Steps provide emotional end for Brighton Pride 2023

The band, who had delayed their break from touring to appear at the festival, shone on the Fabuloso main stage in silver sequins and sported colourful jackets with rainbow ribbons.

They played well-known hits including 5,6,7,8 and Tragedy and the packed park was full of people dancing and singing along.

H, visibly emotional at the huge crowd and the occasion, said: “Parts of our community are still under attack.”

He asked people to light up their phone torches for the trans community to show them they are “valued and loved”.

Steps headlined Sunday's Fabuloso (Image: The Argus/ Andrew Gardner)

The pop band then dedicated their song Only A Heartbeat Away to trans people and released balloons into the sky before displaying the message “Trans rights are human rights” at the back of the stage.

Throughout the Fabuloso festival in Preston Park performers and keynote speakers echoed the same message, that the country had come a long way in terms of rights for the LGBTQ+ community but that there was still lots to be done.

Steps dedicated a song to the trans community (Image: The Argus/ Andrew Gardner)

Drag Race UK winner The Vivienne entertained crowds in a devil-esque ensemble on Sunday, getting revellers dancing and singing along to hits including Pete Burn’s You Spin Me Round.

The Vivienne thoroughly entertained (Image: The Argus/ Andrew Gardner)

• Read more: First day of Brighton Pride comes to abrupt end as Black Eyed Peas set cut short

The drag queen said Pride was “more important than ever” before she began her final song, Meatloaf’s I Would Do Anything.

The crowd booed when The Vivienne said she only had one song left to perform.

“We’ve taken a step back,” she said.

“But we get through everything, and we’ll get through this.”

Speaking on Saturday afternoon human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell said: “We have a lot to be proud of”.

But he slammed the government for not banning conversion therapy and the crowds joined him in chanting “shame, shame”.

There were plenty of fabulous outfits on Sunday (Image: The Argus/ Andrew Gardner)

“Let’s never forget that until 1999 Britain had the largest number of anti LGBTQ+ laws of any country in the world,” he said.

“Some of them dating back centuries.

“Yet just 14 years later we had the legalisation of same-sex marriage in 2013.

“By then we had some of the best laws in the world.

“We still have battles to fight.

A happy festivalgoer (Image: The Argus/ Andrew Gardner)

“Over five years ago the government told us they would ban abusive conversion therapy.

“We are still waiting.”

Earlier during the day on Sunday, festivalgoers were treated to Tom Aspaul, Harley Moon Kemp, B*Witched and Louise.

Mel C spice up everybody's lives (Image: The Argus/ Andrew Gardner)

Mel C added a bit of spice before Steps with tracks from her solo career as well as hits from her time in the Spice Girls including Spice Up Your Life.

More than 150 LGBTQ+ artists performed over the weekend, for the official fundraiser event in aid of the Brighton Rainbow Fund, which distributes grants to LGBTQ+ and HIV groups across Brighton and Hove.