ORGANISERS of a Hampshire festival have released the date for next year’s event.

The third annual Southampton Pride will take place on August 25, 2018.

The event surpassed expectations this year, with more than 10,000 revellers taking to Guildhall Square to celebrate LGBT rights.

Founder of the UK Pride organisers’ network Steve Taylor said: “Most Prides struggle to get a national sponsor on board so have to got Cunard as sponsors is incredible.”

Southampton Pride committee says it hopes the event will remain a free one next year - but they are “strongly urging” people to buy wristbands, the cost of which goes towards organising the event.

It means it will stay as one of two thirds of the Pride festivals across the UK which are free - with London Europe’s second biggest free Pride.

Mr Taylor said that despite the growing number of Prides, there is still a need for the event.

He said: “Until global LGBT rights are standard then we need to make sure they still happen.”

Committee member Julianne Watling-McCarthy said: “The committee are so excited that we’ve managed to secure a date for next year and we’re already busy planning on how to make next year even bigger and better than 2017. We’ve also got some exciting sponsorship news to announce soon.”