The Steel Town Spirit is now more vital than ever, since its colourful debut in 2023, Scunthorpe Pride has transformed from a grassroots gathering into one of North Lincolnshire’s most significant cultural and economic milestones. What started with 3,000 pioneers in year one exploded to over 10,000 in 2024 and reached over 15,000 attendees in 2025.
The event attracts people of all ages from near and far and is a volunteer led project by a small team that live within our community. The event is free and un-ticketed to allow everyone to experience the day but due to a shortfall in this years funding and to secure future years they need attendees support and the community to rally together.
In just a few days the amount raised by the public via the GoFund Me and Stripe combined is at a total of £530.
Breaking the Myth: Scunthorpe Pride is for Everyone! One of the biggest misconceptions surrounding Scunthorpe Pride is that it is an “exclusive” event for a minority rather than the masses, reserved only for the LGBTQ+ community. In reality, the success of the past three years has proven the exact opposite. Scunthorpe Pride is a community-wide festival built on the foundation of unity.
While the event celebrates LGBTQ+ history, acceptance, diversity and identity, it’s gates and it’s heart is open to everyone. It is a space where the barriers of the everyday world are stripped away, replaced by a shared sense of local pride within the community and town.
Why Your Attendance Matters
When people of all sexualities and backgrounds show up, it sends a powerful message of solidarity. It turns a “niche” event into a town landmark. Whether you are there to dance, support a family member, or simply enjoy the boost to our local economy and have a great day, your presence matters. Pride is about the right to exist safely and happily in your own hometown. By attending, you aren’t just supporting a cause, you are supporting your neighbours, local people, your local businesses and the future of Scunthorpe as a welcoming and safer place to be.
Last year the team launched the “Chat to Me” stickers, which aimed to combat loneliness and isolation. People connected, those that came alone had the opportunity to seek support and friendship without verbally asking for it.
This isn’t just a celebration of identity, it’s a massive win for our local economy. By drawing thousands of visitors into the town centre on a Saturday, Pride generates vital footfall for our shops, hotels and restaurants, proving that inclusivity is, quite literally, good for business.
The cost of the event vs. The reality of funding
Putting on an event of this scale is a mammoth task. It costs over £40,000 to ensure Scunthorpe Pride remains a free, safe and high-quality festival for everyone.
However, the “free” price tag for the public relies on a precarious foundation of grants, fundraising and donations. It’s OK to say make people pay! But as every event or gig promoter knows in the area, when something costs it’s a hard sell, no matter what it is. So this year the event is looking at other options but it will NOT be ticketed, the team behind the event are passionate that the event stays free, so it is accessible to all. Some low income families cannot afford a ticket fee, the travel, the food and the extras, it all adds up.
Funding is never a “dead set.” This year, the event faced a major obstacle when it failed to secure its usual National Lottery funding, leaving a significant gap in the budget. While the volunteer team worked tirelessly in 2025 running fundraisers almost every other month and generating around £7,000 towards the overall costs, the reality of 2026 is different. Fundraisers are a lot of work and extra cost alongside the organisation of the main event and day to day work and home life, so this year the main fundraiser will be The Pride Prom.
Why the Hate Only Makes The Cause Stronger
It’s no secret that high-visibility events like Pride regularly attract online negativity or “pushback.” But here is the irony, the hate only boosts the reach. Every time a negative comment is made or a post is shared in bad faith, it triggers social media algorithms to push the event to even more people. It brings in new allies, alerts potential sponsors to the necessity of the cause and strengthens the resolve of the volunteers. The louder the opposition, the more the community rallies to ensure the “Steel Town” spirit remains unbreakable.
I just also want to say, I know the media online and on your TV can portray the community and the event in a certain light, but the only agenda here is:
BE KIND, BE SUPPORTIVE, BE PROUD OF WHO YOU ARE AND WHERE YOU COME FROM.
If you can support someone who needs it, why wouldn’t you. If saying Hello, having a conversation or giving a hug makes just one person you meet happy in that moment, that’s good right? The smiles I see and the atmosphere felt at Scunthorpe Pride is beautiful and I’d urge you to be open minded and rather than judge something you don’t understand or that you’ve seen in the media, give it a real world go. It might not be for you, fair enough, that’s fine but then you can have a valid opinion on it perhaps?
How You Can Help
The team are working hard behind the scenes to secure new supporters, sponsors and ensure the event can go ahead. To keep Scunthorpe Pride free and accessible during the summer holidays, they need your help to bridge the funding gap. Follow their social media to keep a track of the progress.
The event announced yesterday Rands Solicitors, a continued supporter of the event is onboard for another year, but back as the Headline Sponsor. A few other companies have also showed in interest and the team will update as and when confirmed. But they still need your support, so if you attended, in 2023, 2024 or 2025 or every year and you had a nice time, met some people, danced, laughed, basically enjoyed it then please support this essential community event. Let love and community prevail over hate. This more than a party and if you’ve been and experienced it, you probably know that already.
Just to give you an idea of costs, I know, even tributes and local smaller unsigned acts can range from £300 all the way up to £1,500. Household names you may recognise, you can be looking at anywhere between £2,000-£10,000 and that’s the lower end. Then there’s the stage and crew add another 6-7k, Fencing to secure the event, around 3-4k and so on, with security being paramount and the largest cost. I’ve seen some comments about removing the security, this is seriously not an option! All large scale events, especially events like pride with targeted minorities needs security, not only as part of the licensing agreement but because the feeling of safety is number one!
Donate Directly: Every pound counts. You can contribute to the official GoFundMe to help them reach the target.
Host a fundraiser or got a fundraising idea?
Share the donation link or the Pride Facebook page and posts.
Suggest a local business that might want to sponsor the event.
A Festival for Every Generation
If you walk through the crowds on event day, you won’t just see rainbows; you’ll see the full tapestry of North Lincolnshire,
Families: with parents bringing their children to enjoy the music and atmosphere in a safe & vibrant environment with numerous activities on offer.
Allies: Friends, colleagues and neighbours who attend to show their support and soak in the atmosphere.
Diverse Backgrounds: People of all ethnicity and faiths coming together to celebrate the fact that Scunthorpe is a welcoming place to live, although it may not seem like it when you see the keyboard warriors on the local social media groups, there are a lot of absolutely lovely, supportive, friendly people and community groups.
All Ages: From teenagers finding their voice and new friends to “Silver Pride” seniors who have seen the town change over decades.
Want to attend the fundraiser?
The Adult Pride Prom
When: 9th May 2026
Where: The Wortley House Hotel
Why: All funds raised go directly toward the 2026 event, with profits supporting the Scunthorpe Pride charity.
Tickets are running low!
Scunthorpe Nights 