13th February 1999: London’s first Bi Festival and first Bi March

Putting the B in LGBT History MonthBiFest events happen all over the UK and increasingly often these days – in the first half of this year they are lined up for Oxford, Cardiff and London, and that’s just the ones we know about.

The first “BiFest” one-day-long bi awareness-raising festival was in February 1999 in London at the UCL on Malet Street. It included a bisexual march long nearby streets that drew 49 people – just short of the 50 required by the police for it to be allowed on the road. That meant that what would have blocked off a small strip of road instead occupied a long stretch of pavement as the bisexuals had to march more or less two by two.

So far as we know that makes it a double first – the first BiFest and the first bi parade. Unless you know better?

 

Submit your favourite bi people and events to remember for LGBT History Month – see here for details