Cardiff-born Dame Shirley Bassey will not be appearing in person at the Welsh capital’s mardi gras this Saturday, 4 September – but her boots will!
The Wellington boots worn by Bassey at Glastonbury in 2007 will take pride of place in the annual festival’s market place – courtesy of at the National Museum Wales.
But while all the big spenders are perusing the stalls and parting with their pennies in the market area there will be many other attractions on site for the anticipated 40,000 people who usually turn out each year for Cardiff Mardi Gras.
In addition to the market area there will be the usual main stage, which this year features top names such as last year’s Welsh X Factor finalist Lloyd Daniels and brother and sister singers Same Difference.
If you missed him at Manchester, Liverpool and other pride events across the UK then this could be the last chance this summer to catch former Corrie heart-throb Adam Rickitt live on stage.
BBC 1’s Torchwood star Ianto Jones, namely Gareth David-Lloyd will be performing with his band Blue Gillespie as will Starman, from Sky 1’s Pineapple Dance Studio. The rest of the line-up includes the South Wales Gay Men’s Chorus and around 20 other acts.
The Cabaret Garden, sponsored by Admiral Insurance, will feature many local drag acts and some local entertainers.
Pumping out the sounds in the Gaydar Dance Arena will be top DJs including Phil Marriott, Gaydar Radio, Brighton’s Zack Hadley, Ant Nichols, Kiss 101 and Cardiff’s Mark Anthony.
Also on site will be a Health and Wellbeing Zone, Youth Zone and the usual catering, bars, funfair and market stalls.
Visitors are reminded that for health and safety reasons this year’s mardi gras will take place within a secured fenced site, with right of admission reserved. No alcohol can be taken on site and soft drinks are permissible in sealed plastic containers. Alcohol however can be bought at a number of outlets in the park.
In addition to the park event there is also a mardi gras festival running from Wednesday, which sees the official launch of the Iris Awards 2010, the world’s largest short queer film competition, when six of last year’s entries will be screened at Chapter Arts Centre from 6.15pm.
The festival continues on Thursday and Friday with two other events at Chapter, with author Deborah Withers, presenting her recent book Adventures in Kate Bush and Theory on Thursday and on Friday Gary Coyle (Ireland), presents his solo performance, At Sea.