Caroline with campaigner Peter Tatchell and Green MEP Keith Taylor

Last weekend was a wonderful weekend of celebrations in the city.

On Saturday the LGBT community and up to 100,000 well-wishers took to the streets to celebrate Pride.

I joined in the parade on Brighton & Hove Green Party’s rainbow-themed float, thoroughly enjoying the upbeat carnival atmosphere.

The theme of the day, ‘United Colours of Pride’, served as a reminder of the thousands of LGBT people around the globe who still face violence and discrimination.

I’m well aware of this, having worked with asylum seekers who came to Brighton to escape persecution for their sexuality or gender identity.

At a Brighton & Hove Green Party stall in Preston Park afterwards we gained huge support for our petitions on equal marriage and homophobic bullying in schools.

The excellent turnout at Pride should translate into extra money for local frontline LGBT and HIV/AIDS charities too - more than £30,000 was raised for good causes, with £1 from every ticket going to the Rainbow Trust.

The only thing that spoiled the day was the treatment of those marching under the Queers against the Cuts banner, who were forced to the back of the parade and, according to eyewitnesses, were later intimidated by police on horseback who surrounded the group for the rest of the parade.

Greens are urgently taking this up with the relevant authorities.

On Sunday the city’s digital community took to the streets in its own way with an interactive virtual firework display at Jubilee Square (see picture below).

Titled PixelPyros and created by digital artist Seb Lee-Delisle, this incredible sight marked the official launch of the Brighton Digital Festival: a month-long celebration of all things digital, bringing together the city’s vibrant arts and digital communities.

The festival will no doubt reinforce the reputation of Brighton’s rapidly growing creative economy and the innovative cultural and social approach to digital development that can be found here.

It takes place throughout September and all the event info can be found on the festival website at bit.ly/Hma4fg

Caroline at the virtual firework display