Herts Pride

26/10/2026

❤️WORLD AIDS DAY 2026 ❤️

WHY WILL YOU WEAR THE RED RIBBON?

Join Herts Pride for a special evening of remembrance, live entertainment and fundraising in support of National AIDS Trust.

Together, we can raise vital funds, challenge HIV stigma and discrimination, remember those we have lost and celebrate the progress made in HIV prevention and treatment.

📅 Saturday 28 November 2026
🕖 7pm–11pm
📍 MPAA, Bushey, Hertfordshire
🎟️ Tickets £15 + booking fee

Enjoy live entertainment, a light buffet and a fundraising raffle!

❤️ All proceeds after event costs will be donated to National AIDS Trust.

🎟️ BOOK YOUR TICKETS NOW!

https://wegottickets.com/f/29955/

Advance booking only – no tickets available on the door. Everyone is welcome!

❤️ Come together, show your support and help make a difference.

World AIDS Day 2026 – Hertsmere Why Will You Wear the Red Ribbon? Join Herts Pride on Saturday 28 November 2026 for a special evening of remembrance, entertainment and fundraising in support of National AIDS Trust. World AIDS Day brings us together to remember those we have lost to HIV/AIDS, celeb...

16/10/2026

Here's a stat that stopped us in our tracks.

Of all hate crime strands, transgender hate crime had the highest share with an online element: 16%.

Hate follows trans people into their pockets, not just their streets.

Now add racism. A trans person of colour can be targeted for two parts of who they are at the same time. Officially, 6% of hate crimes involve more than one motivation, and that only counts what gets flagged.

The numbers say recorded trans hate crime fell 4%. The people say reporting still feels risky.

Believe people. Back them up. Be the safe person in the room.

Find out more about National Hate Crime Awareness Week: https://buff.ly/lXdz4JO

15/10/2026

April 1999. Three bombs in two weeks.

Brixton. Brick Lane. Soho.

One attacker. Three communities: Black, Asian and LGBTQ+. His aim was a race war.

The last bomb went off in a gay pub, the Admiral Duncan, killing three people.

That's the history behind National Hate Crime Awareness Week, and it's why we say racism and homophobia aren't separate fights.

Recorded sexual orientation hate crime dipped 1% last year, but part of the long-term fall is down to counting rules, and plenty goes unreported.

If you're LGBTQ+ and a person of colour, you may be hit by both at once.

At Ask For Clive, everyone deserves to be taken seriously when they ask for help. The Ask For Clive: Everyone Is Welcome training gives hospitality teams the practical skills and confidence to recognise vulnerability, respond appropriately, and create safer, more inclusive venues for everyone.

Register your venue today with Ask For Clive at www.askforclive.com

13/10/2026

Lets start with the number nobody should look away from.

107,926.

That's how many race hate crimes police recorded in England and Wales last year. It's 3 in every 4 hate crimes. Excluding the Met, it's the highest total since records began.

This , the national candle is lit for those targeted by race hate crime, including asylum seekers and refugees.

Here's why we're starting here. Racism doesn't stay in its lane. Over the next four days we'll show how it runs through faith, sexuality, gender identity and disability too.

Stick with us. This is for everyone.

To find out more about National Hate Crime Awareness Week go to : https://buff.ly/lXdz4JO

02/09/2026

🏳️‍🌈 PRIDE — I laughed. I cried. I remembered. I reflected. 🏳️‍🌈

Earlier this year, one of my sisters gave me a very special birthday present — tickets to see Pride at the Dorfman Theatre at the National Theatre.

I knew the story. I loved the film. I knew much of the history.

But seeing it brought to life on stage resonated with me on so many levels.

I laughed. I cried. I remembered. I reflected.

Pride takes us back to 1984 and the extraordinary true story of Le****ns and G**s Support the Miners (LGSM) — LGBTQ+ people standing in solidarity with striking miners and their families, and two communities discovering that they had far more in common than perhaps either initially imagined.

But 1984 also takes us back to another chapter in our history.

