: European Union, Copernicus Sentinel-3 imagery.

02/07/2026

Just back from a weekend like that…
Or watching it unfold from afar.
Or hearing the stories, seeing the photos, and feeling that little spark of:
yes — this is why we do this.

Because when LGBTQ+ choirs gather, something happens.

People find each other.
Voices get braver.
Rooms feel bigger.
Joy gets louder.

And then everyone carries a little bit of it home.

Hold on to that feeling.

In rehearsal rooms.
In group chats.
In the people asking, “When do we get to do that again?”

This is where it begins.

29/06/2026

You think it’s about singing.
And it is — at first.
But then it becomes about the chats before rehearsal.
The pub after.
The check-ins when life’s a bit wobbly.
The people who notice when you’re not there.
The people who make space for you when you are.
Somewhere along the way, it stops being a hobby.
And starts being… your people.

25/06/2026

21/06/2026

Yas QWEEN!! We love our bagachipz you can come anytime Baga. No auditions! Bring your diva mates dragraceukbbc And we’ll get the Cornettos in (other icy-creams available) 😆🎶🤩

21/06/2026

Well looky here at who we got to meet backstage AND THEN share the stage with…. It’s only bloomin’ Harry Clayton-Wright 🩷 the actual and Garth Gratrix 🩷 artist extraordinaire and founding director of abingdonstudios_projectspace with our inspirational (he will hate that😆) Musical Director Phill Fairhurst and our own rather fabulous

🤩🤩🤩 star eye emoji doesn’t even cover it!

garthgratrix