DURSLEY is gearing up to host its first ever Pride event this weekend. 

Organisers say they want the event, which begins with a parade through Spring Villa to the Chantry Centre, to help others make friends in the LGBT community.

Live music will be performed by drag queens and local performers including: Ashley, Matt Kirby Band, Salt, Alaniscrow, Vanilla Fusion, Neon, Joe White, Cake, Sofira and Jacob. 

All attractions will be free for the public and other displays will include glitter face painting, a pizza oven, a raffle and stalls selling merchandise. 

The event, on Saturday, August 20, is being supported by Dursley Town Council, Festive Dursley, Dursley Town Ladies FC, Pride in Gloucestershire and Dursley Police. 

Pride is a public event, usually involving a parade, to celebrate gay and other LGTBQ+ people, culture and experiences.

The Dursley parade will begin at Spring Villa and will be led by a rainbow-coloured fire engine.

Stroud Pride which began four years ago is the nearest pride event - but Dursley has yet to host a pride.

Volunteers will also be selling milkshakes in memory of fellow town councillor Anja Rowston, who died in June at the age of 33, to raise funds for the Cheltenham General Hospital's Oncology Unit.

Tyler White, a town councillor and an organiser who is transgender and is transitioning from female to male, previoulsy said he wants the event to be as popular as Brighton Pride.

He said: “I'm hoping people will see how many more LGBT people there are in the community.

“It’s good to make friends who have gone through similar experiences. You can ask them, ‘Have you been through this? How has your family found it?’ 

“From a really young age, I was classed as a ‘tomboy’ but I think I’ve always known since I was 9 or 10 that I was a boy.”

The parade will take place outside Spring Villa at 1pm and organisers say to meet at 12.30pm on Saturday, August 20. 

More information can be found at www.facebook.com/Dursley-Pride.

Organisers say they still need marshals for the parade you can email to volunteer at dursleypride@yahoo.com