Machynlleth’s LGBTQ+ Pride returns for its third year on 16 May, promising ballroom, disco and picnics.

The Pride event has always packed a sizeable punch for the small town of 2,000, with people travelling from across Wales to attend the events celebrating the diverse community of mid Wales.

This year’s celebrations offer entertainment for young and old throughout the week, culminating in a full day of celebrations on Saturday 16 May at the Owain Glyndŵr Centre.

A spokesperson from the committed team of volunteers who put the event together said: “We're looking forward to welcoming people back for our third LGBTQIA+ Pride.

“It seems more important than ever to celebrate our diverse cultures and communities.

“We are living in divisive and uncertain times, and our response to that is to open our arms and invite our community, friends and allies to sit with us and enjoy music from Welsh queer talent, chill and chat.”

Celebrations begin at the Machynlleth Library on Wednesday 13 May with a lunchtime Pride author event on queering the fourth branch of the Mabinogi with Colin Audige-Soutter.

Thursday 14 evening will see a queer pub quiz at the Old Pizzeria at the Wynnstay Hotel.

The evening of Friday 15 May will feature the newly popular spoken-word and poetry night, Spitting Ink, at the youth art space Sploj on Bank Lane from 7pm.

Saturday 16 May offers a full day of free celebrations for young and old, starting at 11am on the Owain Glyndŵr green showcasing the incredible diverse talent of the region, with music and drag on the picnic stage and a queer market inside.

Workshops on offer will include queer ecology, queering finance, line dancing, body positivity, Welsh ballroom, sensual play for beginners and queer tales from Wales.

The kids' area will have face painting, hula hooping with Jess Mess, a clowning and games hour and DIY calzone making.

Food and drink will be on offer via the ‘Gay Baa’, Green Goat food stall, fire and food from Forgeways and of course, an ice cream van.

The evening will be a disco featuring the best DJs in the area from 7pm, followed by a takeover by the Welsh Ballroom Community, who will have travelled up from Cardiff for the event.

The weekend is paid for almost entirely through donations and local sponsorship, with some funding from Welsh government.

To help pay for the talent, raffle tickets will be on offer with prizes including a massage, a Hermit Crab hamper, a £50 El Diablo tattoo voucher, a £50 Gwen voucher, one night in a glamping dome, a foraging course, a yoga workshop, a Dyfi Wholefoods hamper, a Sawna Dyfi voucher and a Bottle and Barrel voucher.

To volunteer on the day, email [email protected]

You can donate to the Balchder Machynlleth Pride JustGiving page here - https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/balchdermachpride2026

The evening event is ticketed, set from £6-16, available here - https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/welsh-ballroom-takeover-mach-pride-party-tickets-1987097470024