Cardiff is alive with vibrant celebration this weekend as Pride Cymru 2025 marks a milestone: 40 years since the first ever Pride march in Wales. Over 50,000 people are expected to join the festivities, which include a parade through the city centre and a lively festival within the historic grounds of Cardiff Castle. But this year’s Pride is much more than just a party—it’s a powerful statement of resilience, solidarity, and remembrance.
The journey to this landmark event is rooted deeply in history, stretching back to 1985 when a small but determined group of LGBTQ+ activists, allies, and miners first marched through Cardiff’s streets. That initial Pride was modest by today’s standards, with estimates ranging from 30 to 100 participants, including gay men, lesbians, and supportive allies. The press at the time noted there were more police officers present than marchers, underscoring the societal challenges LGBTQ+ people faced then.
One of the most compelling stories from that era is that of Dai Donovan, a Welsh miner from Ynyswen in the upper Swansea Valley. In 1985, Dai led the LGBTQ+ community at London Pride, showing solidarity with a community that had supported miners during their strike the previous year. Dai, now 78, recalls how mining families attending Pride was the first public display of friendship and solidarity since the strike. “The mining families attending London Pride in 1985 was important because it was the very first time since the strike that members had to show their friendship, but more importantly their solidarity with the gay community,” he said.
Dai was involved with the Neath, Swansea and Dulais Valleys Miners' Support Group, which raised funds to support striking families. He remembers how gay men took personal risks to raise money during the strike, often facing discrimination even within their own communities. After the strike, miners felt a debt to the LGBTQ+ community, repaying it by openly supporting gay rights, attending Pride, and backing legislation to end discrimination based on sexuality.
Similarly, Mike Jackson, secretary of Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners (LGSM), who inspired the Bafta-winning film Pride, reflected on the natural alliance between miners and the gay community. Coming from a mining town himself, Mike acknowledged the importance of allies in the LGBTQ+ movement. “The LGBT community will always be a minority community, we need allies,” he said.
In Cardiff, the first Pride event was organized by politically active students and local LGBTQIA+ people, including Tim Foskett and Francis Edwin Brown. Tim, then a university student, was inspired by the London Gay Pride March and helped galvanize a small group to hold Cardiff’s first Pride in 1985. Francis, who was 23 at the time, recalls the event as “quite amazing for the time” despite its modest size, noting that laws and public opinion were firmly against them.
Fast forward to 2025, and Pride Cymru has blossomed into one of the largest annual celebrations in the city. The parade, which set off from Westgate Street at 11:00 AM on June 21, wove through a two-mile route across Cardiff’s city centre, passing landmarks such as Castle Street, St Mary Street, The Hayes, and Queen Street before culminating at Cooper’s Field in Bute Park. The event drew a diverse crowd, including members of the trans community and families, all united in celebration and protest.
The festival at Cardiff Castle featured headline performances from Ella Henderson on Saturday and Una Healy on Sunday, alongside acts like Kimberly Wyatt, Shola Ama, Bronwen Lewis, and The Longest Johns. The event also included sports areas, a youth zone, a faith tent, and market stalls showcasing LGBTQ+ vendors, charities, and local businesses.
However, the day was not without disruption. A pro-Palestine protest briefly blocked the parade outside Cardiff Castle, halting the march for about 20 minutes. Pride Cymru organizers swiftly coordinated with Cardiff Council and the police to reroute the parade, ensuring the event continued smoothly. A spokesperson emphasized Pride as a space for protest, celebration, and solidarity, committed to reflecting the diversity of the community.
The protesters, representing Cymru Queers for Palestine, voiced concerns over Pride Cymru’s alleged complicity in the Israeli occupation and genocide in Palestine. Hannah, a spokesperson for the group, stated: “We have tried multiple times to negotiate with Pride Cymru to end their complicity in the occupation and genocide in Palestine. We contacted Pride, met with them and they ignored us. So we will not stop and we will not rest until we say that Pride Cymru has no ties to the Israeli war machine.”
Despite the protest, the atmosphere remained positive and celebratory. Families like that of Thomas Crockett enjoyed the event, with Thomas noting the importance of children witnessing society’s diversity: “I think it's important for kids to see in society everybody coming out in all their colours and being who they want to be.” Performers and attendees alike echoed the sentiment that Pride remains a crucial platform for visibility and rights advocacy, especially amid ongoing challenges to LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.
Gian Molinu, Chair of Pride Cymru, highlighted the event's significance: “At a time when LGBTQ+ rights are being challenged like never before, Pride Cymru 2025 is more than a celebration - it’s a statement. We’re proud to bring our community back to Coopers Field to stand together, raise our voices, and show the world that hate has no home in Wales. This year’s Pride honours our past, speaks to the urgency of the present, and inspires hope for the future.”
Looking back, Dai Donovan reflects on the progress made and the work still to be done. “We have made a lot of progress but minority groups still need to have allies and supporters around for we are all better, stronger when we act together in mutual respect and love,” he said. “Our actions, no matter how small, can have a massive impact. This is the lesson of ‘Pride.’”
From a handful of brave marchers in 1985 to tens of thousands of vibrant celebrants in 2025, Pride Cymru exemplifies how far the movement has come—and why it continues to matter. As the sun shines over Cardiff and the city pulses with colour, music, and hope, the legacy of solidarity, courage, and community remains as vital as ever.
