The North West’s biggest ever gay festival will be launched next week amid a series of unique concerts, dramas and exhibitions leading up to the the region’s first Pride march.

The Foyle Pride Festival 2010 will be based around the theme ‘From Stonewall to the Guildhall’ with the stated aim to “raise the visibility of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning community in Derry and the North West”.

The festival will be officially launched at the Context Gallery, Artillery Street, Londonderry at 8pm next Wednesday, while the full programme was unveiled yesterday.

The highlight of the week will be Saturday’s Foyle Pride Parade, which begins at the Waterside Train Station at 2pm.

The parade will make its way to Guildhall Square and join with Creative Village, with performances by the Foyle Follies and a host of live entertainment.The Pride Ball will be held later the same evening at Café del Mundo from 9pm till late.