Fifty years ago this Friday, the very first Pride march in London took off from Trafalgar Square. Led by the Gay Liberation Front and joined by some 700 members of the LGBT community, it was a milestone for equal rights in the UK; a bold expression of political resistance and radical celebration, demanding freedom of love for all.
Half a century later, Pride in London has become one of the biggest events on the capital’s calendar, last time attracting around 1.5 million visitors. That was in 2019 — the pandemic forced two years of cancellations — but the long wait will only add to the poignancy of this weekend’s 50th anniversary.
On Saturday, a parade will follow part of the original 1972 route, starting at Hyde Park Corner and heading towards Piccadilly Circus, before turning south and finishing at Trafalgar Square. There you’ll find one of four entertainment stages – more info on the lineup below.
This isn’t the only Pride party coming up soon. on July 9 London Trans+ Pride (@londontranspride) arrives at Wellington Arch, across Hyde Park, while UK Black Pride comes to the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park (ukblackpride.org.uk) on August 14.
This coming weekend is going to be a busy one, though, with everything promising from fundraising parties to late-night raves – and with things selling out fast, now’s the time to reserve your spot. It is a great opportunity to celebrate what has been achieved in the past five decades and to reflect on how much remains to be done.
Pride In London stages
There are four free stages across central London, each offering eight hours of entertainment from 12 noon on Saturday. Trafalgar Square is headed by Ava Max with the likes of Emeli Sandé and Samantha Mumba. Head to the Golden Square stage to see Cat Burns and Siena Liggins, or head to Dean Street to see Justin Vivian Bond in the headline slot. Leicester Square, meanwhile, will be dedicated to LGBTQIA+ women and non-binary artists. That’s just a snapshot; visit prideinlondon.org for the full lineups.
Free, 12pm-8pm, July 2nd WC2N, W1R, W1D, WC2H, prideinlondon.org.uk
queer circle
Enough has been made of how much queer cultural spaces London has lost in recent times, so it’s heartwarming to see a new one popping up. Queercircle, which opened its doors to its Greenwich home earlier this month, currently has two installations running, including an exploration of Pride’s 50th anniversary seen through a drag lens. The space is open every day, except Monday, from 10am to 6pm.
Free (donations welcome), now open, SE10, queercircle.org
Brown sugar
Speaking of new, here’s a fresh LGBTQIA+ venue hosting an even fresher club night. Glass House, a multidisciplinary space in Shoreditch, welcomes Brown Suga this weekend and welcomes QTIPOC, queer women, non-binary and trans-folk for an alternative Pride celebration. Expect tunes ranging from dancehall to afrobeats, spread across two dance halls – one of which is booze-free – lip-syncing contests and even a bookshop. Going alone? Head downstairs from 8-9pm for a friendly mixer before the night kicks in.
£10, 8pm – 3am, 2nd July E2, moonlightexperiences.com
Horsemeat Disco
Pride and disco are a match made in clubbing heaven, meaning this night at the Roundhouse should take it to the next level. Led by Pride veterans Horse Meat Disco, with Hot Chip’s Joe Goddard for a DJ set, the stage will be packed with live performers, from self-described “human confetti explosion” Lucy Fizz to drag queen TeTe Bang.
From £22.50, 5pm to 11pm, 2nd July NW1, roundhouse.org.uk
The Clapham Grand
The Clapham Grand is a perennial favorite on the South London queer scene, so it’s fitting that the venue is all out this weekend. Kick back at the pre-Pride party on Friday night, which will be headlined by Drag Race UK’s The Vivienne, Lawrence Chaney and Tia Kofi – all of whom will also take to the Trafalgar Square stage on Saturday – and head back across the river after the march for the official afterparty: Victoria Scone, Elektra Fence and Pavie Valsa perform as Elton John, Lady Gaga and Britney Spears respectively.
From £14.75, July 1 & 2, SW11, claphamgrand.com
HE SHE SHE
Fabric sets the stage for this rave of queer party starters HE.SHE.THEY. The music is a serious part of what they do, specializing in house and techno, but here it’s all about inclusivity and experimentation. “We welcome anyone who wants to change a look from clothing to makeup, latex to PVC, harnesses to headgear,” they explain. Anna Wall and Taahliah are among the DJs spinning at night.
From £15, 11pm-6pm, 2nd July EC1M, heshethey.me
Duckie at the Royal Vauxhall Tavern
Queer venues in London aren’t much more iconic than the Royal Vauxhall Tavern, and the same goes for the famous Duckie series. But after 27 years, the groundbreaking Saturday Night Shine is coming to an end (at the RVT anyway; it will live on in other forms), with resident DJs Readers Wifes taking the honours. Presale tickets are, unsurprisingly, already sold out, but there will still be some at the door for those who get down early and toast nearly three decades of glorious celebrations.
£8 OTD before 10.30pm / £10 after, 2nd July, 9pm – 4pm, SE11, vauxhalltavern.com
The Standard, London
This King’s Cross hotel stands up for Pride, with four days of fun. On Friday, cocktail bar Sweeties will be taken over by The Rimmers, a spin-off of the popular queer night Buttmitzvah, while on Saturday the Double Standard bar will be the South London collective UOKHUN? will receive. On Sunday, it takes to the rooftop with Jungle Kitty, serving Afrobeats, dancehall, house and more, and closes out on Monday with musician and writer Tom Rasmussen in conversation with Zooey Gleaves.
July 1-4, WC1H, standardhotels.com
Latinx Pride After Party
Exilio, the LGBTQ+ Latinx dance club, will represent its community at Saturday’s parade — watch out for the Carnival butterfly troupe of dancers, drummers and DJs — before bringing that vibe to Jerusalem Bar and Kitchen in Soho for the afterparty. It promises a range of UK-based Latin musicians and dancers, from folk to samba, as well as plenty of food and drink to keep energy levels high.
From £15, 6pm – 3am, 2nd July W1T, exile.co.uk
Pride of Passage: Strawberry Hill, Sexuality and the Grand Tour
If your Pride weekend looks like it will be mostly spent on the dance floor, this talk at The London Library can help you start off on a more scientific note. Aided by the World Monuments Fund, in partnership with Strawberry Hill House and Queer Britain, it will take a “fresh look” at Horace Walpole’s life and legacy, delving into his work, correspondence and sexuality – while also highlighting the need emphasizes telling LGBTQ+ stories when exploring history.
Free (donations welcome), 19:00-20:00, June 29 SW1Y, eventbrite.co.uk
gay stash
A proud owner of facial hair above the lips, or a fan of those that are? Homostash is the rave for you, combining a penchant for mustaches with a penchant for seriously fun parties. Taking place at Colors in Hoxton, this night will be spread over two floors, one dedicated to techno and the other focused on disco. DJs including Tafkanik and Antonio Mingot will be behind the turntables.
From £13, from 9.30pm, 2nd July N1, colorhoxton.com
nazar
Hungama has carved itself a glorious niche as the UK’s first LGBTQ+ Bollywood club night and is one of London’s essential parties. Together with the Nafs Space collective, they will be in charge of the riverside terrace of the Southbank, along with the Nafs Space collective, which will bring a line-up of queer DJs and artists from the South Asian, Middle Eastern and composes SWANA diaspora.
Free, from 5 p.m., 2 July SE1, southbankcentre.co.uk