Ely Pride 2026
Ely Pride programme
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About Ely Pride
Pride in Ely is run by a registered charity, funded through sponsorship, donations and volunteer support. The event takes over Amherst Field, right beside Ely railway station, so anyone arriving by train is only a short walk from the entrance.
Entry is free, and the day runs from mid-morning well into the evening. On stage, live vocals, drag performances and poetry readings take turns, alongside a family-friendly magic show for younger visitors. A live band usually closes out the evening. Beyond the stage there's a craft and gift market, street food, several bars and a separate 18+ area.
A community tent gathers information stalls and offers a quieter spot away from the noise, somewhere to sit down between acts. One licensing rule applies across the site: only alcohol bought there can be drunk there, so outside drinks aren't allowed in.
Ely itself is a small cathedral city in Cambridgeshire, far smaller than the university towns nearby. That's exactly why the event matters: for a lot of queer people from the surrounding villages and towns, it's one of the few days each year they can gather in numbers and be visible without travelling to a bigger city. Volunteers keep the charity running year-round, not just on the one day.
About Ely
With a little over 20,000 residents, Ely is a small cathedral city. It sits about 14 miles north-east of Cambridge on what was once an island in the Fens, beside the River Great Ouse. Small as it is, Ely has its own Pride festival, organised in the city rather than imported from Cambridge.
The organiser is Pride in Ely, a registered charitable incorporated organisation that used to go by the name Ely Pride. Five local people founded it in the late 2010s. A committee of volunteer trustees runs the charity, and all income and donations go back into its aims: equality, support services and education about LGBTQ+ people.
The first festival took place in August a couple of years after the charity was founded, in Jubilee Gardens by the river, and the cathedral flew a rainbow flag that day. The event later moved to the Maltings on the riverside and now uses Amherst Field next to the railway station, which offers more space, better accessibility and on-site parking. There is no march through the old town. Pride in Ely is a single festival day on a Saturday in August, running from morning until late evening, with free entry.
The programme mixes live music, drag, poetry, community and charity stalls, artisan traders, street food, children's activities and an adult market. The festival also includes a trans memorial made of handmade crosses. Sponsorship, donations, a grant from the National Lottery Community Fund and a large volunteer team pay for it.
Outside festival season the charity keeps working, with quiz nights, talks in schools and public seminars, and outreach to community groups, churches and uniformed services across the area.
Ely Pride – frequently asked questions
Ely Station is located right next to Amherst Field.
Nearby Prides
Nottingham Pride 2027
Birmingham Pride 2027
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