Break out the rainbow colours and choose love
Pride in London is back in full force for 2024, with the annual parade returning to central London on 29th June. This year, the focus is on #WeAreEverywhere, a campaign that spotlights the presence of London’s LGBTQ+ community and how they drive change by living authentically and unapologetically in the face of backsliding LGBTQ+ rights in the UK. The #WeAreEverywhere campaign, running across social media, digital platforms and out-of-home advertising, features images and stories of everyday Londoners who are showing up as their authentic selves.
Speaking about the campaign, Christopher Joell-Deshields, CEO of Pride in London said, “This campaign confronts the increasing attacks on the queer community, particularly those who are trans and non-binary. #WeAreEverywhere underlines that our community is not a political talking point—we are a vital part of the fabric of London, powering our city every day. In these urgent and unjust times, and ahead of July’s general election, this campaign and our upcoming Parade are a reminder of the power, importance and presence of our community.”
Getting involved in the campaign and attending the parade are just two of many ways to celebrate Pride in the city. There are a host of Pride events popping up across the whole of Pride month, from classical music performed by internationally renowned drag queens to LGBTQ+ bartenders shaking up spesh cocktails to marches protesting the injustices faced by trans+ people. Outside of the many parties, parades and concerts, you can also hit up the city’s best LGBTQ+ venues, and it’s worth keeping an eye out for the next events thrown by these queer club nights too.
Omnibus Theatre’s 96 Festival
Queer arts fest 96 Festival is back at Clapham’s Omnibus Theatre this June and July. Two productions Joe Carstairs and GEORGE, showcasing two lesser-known queer figures, queer British power boat-racer Joe Carstairs and 19th century queer French author George Sand, are headlining the festival, but there’s improv, comedy and more on the programme.
Tues 4th June – Sat 13th July 2024
1 Clapham Common Northside, London SW4 0QW
omnibus-clapham.org
GAY TIMES at Outernet
To mark 40 years of GAY TIMES, Outernet is displaying the magazine’s archive, the first time it’s being shown in full in public. As well as showcasing the publication’s journey, from a modest mag to a powerful platform, the display also celebrates the great strides that have been made in LGBTQ+ representation in the media while reminding us of the work that still needs to be done. In collaboration with Outernet’s charity partner ADOT, GALOP, an anti-hate crime charity that campaigns for equality, will also be creating an immersive experience on the Outernet screens from 14th – 23rd June where storms will turn into rainbows. QueerAF and Trans+ History Week will also be running an experience that showcases the long history of trans+ people from 17th – 30th June.
Thurs 6th – Mon 1st July 2024
Charing Cross Rd, London WC2H 8LH
outernet.com
House of Trash at One Hundred Shoreditch
House of Trash is taking over the rooftop of One Hundred Shoreditch for a massive Pride party. A host of DJs will be taking to the decks, playing everything from Italo to house to garage, and there’ll also be a performance from Bimini Bon Boulash.
Sat 22nd June 2024
100 Shoreditch High St, London E1 6JQ
onehundredshoreditch.com
Pride Brunch at Berners Tavern
The annual Pride brunch at Berners Tavern at The London EDITION is back for 2024 to raise money for Not a Phase and The Albert Kennedy Trust. This year Jonbers will be hosting, with performances from Drag Race star Gottmik, a DJ set from Bestley, and Henry Holland will be in the house too. As well as a three-course brunch, including brioche french toast with bacon and maple syrup and rainbow mousse cake, there’ll be a charity raffle with prizes from Jimmy Choo, Anissa Kermiche, IDEA books, The Tokyo EDITION, Ginza and Jean Paul Gaultier.
Sun 23rd June 2024
10 Berners Street, London W1T 3NP
bernerstavern.com
Pride at Home House
DJ Fat Tony is back behind the decks for the annual Pride party at members’ club Home House this June. The House will also be hosting a panel celebrating LGBTQIA+ tastemakers, with guest speakers discussing current affairs and challenges facing the community, and Grace Shush and Cybil War will be calling the numbers at a spesh Pride-themed drag bingo.
Mon 24th – Weds 26th June 2024
20 Portman Square, London, W1H 6LW
homehouse.co.uk
Aesop Queer Library
The Aesop Queer Library is back in its Soho store this Pride month and features books that focus on the intersection of queer and racial identities, and everyone who visits is welcome to select a book to keep for free. The books included in the library have been chosen by the Aesop team and there’ll also be a complimentary audiobook – Jason Okundaye’s debut, Revolutionary Acts: Love & Brotherhood in Black Gay Britain – on offer too.
Thurs 27th – Sun 30th June 2024
41 Lexington St, London W1F 9AJ
aesop.com
Pride Takeover at Silverleaf
Pan Pacific’s acclaimed cocktail bar Silverleaf has a one-off takeover planned for Pride, featuring three ultra-talented LGBTQIA+ bartenders. On 28th June, La’mel Clarke of Seed Library, Tess Posthumus of Amsterdam’s Flying Dutchmen, and Evie Malley of Below Stairs in Leeds will be shaking up spesh colourful cocktails using Hendrick’s Gin, Monkey Shoulder and Glenfiddich. There’ll also be DJs from London’s LGBTQIA+ music scene and a performance from London-based Drag King collective Häus of Dons. A portion of the profits from the night will be donated to Equal Measures, which works to support marginalised groups in the drinks and hospo industries, and Not A Phase, a charity dedicated to uplifting the lives of trans+ adults.
