Fife Pride: The day Kirkcaldy shines

This weekend, Fife Pride 2019 will once again bring one of the most vibrant events imaginable to our town centre.

Saturday’s parade and celebrations promise to be lively and colourful, and, above all, inclusive.

At its heart is the simple message “be proud, be you.”

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Organised by a fantastic team of volunteers, Fife Pride is a celebration of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) identity and equality.

It is also a demonstration against discrimination and homophobia – a reminder of the challenges many people face in their daily lives.

Fife Pride is expected to bring some 3000 people into the heart of Kirkcaldy for a parade through the main streets followed by a day and evening of music and live entertainment in the Town Square.

Local businesses have already got into the spirit with shop window displays and mechandising, while others plan to be there on the day.

It has the backing of Fife Council and Kirkcaldy4All – but, more importantly, it is a day which has chimed with many local folk.

Speaking in 2017, Stuart Duffy, who was the driving force behind the launch of Fife Pride, said: “Who would have thought five or ten years ago we would have a Pride event in Kirkcaldy?”

Three years on, his dream of a Fife Pride is now firmly established, and regarded as one of the best, and most important, days in the town’s calendar – noisy, fun, positive, upbeat, a true celebration of life, equality and diversity.

And the central message – #beproudbeyou – remains at its very heart.

It runs like a thread through the march, to the youth zone, to the main stage and across all the stalls taken by local organisations and businesses.

From the pipers leading the parade to headline act Stevie McCrorie , it promises to be the liveliest day of the year.

Pride offers Fife’s LGBT community, and all who support equal rights, the chance to come out for at least one day and be proud about who they are.

In the words of the organisers: “A chance to be seen, to be heard and to state that we matter, and we contribute to our communities.

“Fife is becoming a better place for LGBT+ people to live, work and visit and we want to make sure that continues.”

It also falls on the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall riots, which led to the fight for LGBT rights in the USA and, ultimately, the creation of the Pride movement.