The opening of the 2014 Auckland Pride Parade The dates have been released for a longer 2015 Auckland Pride Festival, while Council funding has been secured for the Pride Parade for the next two years. The Festival will begin on Friday 6 February and finish on Sunday 1 March – a one week extension. The 2015 Auckland Pride Parade will be on Saturday 21 February. The Festival will officially open with a Waitangi Day Dawn Ceremony on Friday 6 February and the Auckland Pride Gala at Q Theatre on Saturday 7 February. The LYC Big Gay Out has been confirmed for Sunday 8 February at Coyle Park in Point Chevalier. Bear New Zealand Week 2015 will run from Sunday 8 to Sunday 15 February. The Heroic Gardens Festival 2015 takes place on the weekend of 14 and 15 February. The Festival will close with the PROUD Party on Saturday 28 February. Dates are also being discussed for the return of the United States Embassy funded Youth Leaders Conference, NXT:15. Parade funding secured Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development (ATEED) has confirmed funding for the Auckland Pride Parade in 2015 and 2016 was as part of its Major Events Portfolio. Auckland Pride Festival Incorporated Co-chair Megan Cunningham-Adams says it’s a real vote of confidence in Pride. “It speaks volumes about the future potential of the Parade as a vehicle for expression and celebration for our Rainbow Community,” she says. ATEED Chief Executive Brett O’Riley says the event has quickly established itself as an important for Aucklanders and visitors to our city, “and is a colourful celebration of our diverse rainbow community”. He adds: “Events like the Pride Parade contribute towards our vision of creating the world’s most liveable city, and we look forward to watching it go from strength to strength.”
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Monday, 28th July 2014 - 1:13pm