Pride finds its place at colourful community fair

Caitlyn Vanderwall was fanning the queer vibes at Newcastle Pride Fair Day at Hamilton at Saturday. Pictures by Marina Neil

DJ Carla from Bankstown.

Billi Prince, Coles regional Pride leader.

RuPaul’s Drag Race Downunder season three personality, Hollywould Star.

Magda Mycak, Josie Semmens, 11, and Matilda Bracey, 11.

From left, Donna Britton, Marnie Harris, Evan Harris and Ali Duncan.

Angela Cafe and Mell Lamb.

Indi Pendant.

Josiah McLaren and Michelle Jones.

From left, Ryan Hall, Nikki Quinnen and Oran Karakaya.

HAMILTON'S Gregson Park was awash with rainbow colours and party vibes on Saturday when Newcastle's LGBTIQA+ community celebrated the main event of the Newcastle Pride Festival.

The Fair Day attracted a crowd of more than 10,000 people as revellers enjoyed the strongest array of talent yet, headlined by RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under personality Hollywould Star, Freddie Merkin, Miss Indi Pendent, DJ Carla From Bankstown and hosts Miss Danni Issues and Denise Hanlon.

Newcastle Pride's Fair Day has grown exponentially since its inception in 2018 to attract people from outside the LGBTIQA+ community and beyond the Hunter.

It's become not only a cultural event, but an economic driver too.

"It was a great day with some excellent feedback," Newcastle Pride secretary Jamie Mackee said.

"We actually had the University of Newcastle's marketing department do some evaluation for us and interim reports from that was generally good feedback from people who attended and stallholders."