A rainbow of colour dazzled the town as Bolton Pride held its annual celebration.
A parade danced and whirled its way through the town centre to signal the second day of Bolton Pride on Saturday.
Hundreds of people marched to Victoria Square in a parade that started at Queen’s Park at around 11am with supporters dressing in vibrant clothes.
SingerJsky, from Bury, welcomed the crowd from the stage, while they danced to the rhythm of drums.
The importance of why Pride needs to be held was also central, with a number of stalls offering advice and information on Aids and other causes.
Owner of the World of Rainbow stall, Aydin Cantekin said: “For us, it’s not just about being here to make money, we support a lot of charities.
“And a lot of the proceeds we earn from the Rainbow goods go back into Pride to make them bigger and better, and also to help homeless gay people who have been kicked out on the streets by their parents.
“The most exciting bit is to see straight people and gay people, and bisexual people, all mixing together and being friendly."
The Vegan Queens were the first to perform on stage, followed by tribute acts to musicians Boy George, Michael Jackson, George Michael and Abba.
Florence Kallon is a mental health support worker at Cygnet Bury Hospital.
She said: “I am here to enjoy the day and offer any mental health support for the LGBTQ+ community.
“I love Pride, and just like we showed support for Ukraine, this is no different for me.”
Mayor of Bolton Akhtar Zaman also gave an impassioned speech about the fight for equality, showing his support for the LGBTQ+ community.
He said: “All my life I have fought against inequality, unfairness, and discrimination both in employment and in my political career.
“I believe that all human beings are born equal and should be treated with fairness dignity and respect, regardless of their protective characteristics, including sexual orientation.”
The mayor also released doves into the sky as a symbol of peace.
Bolton Pride opened with a bang, with an opening party at V5 in The Vaults in Market Place on Friday evening, and the weekend of celebration ended with a family fun day in Victoria Square on Sunday.
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