REVELLERS from across the country and around the world descended on Preston Park for the final day of the Brighton Pride festival and I was there to soak up the atmosphere as the festivities came to a close.

The sound of Abba's Super Trooper boomed across Preston Park as Björn Again entertained the crowd, with the tribute act challenging parts of the crowd to sing or chant louder than the other.

Sophie Ellis-Bextor in a blue sequinned number and Scissor Sisters lead singer Jake Shears also dazzled the several thousand-strong audience.

Sophie got people dancing and cheering with a medley of classic tracks from the early noughties, while Jake thrilled the crowd with some of the band’s most well-known hits.

The Argus: One of the drag queens at the "Polyglamourous" tentOne of the drag queens at the "Polyglamourous" tent

I took the chance between the acts to explore some of the other tents scattered around the park, with death-dropping drag queens at the “Polyglamourous” dance tent, a DJ set of nineties classics, and dancing crowds at the "Groove zone" tent.

I also browsed the range of different trade stands selling all sorts of trinkets, flags and other items.

Then it was time for Paloma Faith to take the stage at Brighton Pride once again, having previously headlined in 2013.

Her name exploded onto the screens around the park in rainbow-coloured lettering as she emerged in a red latex outfit.

As she began her set, I couldn’t help but remember that it was only about six or so months since the park had been used as a testing site for Covid-19. 

Now, some two years since the start of the pandemic, people were queuing to enjoy themselves, rather than find out if they have been infected and must self-isolate. 

How grateful we all must be to be back to some sense of normality and that we can all let our hair down and have fun at such events once more.

To quote Abba, thank you for the music, Brighton Pride - same again next year?