This year's Brighton Pride festival will be the most expensive yet, costing £135,000.

But project manager Jamie Jones promised it would still have a strong "community feel".

Organisers of the Sussex festival want to exploit growing disillusionment with London's gay showpiece.

London's Mardi Gras, held last weekend, has been attacked for becoming too commercialised.

Paul Wilde, of operating firm Wilde Ones International, said: "Unfortunately, Mardi Gras has gone down the road of taking a lot of corporate sponsorship.

"The event can suffer. But that isn't happening here. There's a good balance at Brighton Pride, which is the best in the country. Now let's get some of those Londoners down here."

Last year an estimated 60,000 people attended Brighton Pride, with revellers spending around £2 million in the city.

The event cost £107,000 to organise and made a £4,000 loss.

But Mr Jones is confident about this year's high budget, despite admitting it was a big gamble.

A record amount of sponsorship cash has been raised, ranging from corporate giants Vodafone and Haagen Dazs to a cat litter company.

The involvement of corporate sponsors is seen as vital and now accounts for four times as much as for the 2000 event.

Grolsch, Havana Club and Red Devil are paying £5,000 each to have their drinks on sale.

Haagen Dazs is contributing £3,000 and will provide free ice cream, while Vodafone is paying £1,000 to put up an aerial to improve mobile phone reception.

The Catsan Cat Litter Roadshow will make an appearance.

Mr Jones said: "You'll have to ask me afterwards what that's all about, because I'm not quite sure. But we have to fund this event somehow!

"We always try to have a very careful balance between having enough money and keeping it as a community event. We're proud of that."

A procession through the city will start at Madeira Drive at 11am, following the theme Gold 'n' Glitz to celebrate the Queen's Golden Jubilee.

Entertainment at Preston Park will include a funfair, cabaret big top, five bar tents and a Steppin' Out Dance Marquee offering salsa and jive classes.

The past two events have raised more than £30,000 for local gay and lesbian voluntary groups and charities.

For information about the event on August 10, go to www.prideinbrightonandhove.com