#swansea-pride — Public Fediverse posts

SWANSEA LIFE AWARDS: Cwmdu gym crowned the city’s business of the year — as Rasoi, a panto and a children’s charity also take home titles

A Cwmdu gym has been named Swansea’s business of the year, beating off competition from across the city’s hospitality, leisure and wellbeing scene.

Ware-house Gyms took the top prize at the AU Vodka Swansea Life Awards 2026, held at the Brangwyn Hall on Friday 12 June.

The gym, on Cwmdu Industrial Estate, also won the Healthy Lifestyle category before being handed the overall Business of the Year title on the night.

In a post on its Facebook page, the gym thanked the members who had backed it. “Thank you to every single person who voted for us, we’re so incredibly grateful and overwhelmed by the continued support,” the team wrote.

The awards celebrate businesses, organisations and people across Swansea — from restaurants and hotels to charities, community groups and the city’s cultural life.

A good night for Swansea Marina

Rasoi Waterfront was named Best Restaurant in the World Cuisine category, sponsored by Beacon Compliance.

It is the latest in a run of awards for the SA1 restaurant, which marked ten years on the marina last year.

The group was founded by brothers Suki and Jas Kullar, who opened Rasoi Indian Kitchen in Pontlliw in 2011 while still in their teens. It now runs two restaurants, a catering arm and a sister brand in the Middle East.

In the past 18 months the restaurant has also been named Indian Restaurant of the Year at the national Corporate LiveWire Prestige Awards and Hospitality Business of the Year at the Swansea Bay Business Awards.

“Three major awards in 18 months is something we’re really proud of,” said founder Suki Kullar. “But none of it happens without the hard work of an incredible team who show up and deliver every single service, and customers who have supported us since day one.”

Panto magic and a children’s charity

The Grand’s Christmas pantomime, Aladdin, was named Event of the Year.

Staged at Swansea Grand Theatre in association with Imagine Theatre, the show starred Joe Pasquale, Kevin Johns and Celyn Cartright, with a virtual appearance from Michael Sheen. The Wales Airshow and the Gower Show were both highly commended.

Tracey McNulty, the council’s head of culture, leisure and parks, said the win was a testament to the talent and creativity of everyone involved. “The production brought joy to thousands of people and created unforgettable memories for families across Swansea and beyond,” she said.

The Grand’s next pantomime, Snow White, runs from 5 December to 3 January.

Children’s charity Faith in Families won the Making a Difference category, with Anxiety Support Wales CIC and Matthew’s House Swansea both highly commended.

The full list of winners

Elsewhere, Swansea Building Society Arena took Leisure & Tourism, while community choir Valley Rock Voices won Arts & Culture.

Swansea Pride was named LGBTQ+ Champion, and reThink PR & Marketing won the Making a Noise award.

The baby and toddler group at Dyfatty Community Centre took Child Care & Early Years, Goose Island won Local Fashion, and Happy Home Furnishers took Homes & Gardens.

The View Rhossili won Cafe Culture, the Britannia Inn was named Pub of the Year and The Shed took Best Restaurant in the Contemporary Dining category.

Gower Skin Aesthetics won Beauty & Aesthetics, Morgan Lloyd Hair took the Hair award, and Bonnie Rogues Swansea won After Dark.

Morgans Hotel was named Hotel of the Year, while the King Arthur Hotel and Cariad Bridal took the wedding venue and wedding supplier titles in the Weddings in the Bay category.

The awards, run by JR Event Management, return to the Brangwyn Hall on 21 May 2027.

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

Rasoi Waterfront marks ten years with ten days of free dishes
The marina restaurant celebrated a decade at SA1.

Swansea Grand prepares for festive panto adventure Aladdin
Joe Pasquale and Kevin Johns led the award-winning cast.

Hundreds fill the streets as Pride 2026 parade returns to the city centre
Swansea Pride was named LGBTQ+ Champion at the awards.

Lauren Bryant named Sportsperson of the Year at city’s sporting awards
Another awards night at the Brangwyn Hall.

SWANSEA: Hundreds fill the streets as Pride 2026 parade returns to the city centre

The annual celebration drew crowds from across south-west Wales on Saturday, with a procession winding through the city centre to the Grade I-listed Guildhall, where a stage, stalls and a full day of entertainment awaited.

Hundreds of people took to the streets of Swansea on Saturday as the city’s annual Pride parade made its way through the city centre, filling the route with colour, music and community.

The procession set off from Wind Street, passing St Mary’s Church and the Quadrant Shopping Centre before heading up Whitewalls and onto Oxford Street — the city’s main shopping street — turning right onto Dillwyn Street and then left at the Kingsway Roundabout onto St Helen’s Road, finishing at the Guildhall.

A vintage open-top double-decker bus, branded with the Swansea Pride swan logo, led the parade through the streets, with the march stretching back the full length of the route behind it.

Host Jamie J addressed the crowd before the march set off, taking to a plinth near Wind Street with a megaphone and a Progress Pride flag to get the procession moving.

