PRIDE month will be celebrated across the country in June, and at Skipton Town Hall with an exciting mix of theatre, comedy, and workshops - and an alternative prom!

Kicking off on with a performance exploring what is it like to be a gay woman; there will also be a Skipton Comedy Live special, a Pride prom workshop and a performance by Cabaret super-star, Velma Celli, who will be making a return visit to Skipton.

There will also be a Pride Prom, an alternative, inclusive prom for LGBTQIA+ young people, friends and allies.

Barely Visible, on the evening of Friday, May 31, for people over 16 years old, is a solo, one hour performance by Rowena Gander which sets out to explore identity, objectification and what it is to be a gay, ‘barely visible’ woman in a raw and physical journey of empowerment.

With elements of physical theatre, pole and contemporary dance, Rowena, and acclaimed physical theatre director, Elinor Randle, bring 'playfulness, authenticity, and boldness to this mesmerising work'.

On Friday, June 7, Skipton Comedy Live will present an adults pride special. Audiences are promised a 'night of non-stop laughter' with a line up of professional stand-up comics.

North-West based comedian Colin Manford, will be master of ceremonies, introducing comedians Lou Conran, Hannah Platt and Jenny Hart.

Lou, a stand-up since 2006, has supported Sarah Millican, gigged for Buzz Comedy and Manfords Comedy Clubs, she has been delighting audiences with her naughty but nice delivery, her friendly presence and her instinctive wit, ever since.

Hannah is an accomplished writer, actor, stand-up comedian and improviser who is 'storming the live circuit'. She has a 'frank, acerbic and brutally honest approach to stand up, never shying away from sensitive topics'.

Jenny Hart came out in comedy as transgender to support her journey. She is a part time musical comedy act with a large side of dark humour and bags of energy, moving up through the ranks and bashing down comedy doors and changing attitudes. She loves what she does and she loves the reactions she gets and she’d love to push those boundaries further.

The hub bar will be open from 7pm, with regular drinks intervals. The show is strictly for those over 19 years old.

On Saturday, June 8, there will be two workshops for young people with a passion for music who would like to learn DJing, but who don't know where to start.

Places are limited to 12 places for the morning and afternoon sessions which will be led by DJ Kiya Major.

Kiya's workshops are designed to empower young people in the art of music mixing. Whether they are a complete novice or have some DJ experience, they are invited to join an immersive session that breaks barriers and fosters creativity in a supportive environment.

The two hour workshops will cover a brief introduction to DJing, gaining insights into various styles and genres, before getting hands-on experience with industry-standard DJ equipment. It will be a chance to learn the basics and dive into the essentials of beat matching and mixing and put skills to the test in a supportive practice session.

The workshops are for 14 to 18 year olds, with participants having the chance to join Kiya at the Pride Prom on the Saturday evening.

Before Pride Prom on Saturday, June 8, will be a free-drop in event for young people to go along and get ready for Pride Prom. It will be an opportunity for 14 to 18 year olds to go along, talk to others and get dressed up - if they want to - for the prom party.

There will be glitter and face paints available, and a chance to make Pride protest button badges inspired by protest ephemera from the Craven Museum collection. Skipton Library will also be creating a display of Pride themed literature.

Pride Prom kicks off at 7pm with DJs Kiya Major and Leeds-based Michael Upson. who is returning to Skipton following his sensational performance at last year's Skipton Pride.

Soft drink mocktail bar and snacks will be available, and people are invited to wear what they want - whether its a ball gown, dress as a unicorn, or jeans and a hoodie – whatever makes them feel happy. Tickets are £5.

On Saturday, June 15 there will be two, free family craft sessions. People can just drop in to the sessions which will celebrate diversity as participants make colourful crafts inspired by some of the protest ephemera from Craven Museum to take home. Librarians from Skipton Library will also be at the sessions carrying out story-reading.

Possibly the highlight of the Pride special will be Velma Celli's God Save the Queens on the evening of Saturday, June 15.

Fresh from a tour of Australia, international cabaret super-star Velma Celli, promises an evening of music, comedy and general fabulous entertainment in her tribute to the best UK music icons. From Adele, Amy Winehouse, Annie Lennox, Florence Welch, Leona Lewis, The Spice Girls and many more, she promises to leave audiences happily exhausted and begging for more.

Last year Velma’s A Brief History of Drag entertained audiences across the globe on a tour which included Australia, 54 Below in New York, and a sell-out U.K tour ending in a smash hit run at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Tickets to see her in Skipton are £15.

For more details of Skipton Pride and to book tickets, visit: https://skiptontownhall.co.uk; or drop in at the town hall.