Huddersfield’s Creative Piazza was alive with the sound of rainbows on Saturday 7 June as families gathered for a joyous, family-friendly Pride celebration in the heart of the town centre. While Pride festivities took place across all of Huddersfield, the Creative Piazza’s welcoming and inclusive event allowed people of all ages to celebrate diversity and creativity together.
With support from Kirklees Council, Arts Council England, the National Lottery Community Fund, One Community Foundation and the Postcode Lottery Fund, the event was just one in an ambitious year-round programme in the piazza, bringing together the area’s creative organisations and celebrating the town’s creative spirit.
Families had the chance to strut their stuff on a fabulous DIY karaoke catwalk and participants could make their own props and colourful wearables before taking to the floor. Live teen DJs, circus skills and pop-up participatory drum circles filled the Piazza with music and laughter. Skateboarding sessions and face-painting kept children and teens entertained, while visitors enjoyed their own community Pride feast.
MakerWorld was a hive of activity as families crafted fun, colourful wearables, while the Creative Piazza’s resident organisations, including West Yorkshire Print Workshop, Collaborarti, The Creative Wellness Centre, Skate It Yourself and Thread Republic, offered a wide range of drop-in workshops throughout the day. Families made mini-wearable stitched Pride flags or contributed to a collaborative flag project. The Sew Queer Stitch Social, hosted by Thread Republic, celebrated LGBTQ+ identity through textile art. There were also opportunities to explore printmaking, upcycling and other hands-on crafts, allowing everyone to learn new skills in a supportive environment.
We are deeply committed to supporting Pride and celebrating children and families of all kinds. Every week of the year, our playful and inclusive activities help bring people together and strengthen our community. This spirit of togetherness and joy that defines our events is at the heart of what we do and we look forward to seeing this continue and grow with the development of the Cultural Heart.
“We’ve enjoyed such a fantastic day in the Creative Piazza and loved chatting to people, screen printing Pride tattoos, listening to the samba band and seeing lots of happy faces,” said Clare Alton-Fletcher from the West Yorkshire Print Workshop., “These activities and Creative Piazza spaces really do bring culture to the heart of the town.”