A PRIDE march will take place for the first time in Colchester as part of a festival celebrating the LGBTQ+ community this weekend.

Pride events have been held in the city since 2017 but this will be the first time a march takes place.

It will coincide with 50 years since London’s first Pride festival in 1972.

And organisers are also pushing the boat out on Saturday by holding their biggest event to date.

The Pride march will run from 10.30am and start at the Mercury Theatre, with no tickets or prior booking needed.

The Pride festival will then run from 11am at Firstsite, and finish at 7pm.

Gazette: Pride event in Colchester. Watching the performers on stagePride event in Colchester. Watching the performers on stage

At 8pm, an afterparty is arranged at Coda bar on Colchester High Street.

Ben Powell, who is a trustee and committee member at Colchester Pride, said the Pride event is all about helping people feel comfortable with their sexuality and supporting the LGTBQ+ community.

He said: “It’s more important than ever – same sex marriage is legal but in the last six to 12 months we have seen an increase in anti-trans rhetoric and have seen trans abuse go up.

Read more:

• Man drowned after going missing off north Essex coastline, inquest hears

• 'It's a ghetto' - Homeowners threaten to leave New Town after car is torched

• Marks and Spencer closing date confirmed... days after crunch talks meeting

“A lot of progress has been made – if you look at the first Pride event in London 50 years ago, a lot has changed – but we are not at a point where everyone is able to live as their authentic selves without harassment or impediment.

“The trans community in particular is subject to a lot of difficulty at the moment – that’s on the increase compared to five to ten years ago.

“Although we have progressed, it feels like we have taken a backstep in the past few years.”

Gazette: Fun - a group of friends enjoying a good laughFun - a group of friends enjoying a good laugh

Mr Powell added Colchester Pride has grown in popularity each year as more people feel comfortable celebrating who they are.

“There were only a couple of hundred of people in attendance in 2017 – last year we had 1,800 people,” he said.

“Pride matters because there are those who aren’t confident enough to live openly – they need to see that it is possible, and that there is a community which will support them."

Tickets for Colchester Pride can be bought at www.colchesterpride.org/buy-tickets.