A crowded street during a Pride parade with rainbow flags.(File image: Artem Kulinych / Pexels)
Newy 87.8 FM – Newcastle Pride will not hold its flagship Fair Day event in 2026 after failing to secure the sponsorship and grant funding needed to run it.
The organisation announced the decision on social media on Monday 7 September 2026, saying "This is a pause, not goodbye."
Organisers said they could not secure the sponsorship or grant funding required to deliver Fair Day to the standard expected, and chose to pause the event rather than run a diminished version.
The rest of the 2026 Newcastle Pride Festival will proceed, and the committee is planning for Fair Day's return in 2027. The organisation's website continues to list upcoming 2026 events, including Drag Music Bingo on 18 October.
The 2025 Fair Day at Gregson Park in Hamilton drew an estimated 18,000 people, according to organisers, and featured drag performer Courtney Act.
Newcastle Pride is a not-for-profit, community-based LGBTQIA+ organisation established in 2018, serving Newcastle, Lake Macquarie and the Hunter. It has been run entirely by volunteers since 2018 and says it operates with no regular funding, relying on sponsors, partners and donations to deliver festival events free to the community.
The organisation won Best Event or Festival at the Newcastle Hospitality & Tourism Awards on 18 May 2026 for its 2025 festival.
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