In a rare moment of sun on June 15th, Jesus Green is a kaleidoscope of colour and a soundscape of queer joy. The rain is intermittent but, gathered around the main stage at Cambridge’s fourth pride celebration, the crowd is steadfast, draped in flags of all colours (simultaneously acting as umbrella, parasol and badge of pride). As a queer student, I’m heartened to see a crowd spanning three generations: kids sporting rainbow face paint, queer couples and people of all genders dancing in celebration to LBGTQ+ music.

“It would take a dramatic personality change for me to not enjoy a drag act”

I arrive just in time to see Faith Louise, a 19-year-old singer-songwriter from Essex. Bursting with energy, she warms up the crowd with pop classics like Cascada’s ‘Every Time We Touch’ and Adele’s ‘Someone Like You’. Her original songs receive equal enthusiasm, particularly the dance-pop anthem ‘Promise’. After her set, Faith tells me that pride festivals are a highlight of her performing calendar, noting the energy backstage, onstage and in the crowd.

Continuing the afternoon is a staple of any pride party: drag. While it would take a dramatic personality change for me to not enjoy a drag act, Justa Knight, Clit Eastwood and Persephone own the stage. Persephone hooks us in with a number from crowd-pleaser Chappell Roan and Clit Eastwood delivers a musical whirlwind romance with a blow-up doll.

They aren’t our only taste of drag: Prossie Tot, Aria the Kween and Stealia Jobs (serving devil in her fabulous horned wig) grace the stage, embodying Nikki, Jessi and Ari in their lip sync to ‘Bang Bang’. We can’t forget Zoe Promiscuous, Will Power and Knuckle Sandwich, who also put their whole feathered, tucked and latexed selves into their performances. It’s wonderful to see the colour, class and fluidity of these artists as well as the support they show in the audience, watching and singing along to each other’s sets.

“It’s wonderful to see the colour, class and fluidity of these artists”

Beyond the local drag scene, the camp continues with Cambridge’s much-loved, short short-wearing brass cover band, Colonel Spankey’s Love Ensemble. The crowd sing along to brilliantly arranged covers, including Shania Twain, Prince and a Shrek medley, overpowering even the booming fairground-ride techno. One band member notes that pride is the “natural habitat” for these queer anthems. Their celebration of queer musical history results in an absolute party for every generation at Cambridge Pride.

Throughout the afternoon, we hear original works by artists like Keanan and Lordin, showcasing the future of local LGBTQ+ talent. Their songs are danceable and unapologetically queer. Lordin sings, “imma hold hands if I want to,” blasting the stigma of public queerness in ‘Hold Hands’. In a change of pace, Bristol punk rockers Cosmic Ninja allow us queer catharsis as they scream “seize the power”.

“There’s something for everyone on the main stage, from punk to musical theatre”

There’s something for everyone on the main stage, from punk to musical theatre. Soon, West End star Miriam-Teak Lee arrives to sing hits from &Juliet and other theatre favourites.

To the left of all this action, it would be a crime to forget the dance stage, showcasing some of the best local DJs. Throughout the day, I take occasional walks towards the dance tent to catch snippets of queer classics, old and new. Paris Stilton, DJ Jules and chiefkoala set the tone for the whole afternoon, fuelling the crowds with adrenaline and intermittent doses of Charli xcx.

To complete Jesus Green’s queer makeover, the dance tent turns into a gay club, thanks to DJs Lorna, Wilko and Andreas. Known for MASH’s successful queer night, RAID, these student DJs play us into sundown, assuring us that, though the fun may be over on the main stage, the night is only just beginning. Lorna brings Berlin to Cambridge with a high-BPM techno set, while Andreas finishes the night with club classics from Lady Gaga to Azealia Banks.

So much of the joy of pride is the loudness of it – the in-your-face colours and lyrics. But, when I speak to Lorna and Andreas, they suggest there is something more subtle and emotional behind their sets (and perhaps pride in general). Andreas notes that DJing and queerness are a “balance of both the gentle and the camp”. The underlying theme is the celebration of a space to move freely in a world that doesn’t always allow this.

This freedom is what I love most about pride and Cambridge embodies it perfectly on this showery Saturday. I stand back from the dancing crowd at the end of the day and think about each confused, painful and brave step that everyone has taken to reach this makeshift dancefloor on Jesus Green. I’m proud to see how happy everyone is and to live in a city that allows this queer joy not only to exist but to thrive.