Kendal Pride introduces new parade and opportunities for artists for 2026 event

Kendal Pride is set to feature its first-ever procession this year, along with new opportunities for artists and communities, supported by a grant from Arts Council England.

The festival will take over the Cumbrian town from 12th June to 14th June, with this year’s theme, 'this is home.'

In addition to the new procession, the festival's Sunday programme will expand to include acoustic live performances.

The procession will depart from the Birdcage in the town centre on the morning of Saturday, 13th June, following a route along the riverbank to the Pride Village at Abbot Hall.

The grounds of Abbot Hall will be filled with entertainment, stalls, food vendors, family activities, and a climbing wall throughout Saturday.

The main stage will be hosted by drag queen Viola from RuPaul’s Drag Race UK.

The annual Big Pride Party will return to The Venue at Bowness Bay Brewery on Saturday evening with performances from drag queen Aura Gasm, drag king Adam All, and vogue dancer Eric Scurato.

Sunday, 14th June, will be a more relaxed affair with acoustic performances to close the weekend.

Luis Martins, chief executive officer of Lakeland Arts, shared his excitement about hosting Kendal Pride at Abbot Hall, with an emphasis on providing accessible arts and culture.

Ahead of the festival, three primary schools will contribute artwork for the procession and pupils will perform a special song.

The festival will provide a platform for emerging queer performers on the Drag Lab Soapbox stage and commission new queer performance and visual artworks to be showcased at Abbot Hall.

Sally Lofthouse-Jones, chairperson of Kendal Pride, expressed gratitude to funders and sponsors for their support while encouraging volunteers to join the event.

Volunteers will receive a Kendal Pride t-shirt and a free ticket to the Big Pride Party.