As One In The Park 2013, a new LGBT festival for London

 

What: As One in the Park Festival 2013
When: Sunday 26 May
Time: 12pm - 10pm
Where: Victoria Park, Hackney, London E9 7DB
Tickets: £40 (£35 early bird sold out) and limited £75 VIP tickets

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When I first moved to London over 10 years ago now, I used to go along to Finsbury Park to the Big Gay Out. For years now, there has been nothing like it, and I, as well as many of my friends have certainly noticed this. London, such a gay-friendly hub is definitely lacking. Thankfully, Orange Nation have got together with Saturn Star, and in May 2013 will be hosting 'As One in the Park'.

The list of names just keeps on growing. So far announced are:

RITA ORA

CONOR MAYNARD

KATY B

UNION J

SKIN (DJ SET)

RYLAN

OFFER NISSIM

BOY GEORGE & MARK VEDO

PEYTON

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VERY SPECIAL GUEST:

HOLLY JOHNSON

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MORE LIVE ACTS TO BE ANNOUNCED

OVER 100 ARTISTS, BRANDS & DJS, OVER 9 ARENAS

As One in the Park will be held in Victoria Park, in Hackney (E9 7DB - nearest tube/train is Mile End) on Sunday 26 May (Bank Holiday weekend).

Presented by Orange Nation, As One In The Park will be the first credible large-scale gay festival in London for over a decade, putting the capital in line with other major European cities.


Victoria Park is firmly established as a prime festival site, already playing host to events including Field Day. As One In The Park is the day after Field Day and will be using their infrastructure and production crew.

There are plenty of transport options available:
Bus Routes: 8, 277, 309, 339, 388, D3, D6, S2
Hackney Wick (East London line), Cambridge Heath (National Rail) and Bethnal Green (National Rail)
Mile End (District and Central lines), Bow Road (District Line), Stratford (Jubilee Line), Bow Church (DLR) and Bethnal Green (Central line).

What to expect?
There will also be 4 large indoor arenas and 5 additional stages, which will be hosted by some of the world’s leading gay party brands. The Circuit Arena will be presented by international circuit parties, Matinee, WE Party, The Week, Scream, and Rapido, while the Best Of British Arena will be hosted by Beyond, Orange, and Salvation. Other brands involved in the event will be Delooded, Shadow Lounge, Popstarz, Bearracuda, Madame Jojo’s, FNDHRR, Girl Action, L Fest, Mint, Code, Ku Bar, Rupert Street and Comptons with more to be announced.


Tickets are available from the website. A limited number of exclusive VIP Tickets are available.

VIP ticket benefits include:
FAST TRACK ENTRY |  COMPLEMENTARY GLASS OF CHAMPAGNE |  ENTRY TO SHADOW LOUNGE EXCLUSIVE VIP VILLAGE (behind the Main Stage) |  VIP BAR |
TABLE SERVICE |  PREMIUM SPIRITS |  VIP TOILETS

Tickets to As One in the Park are only available to those aged 18 and over as this is a licensed event.


There is a detailed FAQ section on the website that covers everything from accessibility to what not to bring, what is allowed, re-entry, facilities and more.  http://www.asoneinthepark.co.uk/contact.html

About Orange Nation
For those of you who haven't heard of Orange Nation, and are wondering who they are, here is a bit of history:

The Orange Nation is the UK’s largest gay promotions company. ON is a collective of LGBT club promoters who operate large internationally renowned parties including Beyond, We Party and Matinee in venues across London including Electric Brixton and The Coronet Theatre. ON also owns South London based nightclub venues Fire, The Lightbox, Area, Protocol and Covert.

ON has a strong history within the LGBT London community as the leading nightlife promotions group and has been featured to represent London’s dance scene at events including London Pride (host of the Soho Square Dance Stage) and to represent the UK internationally at events including Barcelona Circuit Festival and at cities including Paris, Ibiza, Rome and more.

Find out more, following As One on Twitter or Facebook or buy your tickets before they sell out!

Website: http://www.asoneinthepark.co.uk
Twitter https://twitter.com/AsOneInThePark
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/AsOneInThePark?fref=ts

Feature by Naomi Bennett-Hall

World Aids Day & G-A-Y - another successful year

It felt a little bit like the Red Ribbon campaign sadly lost its visibility this year, especially with images like this:


Spot the difference

But thanks to great initiatives like the mass HIV Testing Station at G-A-Y, this year 745 men and women took a test and got their results on the day. For each test, £10 is donated by Jeremy Joseph to the Elton John AIDS Foundation - which means it's a no brainer to go down and get tested if its not already part of your sexual health routine. Over £9,000 is expected to be raised by the end of the campaign.

This is the second year the campaign has run, I hope it becomes an annual event and bigger and better next year.

Coupled with an amazing line up at G-A-Y that brought the best of gay together - Rylan Clark and Lucy Spraggan in an unbeatable double bill, what a 1st December for Jeremy Joseph and G-A-Y/Heaven. I've always been very impressed that they get one of the first PAs of the X Factor Finalists as they exit the show week on week and this year has been even better matchedthan ever, as there has been a wealth of gay acts on the show - perhaps next year a new show will pop up 'Gays' got talent?!