HIV and AIDS.

For gay men in particular, the years that followed brought unimaginable loss.

A generation watched friends, partners, lovers and members of their community become ill and die. So many lives cut desperately short.

And alongside the illness came something else: fear, ignorance, stigma, discrimination and prejudice.

Gay and bisexual men were blamed and vilified. People living with HIV faced rejection, hostility and isolation at precisely the time when they most needed compassion, dignity and support.

Watching Pride, I remembered them.

So many lost souls.

People who should have had the opportunity to grow older. To experience everything that subsequent generations have experienced. To see how our community and our society would change.

For me, HIV is not simply a chapter in LGBTQ+ history to be looked back upon. It remains part of the lived experience of our community today, and something about which I care very deeply.

Because while the medical story of HIV has changed beyond recognition, the human story isn’t over.

Today, with effective treatment, people living with HIV can live long and healthy lives. Undetectable = Untransmittable (U=U) means that someone living with HIV who has a sustained undetectable viral load cannot sexually transmit the virus.

Yet despite everything we now know, HIV stigma still exists.

People living with HIV can still encounter ignorance, judgement, rejection and discrimination. Sometimes the language has changed, sometimes it is more subtle — but prejudice has not disappeared.

And that made me reflect on an even bigger question.

Has society changed?

Absolutely.

We have achieved things that many LGBTQ+ people living in 1984 could scarcely have imagined.

But then comes the question we still hear:

Do we still need Pride?

Yes.

Because progress does not mean prejudice has disappeared.

Because equality should never be taken for granted.

And because sometimes the greatest danger is forgetting how the freedoms we have today were achieved in the first place.

They were achieved because people stood up.

People marched.

People protested.

People cared for one another.

People refused to remain invisible.

And, as the story of LGSM demonstrates so beautifully, people stood in solidarity with communities other than their own.

That, for me, is one of the most powerful messages of Pride.

Pride isn’t simply a celebration.

Pride remembers. Pride educates. Pride challenges prejudice. Pride creates community. Pride stands in solidarity with others.

That is why Pride mattered then.

And that is why Pride still matters today.

I am absolutely delighted that this amazing, fabulous and deeply inspiring production is returning to London at the Bridge Theatre.

If you have the opportunity to see it, I cannot recommend it highly enough.

Some theatre entertains you.

Some theatre stays with you.

This stayed with me. 🏳️‍🌈❤️

https://www.bridgetheatre.co.uk/whats-on/pride/

Booking is now open to Priority Members, Advance Members and Access List members for Pride. Public booking opens Wednesday 2 September, 10am Our phone lines are currently very busy. Wait times are longer than usual

23/08/2026

📅 SAVE THE DATE! 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️

HERTS PRIDE 2027 IS COMING! 🎉

📍 Cassiobury Park, Watford
📅 Saturday 21 August 2027
⏰ 12pm – 10pm

Get the date in your diaries now — we’ll be back for another incredible day of Pride, community, celebration and togetherness! 🌈❤️

More details coming soon… 👀

22/08/2026

🏳️‍🌈✨ TODAY’S THE DAY — HERTS PRIDE 2026! ✨🏳️‍⚧️

Good morning Hertfordshire! 💜🌈

After months of planning, organising and probably far too little sleep… Herts Pride is finally here!

Our team is now on site at Cassiobury Park getting everything ready to welcome you. From this morning, we may not be able to respond to every Facebook comment, DM or message — please bear with us! We’re a small team and today our focus has to be on delivering a safe, welcoming and fabulous Pride for everyone. ❤️

So, here’s everything you need to know in a nutshell…

📍 Cassiobury Park, Watford
📅 Saturday 22 August 2026
🕛 12pm–10pm
🌿 Wellbeing, community and market areas run until around 6pm, with entertainment continuing into the evening.

🎟️ TICKETS

You can still join us — tickets are available on the day!

🌈 Adults — £15
🌈 Ages 13–17 — £10
🌈 Family Ticket — £35
🌈 Under 13s — FREE

💷💳 Cash and card payments are accepted at the Herts Pride ticket entrance.

