Top tenor Craig shares his highlights of this year's Hand in Hand Festival.

From 16-18 August 2024, Bristol came alive as the UK and Ireland’s LGBTQ+ choirs gathered for the much-anticipated Hand in Hand festival. Originally set for 2021, the event was postponed due to Covid, but it was well worth the wait! Held every two years, Hand in Hand carefully avoids clashing with its European counterpart, Various Voices, so that choirs can enjoy both.

After stops in London, Brighton, Manchester, and Cardiff, this year it was Bristol's turn to host—and it didn’t disappoint!

Bristol Takes Center Stage

This year’s festival, badged as a weekend of music, community, and celebration, went above and beyond. Glorious weather, an incredible venue at the newly refurbished Bristol Beacon, and, of course, the fantastic choirs made it truly spectacular. With multiple stages throughout the venue, the festival had a real buzz. The sun shining over Bristol’s stunning backdrop made the whole experience even more magical.

South Wales Gay Men's Chorus Represent!

For many of us at the South Wales Gay Men’s Chorus, it was just a short hop over to Bristol. Most of us arrived Friday afternoon, just in time to catch the first performances. After months of preparation (and a last-minute decision to drop one song from our set), we were ready to hit the stage. Our Musical Director, Chris Fossey, led us to perfection as always, and we couldn’t wait to perform!

We took the main stage on Saturday morning at 11:30am, leaving the rest of the day to soak in the atmosphere, cheer on the other choirs, and—naturally—hit the bar and catch up with old friends. With 44 LGBTQ+ choirs and over 1,400 participants, there was always something to do: workshops, performances, and exploring the city. The vibe? Electric.


 

A Joyous Celebration of Music and Community

One SWGMC member summed it up perfectly: “I had a wonderful experience hanging out with the guys, laughing, and just soaking it all in. Performing was a joy, but what struck me most was realizing how talented we are. Being part of something so creative and collective with other gay men was incredible.”

Being around 1,400 other LGBTQ+ singers is something special. There’s a sense of belonging and joy that you only get at festivals like Hand in Hand or Various Voices. It’s emotional, empowering, and recharges your sense of community. Sure, you get those post-festival blues, but that’s how you know it was a truly magical weekend.
 

Sharing the Stage and Making New Friends

As former festival hosts, we had the honor of performing alongside our Welsh LGBTQ+ siblings, Cardiff Trans Singers and The Songbirds, at the Saturday evening gala concert. Our showstopper? An amazing rendition of Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious that had the crowd cheering! We soaked in the applause, then celebrated with a few pints before dancing the night away at the DJ set at Bristol Beacon.

Sunday followed the tradition of spreading the joy around the host city. We had a blast performing at Bristol Docks’ M-Sheds with Brighton’s Rainbow Chorus—our newest friends. The crowd loved it, and we felt like we were bringing sunshine with our voices on that beautiful morning.


 

Newcomers Loved It Too!

Some of our newer members couldn’t stop raving about their first Hand in Hand experience.

“I felt like I was part of a huge community, and it was so uplifting!”

“The atmosphere was amazing. Seeing choirs at different stages in their journeys was inspiring!”

“Being surrounded by so much passion and creativity—it was just incredible!”
 

What’s Next?

As the festival came to a close on Sunday afternoon, we all gathered for the traditional handover ceremony. The next host city? Drumroll, please… BLACKPOOL in 2027! We’re already planning our trip (seaside vibes, here we come!) and, before that, we’ll be heading to Brussels for Various Voices in 2026. We’re excited to see the festival schedule fall back into place, with less of a gap between them (fingers crossed).
 

Come Sing With Us!

Feeling inspired? Want to join a fun, diverse, and inclusive choir? South Wales Gay Men’s Chorus is always welcoming new members. Don’t worry about your gender identity or sexuality—if you can sing tenor, baritone, or bass, we’d love to have you! No auditions, and your first month is free, so why not give it a try? Check out our website for details on our next new members’ night, or just come along anytime. We'd love to sing with you!
https://www.swgmc.co.uk