Birmingham UK Shows New Gay Mascot for Village
Birmingham Pride is the largest free gay and
lesbian event in the United Kingdom.
It takes place in
Birmingham – this year June 2 & 3, 2012. . The spectacular ‘Carnival
Parade’ passes through the city-centre from Victoria Square and makes
its way through the streets of the city to the “gay village”.
Launched from Victoria Square in Birmingham’s city centre at 12 noon on Saturday 2nd the Carnival Parade route will be our best and most visible procession through the city ever!
This year it will wind its way down Colmore Row, and include other streets like Bull Street, Temple Street, Colmore Row and New Street, before finishing right in the heart of the Gay Village area for festival-goers to continue the celebrations.
Huge tents act as nightclubs for gay and straight revellers alike. In
the daytime, specialist stalls and fairground rides make good
entertainment. Many famous music acts perform on stage throughout the
festival. Take a look at the Birmingham Pride Website
A huge, rhinestone-encrusted sculpture of a rhinoceros is planned to mark entry to the city’s gay village.But it may be installed in time for Pride –
Partly funded by Birmingham’s LGBT
group and remaining cash from grants awarded for the council’s
initiative to improve the city centre, the horned beast will stand at
the junction of Bromsgrove and Hurst Streets as a mascot for the city’s
gay village. The sculpture’s bling armoury is intended to reflect
Birmingham’s history as a jewellery-producing city.
The full cost of the model, is £15,000 with Birmingham City
Council providing the bulk. Those behind the beast said that a rhino had
been chosen as they are “associated with strength and were originally a
symbol of the gay rights movement in the United States.”
David Viney of Birmingham LGBT told the Birmingham Mail: “This is a
hugely exciting project that represents the culmination of four years’
work between Birmingham LGBT and the city council to create a truly
iconic piece of art.”
Not everyone was quite so enthusiastic about the project, however,
and a spokesman for the Taxpayers’ Alliance said: “Taxpayers will wonder
why Birmingham City Council are blowing money on public art at a time
when it’s pleading poverty in other areas. Art projects like this are
capable of raising money for themselves.”
see also Birmingham UK Gay Places
