RuPaul's Drag Race contestant to appear at Colchester Pride

The organisers have arranged a variety of indoor and outdoor activities, including a main stage for local, national and international acts, as well as a cabaret stage for emerging talent, live music and comedy.

Event organisers have also stated there will be special appearance from a top five contestant of RuPaul’s drag race.

Colchester Pride 2022 will be held on Saturday, August 13 at Firstsite in East Hill, Colchester.

There will also be a market area for food and drink.

This year’s event promises spectacle, as organisers have had a full year to assemble, unlike last year when the group had just eight weeks to bring the event together off the back of lock-down.

The organisers aim to keep close to Essex, showcasing local talent, but have also managed to pull in big, regional and international performances.

A spokesman for Colchester Pride said: “Pride is an opportunity to honour and remember everyone who paved the way and fought for the rights we have now, and to take time to reflect on the continued struggle our community faces worldwide.

“Whilst it may seem that there are no anti-LGBTQ laws in the UK, we are still waiting for so-called conversion therapy’ a deeply harmful practice, to be outright banned in our country.

“Certainly, one of the main benefits of Pride is the sense of community that an event generates, with every Pride being someone’s first opportunity to meet people like them, to find a community of friends and establish a support network.

“Being LGBTQ+ can still, for some folk, result in being ostracised from their family or friendship groups and even be a barrier to employment or career progression.

“Pride exists to inspire hope, foster a sense of resilience and galvanise communities.

"It is a message to all people under the LGBTQ+ that they are valid, they are vital, and they have a community who is proud of them in the hope that they will hold that sense of pride with them in all they do.”