Fantasy Gay Pride Festival 2017

I arrived at Fantasy Gay Pride Festival on a misty Sunday morning and was immediately greeted by a blaze of colour in the form of a rotating zodiac dancefloor.  Pillars around it advertise various events and attractions.  There is also a "Stars of the Stars" hunt.

The first thing that pulled me in was a yellow brick road.  I journeyed along it - past Professor Marvel's caravan to Munchkinland where some unfortunate soul has been flattened by a low flying house.  I tried to assist her, but I was too late.  It seemed a shame to waste her lovely red shoes so I took them for safekeeping.

Further along the path I passed by an orchard with a tin man and a field with a scarecrow.  In the trees there was a lion, but it seemed too cowardly to come out to play.  At the end of the yellow brick road there was a sparkling city seemingly made of emeralds.

I retraced my steps back to the arrival point and wandered north west across some rope bridges to discover tree houses soaring skyward.

Further along the beach, I found a rather exotic waterslide, the centrepiece of which had a look of Julian Clary.  It was uncanny and unnatural - but utterly glam.

Once more from the arrival point, I ventured south up the hillside - up a pile of books to the Moon Cannon.  Accepting steampunk breathing apparatus and a ray gun from the strange looking chap, I boarded the rocket.  A short while later I landed on the moon.  Whilst exploring the caverns below the surface, I found that the natives were not very welcoming - that explains the ray gun!  The moon was okay for exploring, but not much good for parties as there was no atmosphere(!)

From the arrival point there is a large book with a hole in it.  I followed a trail of books through it and spent a while daydreaming in the gazebo as I listened to the ambient music, before continuing my sightseeing tour with a visit to the homes of Emily Dickinson and Oscar Wilde.

Elsewhere, using the teleporters, I visited a castle, a circus and Saturn - where time is of the essence.

There is also an exhibit dedicated to Alan Turing, which features a model of the code breaking machine.  Next to the Truing exhibit is a courtroom with a range of reading materials on the walls.  Be careful of the judge...I have been sentenced to two years hard labour for gross indecency!  Thankfully, if it's hard, it is no labour.

Once you have done your tour, you can pop in to the The Grapes pub (as part owned by Sir Ian McKellan) for a drink and a bite to eat before popping down to the theatre - via the phone box to pick up some freebies.

And finally a bit of relaxation.

The Fantasy Gay Pride Festival is open from Friday 25th Aug until Sunday 3rd September.