When the team first suggested the ‘Heroes’ theme, it instantly triggered a positive reaction.
We couldn’t shut up for the sheer joy of explaining who we admired and why. Heroes inspire you to follow your dreams, embody your beliefs and give you extra fire in your belly when you need that inner strength. We all agreed this summed up perfectly the positivity and passion we want this festival to be about.
We’ve emblazoned our LGBTQ Heroes everywhere this year and been touched by hearing about everyone else’s choices – either personal or public-facing figures who have made a difference by inspiring people to make a difference.
The Happy Valley Pride Art Exhibition presents contributions from local and national artists’ interpretations of the LGBTQ heroes that have inspired them for their contribution to LGBTQ/civil rights and causes.
Artwork is on display at Nelsons Wine Bar in Hebden Bridge until 6 September and all artists have generously donated a percentage of the sale price to the Happy Valley Pride fund.
The exhibition also includes all 9 of our LGBT Festival Heroes designed and signed by Emma Charleston as A4 sized giclee printed and framed at just £40.
Please do visit to see the full range of fabulous works ranging from £40 to £300
‘Salon’ is the perfect word to describe our ‘Lesbian Writers Read’ event –a reminder of an earlier era when like-minded people would gather in drawing rooms to discuss books, art, politics or simply to enjoy each other’s company in a relaxed atmosphere.
Our local haberdashery, Ribbon Circus in Hebden Bridge provided a delightfully intimate setting, surrounded by displays of coloured wools and ribbons displayed around the walls and filled with whatever the collective noun is for a group of lesbians (All places were soon snapped up and so the venue was fully booked).
Four published authors from across the UK, joined local author and organiser, Jen Silver and despite, Robyn Nyx and Brey Williams being led astray by their sat-nav, ending up behind a herd of cows – all managed to arrive in time.
It was Lise Gold’s first public appearance and if she was nervous reading from her second, recently released romance, Beyond the Skyline – it didn’t show.
Cari Hunter was planning on editing out the swearing in her selected excerpt from the third in her Dark Peak series, A Quiet Death – but after Helen’s robust introduction to the evening, she muttered, “I’m leaving the ‘f*cks’ in.”
Brey Willows read from, Fury’s Bridge, the first in a series and left us wanting more by ending on a cliffhanger.
Robyn Nyx’s reading from the first book in her Extractor Series, Escape in Time, took on an even darker hue, leading us into the past in Nazi Germany during World War II.
Jen Silver read from her most recently published book, Running From Love. Beforehand, Jen’s wife asked her which bit she’d selected and when told said, “Oh yes, the fridge and the cat!” Not quite how I would summarise that part, but if you want to make your own mind up here’s a link to the podcast
A massive thank you to everyone who came, including the authors who did a fantastic job, both reading and answering questions afterwards.
Special thanks to Ribbon Circus owner, Happy Valley Pride Trustee and host, Helen Baron who ensured glasses were topped up and the donation bucket was jingling.
