Thousands of people reached the city centre on Saturday as Lincoln Pride Parade returned to the High Street.

Lincoln residents marched down High Street carrying a pride flag.

The parade started at 11.30 am at the Stonebow, joined by floats, stilt walkers and crowds with placards and large rainbow flags.

Organisers estimate that between 8,000 and 10,000 people attended the main event in Tentercroft Street Car Park.

David Brown, director of accessibility and inclusion for Lincoln Pride, called it “a fabulous, fun-filled event” and “a celebration of diversity and inclusion in our great city.”

“Pride exists as a safe space for the LGBTQ+ community, and a real place for families and relatives and friends to support our life,” he added.

Ché De is a drag queen and DJ at one of Lincoln’s local LGBTQ+ venues, The Scene.

2015 X-Factor winner Louisa Johnson headlined the stage event, with other performers including electronic dance act Phats and Small and local Scene Queens.

Drag queen Ché De said: “I think we represent the best of Lincolnshire drag. Having the Scene Queens in Lincoln inspires people to get into drag and to embrace their creativity.

I remember coming to Lincoln pride last year, and I wasn’t a drag queen. Now I’m a drag queen a year later, and I’m on the main stage of Lincoln Pride.”

The event was sponsored by NHS Lincolnshire, Lincolnshire Rape Crisis, The Scene and The University of Lincoln, and came to a close at 7 pm.

Councillor Emily Wood represents Carholme Ward for the City of Lincoln Council and was helping to run a stall at the event.

Lincoln police also took part in the event, wearing rainbow epaulettes and shoelaces.

Cllr Wood said: “we support LGBT rights and we’re absolutely delighted to be here today supporting the community. We stand with you, with trans rights as well, and we want to do everything we can to make Lincoln a better place.”

The Lincolnshire Faith Council and University of Lincoln Multi-Faith Chaplaincy Team also helped to arrange a quiet space in Tentercroft Street, with chairs, tissues and volunteers.

Representative for the Lincolnshire Faith Council Melissa Wheeler said: “If anybody is struggling today they can come to us. They don’t have to have a faith, they can just come for a human being to chat to.

For the inter-faith side of our stall, it’s important that people within the LGBTQI community know that there are faith communities that are available that are friendly to them and open to them. We are very LGBTQI friendly.”

By Rhianna Stephenson

I'm Ellis, Deputy Editor of The Linc for 2022-2023. I specialise in politics. You can find me @EllisAsherUK on Twitter or at my website www.ellisasher.co.uk.