Birmingham Pride kicks off with parade covering city in rainbows

Thousands took part in the parade around Birmingham City Centre

Crowds gathered to see Birmingham's Pride parade cover the city in rainbows on its 25th anniversary.

The parade made its way from Centenary Square and ended in Thorpe Street, near to the LGBTQ+ village.

Many organisations took part in march, including the West Midlands Ambulance Service, Aston Villa Football Club and local charities.

Drag king Crip Lady Wood said: "We're here, we're queer and we are not going to live in fear."

The pride parade was lead by members of Mobilise

The drag artist led the parade with other members of Mobilise, a series of sober, silent discos set up as part of Birmingham 2022.

Aston Villa Football Club was alongside some of the organisations involved in the parade

Lawrence Barton, director of Pride 2022, said "the journey" the event had "travelled is quite frankly staggering".

When Birmingham Pride started in 1997, about 1,000 people were at the parade.

Now it is estimated there are about 75,000 participants and spectators over the weekend in total.

This year's theme is 25 Years of Pride and Protest

"I could hold the hand of my boyfriend as I walked down the street, something you couldn't do anywhere else in the city," Steve Ball, from Birmingham Pride Community Foundation, said when asked about the original 1997 event.

This year's theme is 25 Years of Pride and Protest.

"To see our 25th birthday party in Centenary Square, what an amazing moment for the city," Mr Barton added.

GreyHound Trust Hall Green had some VIP members march in the parade with the group

Some people walked, some people danced, while others were aboard decorated floats.

GreyHound Trust Hall Green even had their VIP pooches march in the parade with them.

The dancing was due to continue over the weekend with West Midlands star Becky Hill headlining on Saturday night and Steps headlining on Sunday.

The parade started in Centenary Square and ended in Thorpe Street, near to the LGBTQ+ village