Drag queens Ruby Slippers and Diana D rode on the upper deck of the open-top bus at the head of the parade, greeting the crowds lining the route as the march wound through the city centre.

Chae with a C — also among the day’s hosts — rode on the open-top bus alongside Ruby Slippers and Diana D, the trio greeting the crowds from the upper deck as the parade made its way through the city.

SwanScene, Swansea’s largest LGBTQIA+ community platform, led the march with their banner at the front, with performers, community groups and members of the public stretching back behind them through the city streets.

The march brought together people from across the full breadth of the community — from pups, fursuits and leathermen to drag queens, staff groups and campaigners.

Among those making the journey to take part was the diversity group from Treorchy Comprehensive School in the Rhondda Valley, some of the youngest marchers on the route, carrying flags and their school banner through the city centre.

Representatives from the National Museum of Wales joined the parade wearing their bilingual “Hoywam Hanes / Gay 4 History” T-shirts, connecting Wales’s LGBTQ+ heritage with communities across south-west Wales.

St John Ambulance volunteers also joined the procession, carrying a banner reading “Volunteering with Pride / Gwirfoddoli gyda Balchder” — one of several organisations to march under a Welsh-language message on the day.

The parade finished at the Guildhall complex, where a stage and stalls were set up in the rotunda outside, with further stalls filling the Brangwyn Hall — its walls lined with Frank Brangwyn’s famous murals — throughout the day.

Entertainment at the Guildhall ran until 7pm, hosted by Ruby Slippers, Jamie J, Tallulah Bandersnatch, Aluna Tick, Chae with a C, Zoe, Jake, Bitchelle Flowers, Jay and Eden Goode.

Performers on the day included Donna Marie as Lady Gaga, True Colours Choir, Lywis, Jessica Rarebit, Jordropper, Wayne King, Brooke Darci, Khloe Buttlift, Rikki Withers, Justin Drag, Will Whitehead, Taylor Marc’s and Gypsy Divine, alongside Kara Von Site, Ben Bateman and Emi.

Swansea Amateur Operatic Society, celebrating their 125th anniversary, also took to the stage — the society is currently performing We Will Rock You at the Taliesin Arts Centre, with shows running from 20 to 23 May.

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

“This Could Save a Life”: BBC Three’s Jake Devline-Reed champions new support group for Gay & Bi men across Wales
A BBC Three presenter backs a new Wales-wide support group for gay and bisexual men.

Museums launch new bilingual app to support LGBTQ+ communities living with dementia
Swansea Museum and West Glamorgan Archive Service items feature in a new Welsh and English app for LGBTQ+ people living with dementia.

Health board sets up Wales’ first transgender speech therapy service
Swansea Bay University Health Board launches a specialist service to help transgender people align their voices with their identity.

Neath TikTok star with 112k followers lands first major brand deal with Keep Wales Tidy
A Neath-based creator who built a following of over 112,000 in a year teams up with Keep Wales Tidy to tackle roadside litter.

More LGBTQ+ stories from Swansea Bay News
All our coverage of LGBTQ+ news and community stories from across south-west Wales.

SWANSEA: Everything you need to know about Swansea Pride 2026 — parade route, road closures and what to expect on Saturday

Swansea’s most colourful celebration of the year is almost here. Swansea Pride returns on Saturday 16 May, and as always it’s completely free and open to everyone.

The parade sets off from Wind Street at 11am, heading along Oxford Street and St Helen’s Road before finishing at the Guildhall on Guildhall Road South. The route is marked on the map above — if you’re planning to watch, Oxford Street and St Helen’s Road are your best spots to line up.

Drivers should be aware that there will be rolling road closures along the parade route between 10:30am and 12:30pm. Plan your journey accordingly and allow extra time if you’re heading into the city centre that morning.

Once the parade arrives at the Guildhall, the main stage outside will host live entertainment throughout the afternoon. The full lineup of acts is available at swanseapride.co.uk.

If you want to get out of the sun or explore what the wider Pride community has to offer, head inside the neighbouring Brangwyn Hall where the Swansea Pride Community Zone will be running throughout the day. There you’ll find information stalls from organisations, support services, charities and community groups, as well as some craft traders.

Swansea Pride is organised independently and supported by Swansea Council. It has grown steadily in recent years into one of the city’s most well-attended annual events, drawing people from across Swansea Bay and beyond.

Whether you’re a first-timer or a Pride regular, Saturday promises to be a brilliant day out. The forecast is looking dry with sunny spells — so dig out your best outfit and get involved.

For the full programme of acts and activities, visit swanseapride.co.uk.

SWANSEA PRIDE: Get ready to sashay away — the city’s most colourful LGBTQ+ celebration is back on 16 May

Swansea is about to get its glitter on. Swansea Pride returns on Saturday 16 May – and this year’s lineup includes a Lady Gaga tribute headline act, a Y Llais singing sensation, a performer literally called Wayne King, and a host who has been there since the very beginning.

