Drag Race royalty Kitty Scott-Claus brought the house down at Johnnie Walker Princes Street, Edinburgh, tonight with a fabulously fierce performance at the five-star visitor attraction to celebrate Pride Edinburgh which kicks off this weekend (22ndJune).
The talented queen took to the stage in an all singing, all dancing extravaganza for visitors to the Pride Edinburgh pre-show hosted in the Label Studio, one of the World’s Leading Spirit Experience’s first-class event spaces.
Head to Johnnie Walker Princes Street this Pride weekend to enjoy the best view of Edinburgh Castle in the city, cocktails, mocktails and so much more:
The annual Pride Edinburgh march takes place today in what is Scotland’s longest running celebration of diversity.
Council Leader Cammy Day said: “This month is an invaluable opportunity for us to recognise the contributions made by the LGBT+ community. It’s so important to recognise the individuals who have challenged norms and pushed boundaries to create a more inclusive world for us all to enjoy.
“Edinburgh is one of the most diverse cities in the world and everyone is welcome to make our city their home, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.
“That’s why it’s vital we demonstrate our support by proudly flying the rainbow flag above the City Chambers. The flag, a symbol of LGBT+ pride, represents the importance of inclusivity, tolerance, and respect for all individuals.
“I’m so proud that the Council is a member of the Stonewall Diversity Champions Programme to make sure we have a more inclusive working environment for our LGBT+ colleagues. I’m committed to upholding the rights of the community so they can live their lives as they wish, without fear of judgement or discrimination.”
ST JAMES QUARTER CELEBRATES PRIDE WITH DAZZLING DRAG QUEEN APPEARANCES
Aegon UK and Aegon Asset Management are pleased to announce that they’ll be sponsoring this year’s Pride Edinburgh and Fife Pride festivals. It will be Aegon’s sixth year sponsoring Pride Edinburgh and the third time sponsoring Fife Pride.
Pride Edinburgh is Scotland’s national and longest running LGBTQIA+ festival. It returns to full form on Saturday 24 June after a scaled-back event in 2022 due to Covid-19. It will consist of various activities and inclusive events to celebrate the LGBTQIA+ community, including a march through the city centre starting at the Scottish Parliament and finishing with a music festival at Bristo Square.
Aegon is also sponsoring the Pride Edinburgh’s Ride with Pride bus for the second year running. The bus is designed to provide better accessibility to everyone to join in with the official march.1
Fife Pride is also set to return for its sixth year, on 1st July in Kirkcaldy. In 2022 around 2,000 LGBTQIA+ people and allies of the community celebrated following a two-year absence.
As sponsors, Aegon colleagues will be at both events to engage with attendees about the business, how it celebrates inclusivity and diversity, as well as about its sustainability initiatives.
Andy Manson, Chief Marketing Officer at Aegon UK, said:“It gives us immense pleasure to support and attend these two fantastic events again this year.
“We’re an organisation passionate about creating a working environment that celebrates all forms of diversity and individuality, and our ongoing support of Pride events is just one of the many ways Aegon engages with our local communities.”
GLITZ, GLAMOUR, AND FABULOUSNESS: ST JAMES QUARTER CELEBRATES PRIDE WITH DAZZLING DRAG QUEEN APPEARANCES
St James Quarter, Edinburgh’s premier destination to shop, dine, play and stay, will be supporting the LGBTQIA+ community and its allies with a day filled with Pride celebrations on Saturday the 24th of June.
Kicking off at 11am, St James Quarter will be joined by dynamic duo Drag Queens, Sissy Scorpio and Rozie Cheeks, extending a warm welcome to guests. Dazzling everyone with their mesmerising dance moves, they will strike poses for iconic selfies and give rainbow flags to guests.
St James Quarter is also running a pride-tastic giveaway, guests can win a £500 gift card, redeemable in the Quarter, if they download the St James Quarter app over the Pride weekend.
The celebrations don’t end there. At 3pm, guests can join the pride party as the sensational DJ Trendy Wendy takes to the decks on Level 3 bringing a pride setlist like no other. With her signature mix of disco, soul and funk music, this will be a loud and proud party you won’t want to miss.
From 11am – 3pm on Level 1, all guests can take advantage of free face painting, whether they’re joining Edinburgh’s ‘March with Pride’ event, celebrating Pride Month, or simply looking to add some fun and colour to their day.
