Warwickshire Pride Festival returns this month with a "bigger and better" event, says the charity's Chair.

The festival will take place in Leamington Spa on Saturday, 16 August.

Starting at 11am, the day will begin with a Pride March through the town, followed by the main celebration at the Pump Room Gardens, until 6pm.

Attendees can look forward to around 120 stalls, a wide variety of food and drink vendors, live performances, and even a dog show.

Chair of Warwickshire Pride, Daniel Browne, told Nub News: "We've got lots going on this year.

"I think it's a really good event, first and foremost being a protest and highlighting why we have Pride.

"Warwickshire Pride is definitely rooted in the origins of the Pride movement.

"Yes, it is a celebration – come and enjoy yourself – but let's also remember why we're here and why we're doing this."

Daniel went on to highlight that the festival serves as an important way of bringing people together.

Many friendships have begun at the event, where people realise "they're not alone, and that there's a whole community of people out there."

He also highlighted the variety of stalls that will be at this year's event, many of which are run by local charities and community groups that may not be specifically for LGBT+ communities will be coming along to show their support.

Discussing some of the challenges involved in organising the festival, Daniel noted that hate and backlash are increasing.

He said: "It's a really big undertaking. It takes a whole year to organise and it's becoming tougher – not just financially, but also in terms of the pushback and hate we receive for doing it.

"But seeing it all happen on the day – everyone being there, being who they are – that makes it all worthwhile.

"It's hard not to take the hate personally, especially when you're on the receiving end as the organisers.

"All we can do is stick together as a team and try to bring the community along on the journey with us. We try to keep that community spirit going as much as we can."

Citing some of the challenges specific to Warwickshire, Daniel added: "Hate, homophobia, and transphobia are all things we're seeing get worse.

"This isn't just based on reports we receive from the community, but it's also from our own experience as the organisers.

"We've got a new County Council administration who are determined to remove the rainbow crossing, take down the Pride flag, and cut all diversity funding.

"So it definitely feels like things are going backwards at the moment."

For those who have never attended the festival before and might not know what to expect, Daniel explained that Warwickshire Pride is an ideal starting point because of its welcoming and family-friendly atmosphere.

Speaking on what attendees often take away from the event, he said: "I think the main thing people realise is that they're not alone. There is a whole community, a movement they can be part of, and safe spaces where they can go and be themselves."

Daniel, who describes himself as an "accidental activist", founded Warwickshire Pride after the local council cut the LGBT youth group he had been volunteering with.

He responded by setting up an independent youth group and took the step of organising the first Pride event in Warwickshire.

"I'm someone who just gets an idea and runs with it, and hopefully it works," he said.

"Being Chair is tough – really tough – but ultimately it's rewarding. Seeing everything come together on the day and getting such positive feedback from people about how they've benefitted from it makes it all worth it.

"You need a thick skin to be in my position, but it's definitely rewarding."

In addition to the annual Pride festival, Warwickshire Pride hosts events throughout the year.

To find out more or to get involved through fundraising, volunteering, or simply spreading the word, visit the official website.