This would be the sixth year of the festival, held on Kings Square and Central Park, that aims to celebrate the local LGBTQIA+ community and create a safe space in the town who may feel that they don’t fit in elsewhere.
The vibrant festival is a staple of the social calendar in Barry, kicking off Pride Month with style and acting as a warmup for the ever-popular Pride Cymru Festival in Cardiff and UK Pride, which will take place in Newport in 2026.
Crowds were able to join a parade through Kings Square, followed by the main event in Central Park that saw performances from drag artists, tribute acts, musicians and dancers cheered on by adoring audiences.
The poor weather did little to deter crowds who wanted to celebrate Barry’s LGBTQIA+ community and recognise their place in the ever-growing and lively town, giving those who may be marginalised a voice and a safe space filled with other likeminded individuals.
A spokesperson for Barry Pride said, after the event: “As we look back on Barry Pride 2026, we want to say a huge thank you to every single person who helped make this year’s event possible.
“Thank you to our incredible performers and acts who brought energy, talent, and entertainment to the stage. Thank you to our fantastic vendors, hospitality teams, event management crew, volunteers, and everyone working behind the scenes who kept the event running throughout the day.”
Thanks also went out to Barry Town Council, Cardiff and Vale College, and the entire Barry Pride Board, without whom the event would not be a reality.
The spokesperson continued: “To everyone who came out to celebrate with us in Central Park, thank you. The weather may not have been on our side, but you showed up, danced, sang, marched, and celebrated anyway. The rain couldn’t keep Pride down, and it certainly couldn’t dampen the spirit of our amazing LGBTQ+ community and allies.
“Barry, you truly outdid yourselves this year.”
Despite 2026 being one of the “toughest” years the festival has faced, the people of Barry still came out to show their support and show the masses that Pride is alive in this town.