Brands across the Quarter are also embracing Pride Month with their own special edition Pride collections and displays including Hollister, Coach and Hotel Chocolat, Boots is hosting a series of fun beauty masterclasses on 24th June, complete with live entertainment, and Everyman is screening Pride favourites, The Rocky Horror Picture Show and Priscilla Queen of the Desert over the weekend.
Bross Bagels is proudly offering its fabulous rainbow bagels throughout Pride weekend, in association with LGBT Youth Scotland. These vibrant treats can be matched with any filling, creating a delightful experience for everyone to savour.
Susan Hewlett, Brand & Marketing Director, St James Quarter, said: “We have a fun packed day planned for Edinburgh Pride.
“Our Guest Services team will be joined by the inimitable Sissy Scorpio and Rozy Cheeks, two of Scotland’s leading Drag Queens, bringing a whole new vibe to our Brand Ambassador team with live voguing and iconic dance moves.
“Guests are invited to join in, grab a selfie or strike their own pose. We will also have glitter face painting for all, the chance to win a St James Quarter gift card and to close the days party atmosphere the supremely talented DJ Trendy Wendy will be filling the Quarter with the best Pride anthems from 3pm – 7pm.
“We are incredibly proud to be associated with this event, it supports our commitment to promoting diversity and equality and we invite everyone to join us in this momentous celebration of pride, acceptance, and unity.”
For further information and updates on the Pride event at St James Quarter, please visit:
The City of Edinburgh Council, in solidarity with LGBTQ+ communities, expresses its support for Pride Month.
The Pride Flag is flying from the City Chambers and the annual Pride March will take place this Saturday (24 March).
Pride Month is an annual celebration that commemorates the progress made in the fight for LGBTQ+ rights and acknowledges the ongoing work that still needs to be done.
Council Leader Cammy Day yesterday met with Richard Denholm, Chair of STRIDE, the Council’s LGBTQ+ staff network, as the flag was raised at the City Chambers.
Council Leader Cammy Day said: “This weekend our city will be filled with a bit more colour and love in the form of the annual Edinburgh Pride March and Festival. First established in 1994, Scotland’s longest running celebration of diversity, Pride Edinburgh will ensure the rainbow shines over the capital city. I’m looking forward to taking part.
“Pride month is significant in the city’s calendar each year and a celebration of the diversity, history and dignity of the LGBTQ+ community. We hope to help raise awareness of this important month and continue to progress and encourage inclusiveness.
“I’m proud that we will support our LGBTQ+ colleagues and citizens by flying the rainbow flag above the City Chambers once again. It’s also important to consider the heritage of the Pride movement, which came from protests to address deep rooted issues of discrimination, intolerance, injustice and prejudice that exists and sadly still exists in some places.
“Edinburgh has always been a welcoming and inclusive city – and we’re rightly proud of our thriving LGBTQ+ community.
“An attack on anyone because of their sexual orientation or transgender identity, or their race, religion or disability is abhorrent. On behalf of the Council, I repeat my call for tolerance, understanding and respect right across our city. I hope everyone who is taking part this year has a great time.”
Richard Denholm, Chair of STRIDE network, said: “STRIDE is the Council’s LGBTQ+ staff network. We welcome all colleagues who identify as part of the LGBTQ+ community, as well as supportive allies.
“We are passionate about people being able to bring their whole selves to work, not just here at The City of Edinburgh Council, but across our entire capital city. I would like to thank STRIDE members and supportive allies for their continued contribution over the past year. This vital effort ensures that LGBTQ+ members of our workforce can feel respected and included.
“Council colleagues have been invited to join Edinburgh Pride march this weekend, in support of raising awareness that diversity is valued and celebrated across all our workplaces.
“I’m pleased to let you know that the Council have recently joined Stonewall Diversity Champions Programme.
This Programme will promote a more inclusive working environment for LGBTQ+ colleagues. We are committed to supporting the Programme, to embed it within all Council Directorates, in the months and years ahead.”
On Friday 23 June, to mark this year’s Pride month, local tour guide Hannah Mackay Tait will take Kimpton Charlotte Square guests on an exclusive whistlestop tour of the city’s rich queer heritage.
Guests will be surprised by just how much queer history is held in our ancient streets!
This year, Kimpton Charlotte Square is the main sponsor of Pride Edinburgh. The five-star hotel proudly celebrates individuality and fiercely embraces diversity.
It welcomes varying perspectives, honours different backgrounds, learns from differing beliefs and grows from the multitude of talents, contributions and experiences of all people. It has created spaces where every person can feel welcome and free to be their true selves.
