We are now just one month away from Pride in London 2017 and it does seem that we need Pride now as much as ever, especially with this year’s theme of Love Happens Here. There are events already started but the main day is Saturday 8 July, so make a big glittery mark in your Disney Princess diary, a note on your Naked Bears calendar or send yourself an Insta reminder – and here’s a look at some of the treasures to enjoy with all your LGBT friends and supporters.
Pride in London Festival Events: Saturday 24 June to Sunday 9 July
Officially the Pride in London Festival runs from 24 June to 9 July, but in fact there are already exciting events happening including the two Pride’s Got Talent finals. One was last Sunday and the second one is this Sunday (11 Jun) at the Charing Cross Theatre. Also the official Pride website has details of a huge and diverse range of other events including: Desire, Love, Identity: Exploring LGBTQ Histories at the British Museum and Queer & Now: The official Pride in London Festival Launch which are both on 24 June. On the website you can find out about screenings and all kinds of events from sport to history and everything in-between, there really is something for everyone no matter what letter of the alphabet you identify with, if any! Full details at Prideinlondon.org.
Pride in London Parade: Saturday 8 July
Watching the parade is the best way to start your Pride Day as it makes its way thorough the West End with its thousands of walkers and loads of floats. It starts at 1pm, and takes a 1.4-mile route from just north of Oxford Circus down Regent Street and through Piccadilly Circus. It then heads down Pall Mall towards Trafalgar Square, and finishes in Whitehall at around 4:30pm.
Trafalgar Square and Soho: Saturday 8 July
The centrepiece of Pride is the main stage in Trafalgar Square where all afternoon you can enjoy music, cabaret and inspirational speakers. We’ll bring you full details of performers nearer the day. Plus there are bars set up around the square to get refreshments. Across the rest of Soho you will find a host of other stages including the Radio Diva Women’s Stage in Leicester Square, the Illumination Square family area in Golden Square, the Cabaret Stage in Dean Street and market stalls in Soho Square. Plus all your favourite bars will be holding Pride parties complete with DJs, cabaret and quite a few hot topless bar boys. If you’ve never walked from one end of Old Compton Street on Pride afternoon (in heels or flats), then you haven’t done Pride!
Pride in the Park and UK Black Pride: Sunday 9 July
The big day may be Saturday but on Sunday (9 Jun) you can enjoy the brilliant Pride in the Park in Vauxhall, which is run in conjunction with UK Black Pride. Watch this space for more details.
Volunteer with Pride
Organising Pride in London is a massive job and the team always need volunteers. If you want to help out either on the day or before then just go to the website and you’ll find all you need to know to help out.
prideinlondon.org.
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