Peterborough Pride hosts talk about their hopes for this weekend’s events

After the pandemic dampened spirits and plans for Peterborough Pride last year, they hope to make up for lost time with this year’s celebrations.

Peterborough Pride hosts: Ritzy Crackers, Ed G Teen and Teddi the Drag Queen are bringing all the energy to the city centre this weekend.

Drag artist, Ritzy Crackers (39) who has a residency at the Ostrich Inn, is making a long-awaited return as host of the event.

She said: “I feel extremely excited and grateful to be able to be a part of it again.

“Pride means a lot to me, I’ve been part of it since 2018 when Embrace Events and inclusive Peterborough organised the first parade on a Thursday evening through town to The Met lounge, so to be given the opportunity to host again is exciting.”

Ritzy, a drag artist for 27 years, is most excited for the variety of acts this year.

“I’m most excited to see everyone on the Parade and the different performers that we have on stage this year.

“I think it will mean a great deal and hope that everyone attending this year has a super fantastic day, as the LGBTQ+ community is stronger when out supporting each other.

“Let’s celebrate what makes us unique in our own individual way. Happy Pride.”

18-year-old Drag King, Ed G Teen, based in the city centre, will be hosting for the first time at this year’s event.

He said: “As a young person who’s been on the pride committee since the beginning it’s great from two angles; it’s great to finally show my face from behind the curtain of organising and do what I love but also it’s amazing to see the progress we are making in tackling day to day hate crime and changing mindsets in Peterborough.

“I first got in drag to make fun of the small, toxic, masculinity micro-aggressions of society and it stuck. I’m most excited about Tough Nut theatre’s extract from GUYMART! It’s a very similar comedy to my performances so I can’t wait to see it.”

Vice Chair of Peterborough Pride, Teddi the Drag Queen (31) is proud of the ‘monumental’ efforts the committee have made to keep the event going.

She said: “I am very honoured to host my hometown pride. It is a massive privilege, to think when I was younger I had no idea that Peterborough could hold a Pride, yet alone me being the host of it.

“I first got into drag as a political statement I wanted to enter “straight” spaces and making them queer, even if i was just a guest.

“I wanted to use drag in order to shock and wake some people up. We live in the 21st century and especially in Peterborough, we are part of the second largest LGBTQIA+ community outside of london. Also I very rarely saw someone that looked like me, larger, effeminate and representation matters so I decided to become the representation.

Teddi, who has been doing drag for three years, continued: “I am so excited to see all the faces of the people who are watching and being accounted as supporters of the LGTBTQIA+ community.

“The fact that we are actually putting on a pride is monumental, the majority of other prides have either been cancelled or cannot go ahead, so I am very thankful that we are able to put one on.

“I am so proud of the committee for persevering with pride as there have been so many hurdles to jump over, and I think other committees would have sat there and given up but we stuck at it as we know how important representation matters and how important pride is, especially for smaller cities like ours.”

The PT will also be publishing a full list of Pride events planned for this weekend.