LGBT org Negros Pride, in partnership with Artscenic, is set to stage what it described as the biggest pride pop-up in Visayas, a seven-day event running from June 22 to 28, across two venues in Bacolod City as a lead up for the yearly pride parade on June 27.
The multi-day cultural and community event forms part of this year’s Pride Month celebration, on the theme “FantaSiya”, which propels queer imagination as a form of world-building, resistance, and collective expression.
In their seventh year, Negros Pride Parade has grown into one of the largest LGBTQIA+ gatherings in Western Visayas, bringing together thousands of queer individuals and allies annually in a public demonstration of visibility, solidarity, and advocacy.
“This year’s Pride theme, FantaSiya, is rooted in the idea that queer imagination is not an escape from reality, but a way of reshaping it. It reflects how LGBTQIA+ communities continue to build worlds where dignity, safety, and equality are possible despite systemic barriers,” Kyle Villariza, convenor of Negros Pride, said in a press release.
The theme also responds to ongoing social issues affecting the LGBTQIA+ community, including persistent discrimination, gaps in legal protection such as the SOGIE Equality Bill, and broader socioeconomic inequalities that continue to affect marginalized sectors.
The pride pop-up will be held in two parts – at Ayala Malls Capitol Central, running from June 22 to 25, and in Cinematheque Centre Negros at the Negros Museum on June 26 to 28. The second leg will also feature QueerFlix & Chill, a curated queer film screening program showcasing LGBTQIA+ stories and narratives, with talkbacks from local queer organizers. ||
