'˜The biggest Pride Festival weekend on record'

The crowds turned out for the parade (Photograph: Eddie MItchell)

Marking 50 years since the decriminalisation of homosexuality in England and Wales, this year's Pride weekend was described as thebiggest on record.

The opening parade on Saturday (August 5) saw hundreds of thousands line the streets to cheer on the parade, which made its way from Hove Lawns along the seafront, through Brighton’s city centre, and up to Preston Park, where it met the official Pride festival.

More than 100 floats were involved, with a wide array of businesses, groups and communities taking part, from emergency services such as the police, fire and ambulance services to ‘the Oldest Gay in the Village’, 94-year-old George Montague.

Pride was supported by the emergency services, with Sussex Police Chief Constable Giles York getting involved in the festivities (Photograph: Eddie Mitchell)

After the two-hour parade in the scorching sunshine, revellers went onto the official Pride festival in Preston Park, where festival goers saw the likes of X-Factor star Louisa Johnson, Years & Years - lead by LGBT campaigner Olly Alexander, and the world famous Pet Shop Boys, making their debut Pride performance as headliners.

As well as the festival, the Village Party was in full swing at St James Street, with street food and make-shift bars on offer, drag queens performing in lorries and various DJ sets taking place throughout the surrounding streets.

And a third Pride venue, The Pleasure Gardens at Old Steine and Victoria Gardens, featured drag shows, cabaret and line-dancing.

In a mostly sunny weekend, the heavens did open for a brief spell on Saturday afternoon - but every cloud has a silver lining however – as a beautiful rainbow then follow as the sun returned, making a fitting addition to the celebrations.

Pride Festival at Preston Park (Photograph: Chris Jepson/ChrisJepson.com)

Assistant Chief Constable Laurence Taylor of Sussex Police praised the hundreds of thousands of Pride attendees this year for what was an ‘amazing’ event.

He said: “I am also hugely proud of the officers who have been policing Pride this year, many of whom worked very long and busy shifts but remained positive and professional throughout.”

A spokesperson for Pride said: “With estimates from the police and council of almost 400,000 people made up of 90,000 at the Pride Festival and Pride Village Party, and 300,000 participants and spectators at the Pride Community Parade, the city really turned out for our Summer of Love celebrations. Approximately 100,000 people came in to the city through Brighton station making this year the biggest Pride Festival weekend on record.”