Carlow Pride Festival enjoys sun, fun and colour!

MORE than 3,000 people flocked to Carlow Town Park on Saturday for the seventh annual Carlow Pride Festival, making it one of the most successful events since its inauguration in July 2019.

The festival kicked off at 2pm with a vibrant parade that wound its way from Carlow College through the town centre before arriving at Carlow Town Park. There, festival-goers were treated to a concert headlined by Christina Aguilera tribute act Xtina, followed by an after-party at Tully’s Bar featuring a DJ, drag show and what organisers promised was ‘plenty more Pride energy’.

Festival chairman John Paul Payne was delighted with the turnout, noting that the unusually hot, sunny weather may have contributed to the record attendance. “A lot of people stayed until the very, very end, which is the first time that’s ever happened; it was amazing,” he said. “Normally, people leave before the concert ends because it starts getting cold.” 

The sweltering conditions failed to dampen spirits and there was a great buzz about the town. John Paul said: “It all went off without a hitch. It was a super-successful day again and everyone was very happy.” 

The festival’s success was reflected in both the visible increase in attendance on last year and the enthusiastic response to headline act Xtina.

“She was a big hit; she was incredible. She sings live and people couldn’t believe how good her voice was,” John Paul said, adding that the performer herself described it as “probably her best night she’s ever been to”.

The event drew visitors from across Ireland and the UK, with many commenting on the impressive effort made to transform Carlow into a Pride-friendly space. “The whole town was decorated. We were working hard for the last couple of weeks, and I think that really showed yesterday,” he noted. “We had lots of people from different Prides from around Ireland and from the UK, and they were really impressed.” 

Major sponsor Yahoo demonstrated its commitment to the event by flying employees from the United States to attend. The festival also received strong local support, with local politicians Jennifer Murnane O’Connor, Patricia Stephenson and Adrienne Wallace in attendance, along with backing from civil defence volunteers.

In a special moment during the festivities, two members of An Garda Síochána ‒ Garda Essmay Mannix and Sergeant Conor Egan ‒ were presented with an award from the Carlow Pride Committee in recognition of their ongoing support for the festival down the years.

For John Paul, the event represents more than just a successful festival. “There’s definitely a change in the air compared to other towns,” he said of Carlow’s growing reputation as an LGBTQ+ friendly community.

“The conversations I had yesterday ‒ some people never thought they would have this life. I don’t think people ever thought they could be this free or be this happy. Everyone was just enjoying their day. I think it really does make Carlow a much better place to live for a lot of people.”