BOURNEMOUTH Pride has confirmed it will return next year with a bigger and better event than ever before.

Organised by Bourne Free, Pride in the Park will see the celebrations return to Meyrick Park after a 17-year hiatus, on July 8 and July 9, 2022.

The annual event was previously held in Meyrick Park in 2005 before moving to the Triangle where 3,000 people joined in two-days of celebrations earlier this year.

Vice chair of Bourne Free, Chris Ashton-Hollis said: “I’ve been involved in Bournemouth Pride for a long time now, over 15 years, so for me it feels like the perfect arc for Pride to be able to go back to Meyrick Park to be able to grow.

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“I’m really excited and I think all the trustees are looking forward to putting it on in Meyrick Park and welcoming new people who have never been before.”

Expanding the event will enable Bourne Free to adhere to any Covid rules and it allows the family events and over 18s events to be merged at the same location, allowing families to enjoy Pride together.

“We’re really pleased about that because it allows us to have everyone in the same place,” said Chris.

Each year Bourne Free celebrates a theme, this year was ‘stronger together’ a memento to everyone that helped out in the pandemic.

Chris said: “Our theme for next year is quite simple, it’s going to be ‘Pride Goes Green’.

“As a Pride we want to make sure we’re inclusive for everyone but that we’ve still got a planet to be inclusive on.”

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Though it is in the early stages of planning, the event will be getting rid of all single-use plastic as well as off-set any of the carbon it produces.

The larger set-up next year will see the regular main stage and community stage as well as an education tent where donations for Dorset Children’s Foundation (DCF) will be collected.

In addition to this there will be fairground rides, retail stalls, two bars, food stalls and a sensory space for festival-goers to relax and chill-out if they need to.

On Friday night there will be a family friendly event, raising money for DCF.

The Pride parade will go in reverse, starting at The Triangle and working their way down to Meyrick Park between 12pm and 1pm followed by Pride in the Park on Saturday.

Looking forward to Pride returning next year, Chris said: “The feedback we always get is that people come along and they always really enjoy it and it’s a safe environment for everyone which is the main thing we look to do.”