What is Bourne Free?

Bourne Free is Bournemouth's LGBT Pride Festival. It is an annual celebration of all diversities that live in Bournemouth and the constant strive towards universal equality for all – through entertainment and awareness.

Why did Bourne Free start?

Bourne Free was originally set up in 2002 when a far right organisation was due to come to Bournemouth and preach that homosexuality was wrong. Many prominent figures and active members of the gay communities in the area came together to organise an event in the Lower Gardens to protect the gay communities from the bigots and keep them together for a day of celebration, rather than of hostility.

The event included entertainers performing at The Bandstand to support diversity, a balloon release with a 2 minute silence for victims of hate crime and Bournemouth's first Gay Pride march. By the end of the day those that had come together just a few weeks before the preachers came to Bournemouth, the Bourne Free Committee, felt that they could have done even more if they had more time.

It was decided that the committee would get back together and repeat the event every year, but as an official charity with designated roles. Bourne Free would become an annual celebration in the heart of Bournemouth for everyone to see the diversities in the community and to enjoy a variety of entertainment. In 2006, the title of the event was changed to the Bourne Free Pride Festival.

Who is Bourne Free?

The Bourne Free committe consists of the following plus a large number of volunteers and contributors from the LGBT community across Bournemouth and Dorset.