Brighton Pride has returned for its 50th anniversary this year, with celebrations kicking off today across the city.

Festivities over the weekend include headline performances from Black Eyed Peas, B*Witched, Steps and Zara Larsson in Preston Park, a village party in Kemp Town and a parade throughout Brighton.

The first Pride parade dates back to 1973, only six years after homosexuality was decriminalised in England. Protesters carried banners that said "glad to be gay", "gay but not ashamed" and "homosexuals are humans".

However, it was another 18 years before Pride returned when Brighton Area Action Against Section 28 (BAAAS28) organised a weekend of events in 1991, which brought hundreds of people to the city's streets.

The first Pride in the Park took place the following year. Although it proved financially unviable due to a lack of support from businesses, the event was a foretaste of what was to come.

The event in 1995 attracted major sponsorship and brought on board support from pubs, clubs and drag artists.

Brighton Pride went from strength to strength, with more than 60,000 people visiting the festivities in 1999.

The Argus reported at the time: "Among the most outrageous carnival entries was a 40ft float manned by staff from the town's Avalon Guest House, featuring people dancing around a naked man under a shower."

In 2002 Brighton Pride included and referenced the trans community, with the event becoming a charity two years later to raise awareness of issues affecting LGBTQ+ people and make donations to other charitable organisations in the area.

The city's Pride parade continues to celebrate Brighton's diverse LGBTQ+ community, with bright and bold colours, a wealth of dancers and with support from businesses across the city and Sussex.

Last year also welcomed a Ukrainian delegation in the parade, showing Brighton's solidarity with Ukraine following the outbreak of war as Russia invaded in February last year.