The 2025 Chippenham PrideFest was a lively, inclusive, and truly town-wide celebration of the LGBTQ+ community, stretching across Saturday 14th and Sunday 15th June. The weekend kicked off with family-friendly fun, including the Pride Lion window trail for children, a Rainbow-themed Parkrun at Monkton Park, and chalk painting along the High Street with Public Art Chippenham’s “Paint the Town”project. The town officially raised the Progress Pride Flag outside the Town Hall, signalling the start of a weekend filled with creativity, visibility, and pride.
The Pride Parade and Opening Ceremony on the High Street brought the community together, with music, dance warm-ups, and colourful displays. Throughout the day, residents and visitors could enjoy climbing tasters at The Arc, live music and a BBQ at Grounded, meet-and-greets with beloved characters like Bluey at Waterstones, open-mic performances of music and spoken word at The Waverley, and comedy at Bargammon’s Tavern. Workshops, like punk badge-making at Cousin Norman’s, and playful events such as Pride Rock n Roll bingo at Bargammon’s Tavern added a hands-on, interactive flair to the festival.
Evenings were packed with entertainment, from drag karaoke and live shows at Grounded, to punk gigs at Old Road Tavern, and the family-friendly Fab & Funky Sundance Disco at The Cause. The Flying Monk hosted a spectacular drag show featuring Sheila Tackya, Lea Martin, and Danni Delicious, and Grounded kept the celebrations going into the early hours with the Pride After Party.
Sunday offered a slightly slower, yet equally engaging pace. The Pride market at King Alfred Hall brought the community together with raffles and local stalls. Guests could enjoy a fabulous drag brunch at Rivo Lounge, while Old Road Tavern hosted the powerful Transition Storytalk by Adam McBride, sharing his personal journey of identity and resilience. The afternoon featured acoustic performances at Old Road Tavern and concluded with a relaxing Pride “wine-down” accompanied by live music from Luke & Ash at Wine Monkey.
Overall, the 2025 PrideFest in Chippenham was a true celebration of diversity, creativity, and community spirit — offering something for everyone, from families and kids to music lovers, foodies, and festival-goers of all ages. It highlighted the town’s commitment to inclusivity and left attendees with lasting memories of joy, connection, and pride.
