Pokolbin Pride debuted last year with about 700 people attending, and organiser Jimmy Kerr is expecting more than 1000 guests this year to attend this year’s festival.

Mr Kerr said the festival is a celebration of diversity, love and kindness – with great people, wine, food, music, dancing and laughter. 

“Pokolbin Pride is about creating community, not just for local LGBTIQ community members but for their friends, family and corporate supporters as well,” he said.

“It's also about solidarity during this difficult time (the marriage equality survey), with so many of our community suffering from insecurity, anxiety and depression as their long term relationships and hopes for acceptance and love are put to the test in such a brutal way.

“It's also about telling the world that Australia's most popular regional wedding venue, the Hunter Valley, is open for business and ready and waiting for a ‘yes’ result.”

The festival’s community partner ACON will be attending all of the events, with acting CEO Karen Price to give a short speech at the welcome party on Friday night.

Events on this year’s program include a Rainbow Families lunch at Nanna Kerr’s Kitchen, markets at Drayton’s and an art exhibition at Tamburlaine each day.

There will also be a ‘Bubbles and Beats’ night at Peterson House on Friday, the Pokolbin Pride party at Tamburlaine on Saturday night and a recovery party at Nanna Kerr’s Kitchen on Sunday afternoon.

“It's going to add a splash of colour the already lush valley this weekend,” Mr Kerr said.

Mr Kerr said a peaceful march had been proposed for the Saturday afternoon, but had to be cancelled due to safety concerns.

He said a local resident had threatened on social media to drive her car through the marchers if it were to go ahead.

“We don't want any of visitors to be at risk and did not want to involve police in the event and waste taxpayers money,” Mr Kerr said.

Visit pokolbinpride.com.au for more information and tickets.