Magic, music, circus skills and crafts are all being offered for free this month as part of Newcastle Pride 2014.

Young people enjoying a previous Newcastle Pride

The three-day festival, now the second largest event of its kind in the UK, returns with a bumper line-up of entertainment and activities for the whole family from Friday July 18 to Sunday July 20.

Among the many highlights will be a fun fair, running at Newcastle’s Town Moor on Saturday (July 19) and Sunday (July 20), with a variety of dedicated entertainment zones also established across both days.

This includes the Family Zone, complete with a sensory space, circus workshops, arts and crafts, face painting and music for younger visitors and the adjoining Youth Zone, sponsored by MESMAC, offering magic, art and sport for ages 12 and above.

Throughout the weekend female visitors can seek solace in the Women’s Zone, showcasing some of the North East’s finest musicians, songwriters and performers, while those hoping for a quieter respite can head to the Tea Tent, where they’ll be serving a selection of tea and treats.

A special Trans Zone will be open across both days, along with the Steve Paske Health Zone, sponsored by MESMAC, which will be offering free advice and STI Testing in a relaxed and confidential setting.

Several other specialist zones will also be running on Saturday (July 19) only, including a Cabaret Tent, sponsored by Eazy Street and Nandos, the new Bear Zone, with a separate bar and information area and the Power House Dance tent, sponsored by Accenture, with a host of award-winning DJs helping to bring a touch of the popular Newcastle nightclub to the Town Moor.

A host of stalls will also be open across the Moor throughout each day, offering the opportunity to buy a wide range of goods and seek advice on everything from adoption to employment.

All of this will coincide with Main Stage performances by a host of big name stars, including Sinitta, Steps star Faye Tozer and X Factor winner Shayne Ward on Saturday (July 19) and Eurodance act the Vengaboys on Sunday (July 20).

At the end of each day (around 6pm Sat and 5pm Sun), visitors have the opportunity to travel from the Town Moor to Newcastle’s Times Square, where there will be additional live music throughout the evening.

Mark Nichols, Chair of Northern Pride, which organises the annual event, said: “Newcastle Pride is all about bringing the community together and this year we’re offering more activities for all ages than ever before.

“We hope that families from across the North East and wider UK will take the opportunity to enjoy a great day out and help to promote the importance of equality and inclusion at the same time.”

Newcastle Pride 2014 is free to attend, though a number of hospitality and ticket pages are also available at www.safc.com/northernpride.

For more information and full listings for the event visit www.northern-pride.com, follow @NorthernPrideUK on Twitter or download the festival app.

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