Fri 28th June 2024, 7pm – 11pm
Pan Pacific London, 80 Houndsditch, London EC3A 7AB
panpacific.com
Pride in London Parade
2022 marked the 50th anniversary of the first Pride in London parade and in honour of the milestone, that parade traced the event’s original route, passing by locations key to the LGBT+ movement in this country. It started at Hyde Park Corner, (where the first post-march picnic happened in 1972 and where the miners stood in solidarity with the LGBT+ community in 1985) before going down Piccadilly, turning onto Haymarket, going through Trafalgar Square (where the 1972 march ended) and finishing at Whitehall Place. The same route was used for the parade last year, and though it’s not been confirmed yet, it’s expected that the 2024 Pride parade will also follow that route, which you can see here. There’ll be two grandstands – one on Piccadilly and one on Cockspur Street – where you can get a ticket for a seat to watch the parade in all its glory.
Sat 29th June 2024
Central London
prideinlondon.org
Pride at Seven Dials Market
Seven Dials Market is partnering with Pride in London this year to transform Cucumber Alley is into Pride Ally. Throughout the month, traders in the market will be selling spesh dishes to raise money for Pride in London, including rainbow salads at Yum Bun and Biscoff doughnuts with marshmallow fluff at Little Pudding. A quid from each limited-edition Rhubabe cocktail, made with Stonewall Spirits Rhubarb Gin, will also be donated to the charity. And If you head to the market on Friday and Saturday nights, LGBTQ+ DJs wll be spinning the tunes.
Until Sun 30th June 2024
Earlham Street, London, WC2H 9LX
sevendialsmarket.com
Proud West End
The free outdoor audio-visual Proud West End exhibition is back in Grosvenor Square for a second year. The display, created by Oxford Street and Heard Storytelling, champions the stories of the West End’s LGBTQIA+ community by showcasing candid and personal stories of eleven people who explore what ‘proud’ means to them, like Georgie from TfL who, as a trans woman, found refuge in the music of Culture Club, and Hugo from Vans, who went on a journey of belonging after a restrained life in Venezuela.
Grosvenor Square, London W1K 6AN
oxfordstreet.co.uk
Classical Drag at HERE at Outernet
After debuting with a show at the Barbican last July, Classical Pride is back with an expanded, five-day programme of events that highlight and celebrate the huge contribution made by the LGBTQ+ community to classical music. And, for the first time ever, organisers are hosting a Classical Drag concert where Drag Queens and Kings will be singing opera, performing concerto solos and hitting the runway. International Drag superstars Monét X Change (winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars season 4) and Thorgy Thor (violinist and fan favourite from RuPaul’s Drag Race season 4 and All Stars season 3) will headline, following sets by some of the UK’s hottest Drag and classical talent (including Vinegar Strokes, Beau Jangles, Barbs, Freddie Love, Snow White Trash, Jonny Woo and Nicky Spence).
Wed 3rd July 2024
HERE at Outernet, Charing Cross Road, London WC2H 8LH
classicalpride.uk
The Glory at The River Stage
The River Stage, the free outdoor arts festival by the National Theatre, is returning to the Southbank this summer, filling the area with live music, theatre, dance and more for four weekends. The Glory will kick off the festival for the eighth year with the Glory’s Grande-Dames of drag and performance. Hosted by Jonny Woo and John Sizzle, top drag queens, kings, cabaret artists, DJs, and theatre makers will make up an exciting weekend full of free queer music and performance.
Fri 5th – Sun 7th July 2024
Upper Ground, London SE1 9PX
nationaltheatre.org.uk
London Trans+ Pride
London Trans+ Pride, which was established in response to the daily injustices trans+ people face and to create an event where all trans+ people can freely express themselves, is coming back for 2024. LT+P continues the legacy of Pride being a protest, so the march will serve as a way to protest for justice and liberation, including for Haiti, Tigray, Palestine, Sudan and Congo. This year, the event is set to start at Trafalgar Square and as with previous editions of the march, the LT+P team is encouraging cis allies to join alongside their trans siblings, whether that’s marching or stewarding, and for all taking part to wear masks and bring signs.
Sat 27th July 2024, 1pm
Trafalgar Sq, London WC2N 5DS
@londontranspride
UK Black Pride
The world’s largest celebration for LGBTQI+ people of African, Asian, Caribbean, Latin American and Middle Eastern descent, UK Black Pride, is returning to London on 11th August. This year will mark the 19th edition of UK Black Pride, which was co-founded by Lady Phyll Opoku-Gyimah and a group of black lesbians, and the third year that the event has been hosted in the Olympic Park. On the day itself you can expect plenty of music and performances on the main stage, a community area hosting talks and workshops, stalls run by various charities and small businesses, and plenty of street food.
Sat 11th August 2024
Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park London, London, E20 1GQ
ukblackpride.org.uk