Call for council to help get ‘vital’ Pride event returned to Wakefield
Last year's Pride was cancelled after organisers ran into financial issues
Wakefield Council has been urged to help ensure the city’s Pride festival returns later this year.
The 2025 festival was cancelled after organisers said they had suffered a “catastrophic” loss of grants and sponsorship.
Wakefield Pride and the Good Times Festival, was due to take place at Thornes Park on 2 and 3 August last year, but both were postponed until 2026.
Both days were expected feature a different line-up of artists including Blazin’ Squad and Toploader.
At the time, ticket holders were offered refunds or the chance to keep their ticket for 2026 event, Wakefield Pride said.
A request for the local authority to support the event was made at a full council meeting during a discussion about events held across the district.
Martin Roberts, a member of the council’s Unity opposition group, asked Hannah Appleyard, the Labour-run council’s cabinet member for culture, leisure and sport: “Last year, we did see that Wakefield Pride didn’t take place.
“What is the council doing to ensure that it does take place, because I think it was a vital event lost from last year’s calendar?
“I think it further needs to be reinforced, because we are seeing councils that do have an agenda of cancelling them, and see that aspect of cultural life being cancelled out.”
Coun Appleyard said cabinet members had previously been involved in the supporting Pride and they would “look to see that we can get that event.
She said: “I couldn’t agree more, it was a loss and we are certainly not a party that would support losing Pride.
“It was a loss last year, there was a lot of complications as to the reasons why it didn’t go ahead.
“I think now, more than ever, we really, really need to be inclusive and to celebrate everybody in our society.”
In July last year, organisers said in a statement they had had to take the “difficult decision” to postpone until 2026, after funding they were relying on was pulled.
“Despite frantic and extensive efforts by the team we have been unable to secure additional financial backing to keep the event afloat,” they added.
A licensing application submitted to the council last June said Wakefield Pride had partnered with the Good Times Festival, which was intended as a new event designed to act as a fundraiser to keep Sunday’s Pride free to attend.
The application also requested a change of venue for the event, which has been held in the city centre in previous years with a stage in Trinity Walk.
Wakefield Pride said it had been working for over a year to deliver the weekend “with costings totalling over £265,000.”
“This has been entirely funded by our committee and partners.
“A catastrophic loss of grants and sponsorships in the 11th hour that were promised this year meant the support we have had in previous years has melted away and we cannot proceed.”
It added: “We thank you for your support and friendship, and we’d love your continued support in our future plans.”
The Wakefield Pride team has organised the event since 2005, having gained charitable status in 2020.
The charity aims to promote equality and diversity for the public benefit, in particular the elimination of discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity.