Birmingham Pride unveils the Gay Rhino
Thousands of people attended a weekend of celebrations to mark Birmingham Pride, which saw the unveiling of the lavish rhinestone sculpture, nicknamed the Gay Rhino.
The event was headlined by the British pop group, The Saturdays, who performed at the Nightingale Main Stage yesterday, and was followed by other celebrities including Kerry Katona, The Showbears and X Factor’s Johnny Robinson.
A carnival procession set off from the city’s Victoria Square around noon yesterday, and marched towards the heart of the gay district.
Today’s live show also saw the appearance of Radio 1 DJ Scott Mills and Music in Motion, along with an equal marriage event with Chris Dowd, Tia Anna, Emma Skipp, and Cat Chinn.
However, the main attraction this year was the unveiling of the so-called Gay Rhino, a £15,000 rhinestone sculpture, that now sits atop Wynner House, at the entrance to the gay village, on the junction of Hurst Street and Bromsgrove Street.
The sculpture, two-thirds of whose costs was funded by Birmingham City Council, aims to reflect the city’s jewel-making history, and has a ‘heart’ inside it, containing music, photos and videos provided by the local community.
