Poco Loco, a family-owned grassroots dive-bar and live performance venue, also houses a Spanish/Mexican restaurant ‘Tacos & Tapas’. During the day, it’s a great place to unwind with a beer, coffee, or some tapas. At night, it transforms into a vibrant scene with live bands and performances, perfect for dinner or partying late into the night. For over thirteen years, Poco Loco has been a nurturing ground for local talent and a stop for international touring acts, at the core of Medway’s music and alternative culture. With a range of acts from indie rock to gypsy jazz, and funk to heavy rock, as well as burlesque and spoken word, Poco Loco offers something for everyone. Their commitment to diversity, openness, and acceptance is evident, making them a beloved part of the community. And don’t miss their stunning cocktails, especially during Medway Pride on the 17th

Kent Dider Co have been supporting Medway Pride as a Sponsor since 2022. They produce both traditional, still, strong and dry ciders such as Russet as well as sparkling apple ciders, real fruit ciders, experimental trial batch ciders and more

They also have many seasonal and limited edition offerings and these depend on what local fruit we are able to source at a good price and at the right moment. Popular seasonal offerings have included Strawberry, Damson, Cherry and Apricot. Rhubarb started out as one of our limited edition offerings and has grown to be one our most loved and bestselling ciders.

They want to be sure that people find a Kentish cider that they love, whether that be traditional or one of our more contemporary offerings. Also – handy for some of you to know : our business is vegan owned and run, so our entire range is suitable for Vegan drinkers. As well as this our cider is naturally gluten-free and therefore it is suitable for Coeliac drinkers too.

what can we tell you about the Ship Inn that you don’t already know?  is it one of the oldest queer venues in the UK? YES! are they super-friendly and welcoming? YES! do they have amazing acts on every week? YES! do they have fabulous DJs? YES! do they do awesome cocktails? YES! is their Sunday roast beyond tasty? YES! is their back garden lovely? YES! are they one of our oldest, dearest, most supportive friends in Medway? YES YES YES!

Seriously guys, we love you, thanks for always being there for the queer community, for your many kindnesses, and for all the amazing support you’ve given Medway Pride through the years!

Our long term Sponsor State 4 Restaurants who with other businesses manage Medways McDonalds franchises show unwavering commitment to advancing equality and inclusivity, The company has a comprehensive global policy that bars discrimination, harassment, and retaliation, safeguarding employees worldwide against mistreatment based on factors including sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, and transgender identity. So thanks Ronald for the invaluable McSupport you give to the LGBTQIA+ community and to us, Medway Pride!

Rochester Riverside is a £419 million ( ) joint venture between Countryside and Hyde, in partnership with the council. If you’ve been down there you’ll they’re transforming what was a 50-acre brownfield site into a new riverside destination. The development includes around 1,400 new homes, a proportion of which are affordable, a primary school, nursery, hotel, 2.5 km river walkway, commercial units, parking, green open spaces, and play areas! Thanks for helping to energise the riverside guys, and for being such staunch supporters for so long, we truly truly appreciate it!

Did you know that Medway Council has developed and adopted a comprehensive Cultural Strategy that outlines their vision for the arts for the next decade? They want Medway to be internationally recognized for creativity and culture by 2030. The plans focus on diversity, collaboration, and engagement. They define culture quite broadly, taking in not only traditional stuff like museums, galleries, and theatres but also history, food, the night-time economy, creative installations in public spaces, and the creative industries. We think it’s a fantastic way forward and that their inclusive approach reflects the importance of the creative impulse in all of us in Medway. We also have to say a huge THANK YOU for their continuous support for what we do!

The Universities at Medway do so much to support their LGBTQIA+ students and staff. .

The University of Greenwich is a proud member of the Stonewall Diversity Champions Programme, and last year it was ranked as the second-highest university within the Stonewall Workplace Equality Index!

The University of Kent has an LGBTQ+ Network which represents and advocates for LGBTQIA+ students, a Student Trans Support Policy and Gender Affirmation Fund, and offers accommodation for couples.

Canterbury Christ Church University LGBTQIA+ Society at Canterbury Christ Church University provides all sorts of support, and not just to students, they donate to charities like Mermaids, Porchlight, and Just Like Us too. SO much support for LGBTQIA+ young people in Medway, we applaud the universities for it, and thank them form bottom of our hearts for being such amazing allies for so long!

Supported using public funding National Lottery Funded Arts Council England.

Arts Council England is the UK’s national development agency for creativity and culture. As an arm’s length non-departmental public body of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, it champions, develops, and invests in artistic and cultural experiences across England. Their mission is to enrich people’s lives through a diverse range of activities, including theatre, digital art, reading, dance, music, literature, and crafts. They provide funding opportunities for organizations, artists, events, and other creative practitioners, ensuring that everyone’s creativity has a chance to flourish.

#MedwayPride24Sponsor