The march sets off from Wind Street at 11am, weaving through the city centre along Oxford Street and St Helen’s Road before arriving at the Guildhall in what has become one of the most joyful processions on Swansea’s annual calendar. Be on Wind Street by 10.45am if you want to be part of it. Individuals and small groups just turn up – groups of ten or more need to register in advance.

From noon until 7pm, the party moves to the Guildhall and the Brangwyn Hall – and it’s completely free. No tickets. No wristbands. Just Pride.

Closing the show is Donna Marie as Lady Gaga – a full tribute experience that promises drama, glamour and more than a few power ballads. Channel your inner Little Monster.

Before the headline act, the stage will be graced by Will Whitehead, Rikki Withers, Justin Drag, Khloe Buttlift, Brooke Darci, Jessica Rarebit, Jordropper and LYWIS – a singing sensation who lit up Welsh language talent show Y Llais.

Then there’s Wayne King – previously seen at the Swansea Grand Theatre’s all-star cabaret – whose name requires no further editorial comment. You either get it or you don’t.

Holding it all together on stage will be a team of hosts including Jamie J Rampage, the face of SwanScene and a featured member of the Pinc List, alongside Swansea drag icons Ruby Slippers, the double act of Tallulah Bandersnatch and Clem Dandy, and Zoe and Benjamin.

Ruby Slippers deserves a special mention – she has hosted every single Swansea Pride since the event returned in 2019, making her as much a part of the day as the Guildhall itself.

Swansea Pride started as a grassroots idea in 2008, when a group of local LGBTQ+ people decided to organise an outdoor event entirely by volunteers. The first event – Pink in the Park – took place at Singleton Park in 2009. After a difficult period that saw events cancelled in 2015 and 2016, Pride bounced back in 2019 with the first ever parade through the city centre. COVID wiped out 2020 and 2021, but it returned in 2022 bigger than ever – and hasn’t looked back.

Today Swansea Pride is a registered charity, entirely community-led and volunteer-run. Every pound raised goes back into the event and the LGBTQ+ community it exists to celebrate.

Last year’s Pride drew huge crowds to the Guildhall, with thousands marching through the city centre. More acts and the full running order are expected on the Swansea Pride website as the day approaches.

Saturday 16 May. Wind Street. 10.45am. Free entry. 🏳️‍🌈

In Pictures: Swansea Pride 2025

A colourful parade through the city centre was followed by an afternoon of live free entertainment in front of the Guildhall.

Swansea Pride is organised independently but supported by Swansea Council and Elliott King, Cabinet Member for Culture, Human Rights and Equalities said: “I want to thank everyone who came along to watch the parade or turned out to be part of it.

“Every year our city offers Swansea Pride a warm welcome and it this time it was brilliant with wall-to-wall sunshine.”

Swansea Council leader Rob Stewart said: “It was an amazing and colourful day. The afternoon of events at the Guildhall and Brangwyn Hall were full of energy and showcased the best of Swansea. It is really important for our communities that events like this take place every year and it keeps on growing.”

#featured #LGBTQ_ #Swansea #SwanseaPride

Swansea Pride parade and festival returns on Saturday

Once again, the festival is free and an open invitation is extended to all.

The annual parade is set to depart from Wind Street at 11am and will make its way along Oxford Street and St. Helen’s Road to the Guildhall.

A stage will be set up in the car park at the front of the building hosting live entertainment between noon and 7pm.

There will also be food and refreshment stalls as well as traders selling a range of items and merchandise.

Just like last year, the Swansea Pride Community Zone will be indoors in the neighbouring Brangwyn Hall with lots of information stalls from organisations, support services, charities, community groups and some craft traders as well.

Swansea Pride is organised independently but supported by Swansea Council.

Council Cabinet Member for Investment, Regeneration, Events and Tourism, Robert Francis-Davies said: “Once again the council is proud to be supporting the hard-working volunteers who do such a great job in making Swansea Pride the inclusive celebration that it is.

“This year is shaping-up to be as good ever and we are very grateful to them.”

Elliott King, Cabinet Member for Culture, Human Rights and Equalities, said: “Swansea Pride is one of the highlights of the year for the Pride community. It’s a opportunity to celebrate our city’s diversity in a carnival atmosphere of music and colour.

“The main stage will be outside the Guildhall and will offer live entertainment throughout the day.  The Brangwyn Hall will host the Swansea Pride Community Zone, with lots of information stalls from organisations, support services, charities, community groups and some craft traders as well.”

Council leader Rob Stewart, said: “This free event is one of many event  highlights  this year and there is an open invitation for people across Swansea and beyond to come along and enjoy what is always a great carnival atmosphere.”

A full list of acts, activities and other information can be found at www.swanseapride.co.uk

#Guildhall #LGBTQ_ #Parade #Pride #Swansea #SwanseaCouncil #SwanseaPride #WindStreet

Taking these to Swansea Pride at the weekend :) #pride #LesbianVisibilityWeek #swanseaPride