Laois Pride Week forced to cancel some events
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LAOIS Pride Week has been forced to cancel some events due to ‘a lack of donations’.
Just days before the festival opens next Monday, organisers have confirmed that some events will not go ahead.
While main attractions such as the big Pride Parade and a family fun day will be held, plans have been scaled down for what organisers had hoped would be the largest celebration since the festival began in 2022.
Laois Pride Week will run from Monday 7 until Sunday 13 September. Cancelled events include Youth Pride, which was to be hosted on Friday by Youth Work Ireland Laois and a Drab to Fab upcycling event, which was scheduled for Thursday.
In a statement on 3 September, organisers said: ‘Due to a lack of donations, Laois Pride has had to cancel some of the Pride Week events. We are running a reduced week of events but are really excited to welcome everyone to the ones we have.’ The Pride flag raising at Laois County Council will go ahead on Monday at 12 noon to kick off Pride Week.
On Wednesday, there will be a screening of in the Dunamase centre. Tickets are still on sale and links can be found on Laois Pride socials.
Saturday is the main event, with the colourful parade starting at 12 noon and then leading into the family fun day and afterparty in the evening.
‘These are always fun for everyone and attendance grows every year.,’ the Laois Pride committee said.
The statement added: ‘Pride is very important to show members of the lgbt+ community how much support they have locally and we hold Laois pride in September to mark the anniversary of the launch of the Midlands lgbt+ project.
‘Further details can be found on the Laois Pride Instagram and have also been shared by the Midlands lgbt+ project.
‘Parade marchers will meet on Saturday 12 September at Fitzmaurice Place, Portlaoise between 11am and 11:30am, for a noon start. This will be followed by a Pride fun day until 5pm.
The Pride festival showcases the diversity and inclusion across Laois and celebrates the county’s LGBT+ community.
“Pride events are important to build connections with the community, so everyone knows they are not alone”, Laois Pride Chairperson Helen Lanigan told the Laois Nationalist earlier this year.
“It is visible and loud so everyone can see how strong the community is. It is about making connections with other marginalised groups because we will always be stronger together and we want the community to be able to see there is more support there than the negativity they may be seeing more often.”
Each year, Laois Pride invites groups from Laois and surrounding communities to join in on the celebration.
Laois Pride was founded in in 2022 by the Midlands LGBT+ Project, a registered charity, to celebrate the diverse LGBT community in Laois.