To celebrate Pride month, guests will discover hidden stories on the 90-minute walking tour learning about the lesbian sex scandal that rocked Edinburgh high society in the early 1800s and about the trans magician hosting Scotland’s first queer rights rally in the 1980s.
Guests will then head into Pride Edinburgh on the 24 June with a new appreciation for the generations of queer folk who came before.
Accessibility info: The route covers approximately 3km on paved paths, starting from Kimpton Charlotte Square and finishing on George Street with frequent stops in between, some of which have seating available.
The route has no steps or stairs, with dropped kerbs at crossings throughout, but will involve going up and down some moderate slopes. Some areas are likely to be loud and busy, although we’ll always stop somewhere as quiet as possible.
Hannah will not be wearing a mask to facilitate lip reading, but you are welcome to wear one or not as you prefer.
Aegon UK and Aegon Asset Management are pleased to announce that they will be supporting this year’s Pride Edinburgh on 25th June and Fife Pride later on this year.
After two full years away due to the pandemic, both Prides are back for 2022 for a celebration of diversity and LGBTQIA+ life in Edinburgh, Fife and beyond.
This year marks the 25th annual Pride Edinburgh, being titled Pride Edinburgh 25: Let it Be! The day will be filled with fun, inclusive events, including a march from the Scottish Parliament that ends with a music festival.
To make sure that everyone who wants to take part can, Aegon is sponsoring a Ride with Pride bus to help those more vulnerable the opportunity to join in with the march and the festivities.
As sponsors, and a major employer in Edinburgh, Aegon will also have a presence at the event to engage with attendees about Aegon, how the company celebrates inclusivity and diversity, as well as it’s sustainability initiatives.
When Fife Pride returns later this year, it will take place in the centre of Kirkcaldy, with activities from the likes of Surge theatre company, who, sponsored by Aegon, are running free street theatre workshops for the local community in the lead up, with participants being part of a performance on the day itself. Aegon employees will be supporting the workshop and will be there on the day.
Andy Manson, Chief Marketing Officer at Aegon UK, said:“After two years of having many big events cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s really exciting that our communities can return to celebrating Pride in person again.
“At Aegon, we’re passionate about creating an inclusive working environment that celebrates all forms of diversity and individuality. We’re really excited to be supporting Pride events again this year: it’s just one of the ways we demonstrate our dedication to being an inclusive employer where everyone can be fully themselves and feel that they belong by celebrating our differences.
“After two years of virtual celebrations, it’s bound to be a fun, lively experience. We wish everyone who attends a wonderful time.”
This weekend, city streets were due to welcome thousands of people for the annual Pride Edinburgh march.
The event was due to celebrate 25 years since the first Scottish Pride in 1995 but, while the march won’t proceed quite as planned, you can still show your support for Edinburgh’s LGBT+ community online.
This morning there is a virtual Pride breakfast which has been organised by LGBT Health and Wellbeing. The family-friendly event will feature special guests and live music.
An online drag queen story hour for all the family will take place with Aida H Dee, as well as a family friendly rave in the afternoon. Showing solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement, the virtual event will also aim to highlight and celebrate the city’s BAME community, including those who identify as LGBT+.
Our LGBT+ Council colleague network, STRIDE, said: “For decades, LGBT+ people and Black and Minority Ethnic people have shared experiences of police brutality and discrimination.
The fight for equal rights is still very much ongoing, especially for Black and Minority Ethnic people, and we stand alongside their community as we always have and always will. There is no place for inequality or injustice in our society.”
As an inclusive employer and to demonstrate our support, we’ll be flying the rainbow and transgender Pride flags from the City Chambers for the whole weekend.
Council Leader Adam McVey said:“Edinburgh will look slightly less colourful this weekend without the show-stopping banners, t-shirts and celebrations which usually take centre stage at Pride.
“I’m sorry to everyone who had planned to take part and can’t. I’d like to thank the organisers for prioritising health and safety by moving online and thank those focusing their efforts on racial equality as part of Pride.
“Next year I hope we can celebrate bigger than ever. Edinburgh is a City that all of us should take pride in.”
Cammy Day, Depute Leader, added:“I’m proud that we’re supporting our LGBT+ colleagues and citizens by flying the rainbow and transgender flags above the City Chambers once again, particularly in this 25th anniversary year.
“These flags are an important symbol of love and inclusion, and fly against all forms of discrimination, intolerance, injustice or prejudice in our incredible, diverse City.”