Under 16s must be accompanied by a responsible adult.

🔞 CHALLENGE 25

Herts Pride operates a Challenge 25 policy.

If you’re lucky enough to look under 25, you may be asked to provide valid photo ID when purchasing alcohol. Please bring appropriate ID with you — no ID may mean no sale.

🛡️ SECURITY & ENTRY

Our SIA security team will be carrying out entry and bag searches, so please allow a little extra time when arriving.

🚫 Alcohol cannot be brought into the event or taken out of the event.

Please follow the instructions of our security team and event staff — these measures are there to help keep everyone safe.

♿ ACCESSIBILITY & INCLUSION

We want Herts Pride to be as welcoming and accessible as possible.

Accessible facilities include an AccessoLoo, accessible toilet provision and accessible viewing provision.

If you have any questions about accessibility when you arrive, please speak to a member of the Herts Pride team and we’ll be happy to direct you to the accessible facilities and arrangements available on site. 💜

🎪 THERE’S SO MUCH TO EXPLORE!

Alongside a fantastic programme of entertainment, you’ll find our Wellbeing, Community, Market, Family & Youth, Sports, Emergency Services and Entertainment areas, plus our Dog Show, funfair, food and more.

Take some time to explore the whole site — there are some brilliant organisations, charities, community groups, traders and partners joining us today. 🌈

☀️ COME PREPARED

We’re outdoors in Cassiobury Park, so dress for the weather, wear comfortable shoes and remember any essentials you might need during the day.

💜 MOST IMPORTANTLY — COME AS YOU ARE.

Herts Pride is about celebrating who we are, connecting with one another, finding support, having fun and showing that Hertfordshire is a place where our LGBTQ+ community can not only be visible — but Pride & Thrive.

Please be kind to our volunteers, security teams, traders, performers, partners and each other. So many people have worked incredibly hard to make today possible.

After all the planning, it’s finally time to open the gates and celebrate with you. 🥹🌈

🏳️‍🌈 Welcome to Herts Pride 2026.
🏳️‍⚧️ Welcome to .

SEE YOU AT 12! 🌈🎉💜

21/08/2026

Lead Wellbeing sponsor - Holland and Barrett

Are giving you an exclusive discount – valid on their app or website from this Saturday until 6th September! T’s & C’s apply.

Holland and Barrett are proud to be the Lead Wellbeing sponsor at this year’s Herts Pride and cannot wait to welcome you on the day. Pop along and say hello, and you can learn more about how to support your health & wellbeing journey with one of our Qualified to Advise experts on the day!

Plus, we’ll be giving away lots of freebies, and there’s a chance for you to WIN BIG with on our Spin to Win – we’ll be serving wellness all day – see you there! 🌈❤️

21/08/2026

A gentle reminder for anyone choosing to leave abusive, discriminatory or hateful comments on Herts Pride posts. 🌈

We absolutely believe in freedom of speech. People are entitled to hold different opinions, disagree with us and even disagree with Pride. But freedom of speech is not a free pass to threaten, harass or spread hatred towards other people.

It’s also worth remembering that your personal social media presence may, in some circumstances, be linked to the organisation you work for. Many employers have codes of conduct, social media policies and Equality, Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging policies which can apply to behaviour outside the workplace where it affects colleagues, communities or the reputation of the organisation.

And where online behaviour crosses the line into threatening or abusive communications motivated by hostility towards sexual orientation or transgender identity, it may also be appropriate for that behaviour to be reported to the relevant authorities.

For those who have particularly strong opinions about Herts Pride, you’re welcome to come along tomorrow and see for yourself what our event is actually about. I’ll be there all day and I’m always happy to have a respectful conversation face-to-face. 😊

Disagreement is fine. Debate is fine. Different opinions are fine.

Hate isn’t.

Herts Pride will continue to stand proudly for equality, inclusion and the right of LGBTQ+ people to live openly, safely and without fear. 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️