Pride Month 2023 marks the 54th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots and 20 years since the repeal of Section 28, a UK law which prohibited ‘the promotion of homosexuality’. It’s a time to celebrate LGBTQ+ brilliance and resilience. Throughout June and beyond, queer people and allies will turn up en masse, as a yearly reminder that we are stronger in solidarity and that our joy knows no bounds.
To help you coordinate your Pride plans, we’ve put together the following events guide:
Pride Parades
30,000 people are expected to participate in this year’s London Pride parade, on July 1st. The march begins at 12pm from Hyde Park Corner to Whitehall Place and special performances will take place on five stages across central London. As part of the Parade, LGBTQ+ charity, Open Doors, will host a picnic at St.Anne’s square in Soho in support of the older queer community. In the run up to the parade, Pride in London are also running Pride Festival, a series of curated events all over the capital including craft workshops, cabaret shows, conferences and more.
UK Black Pride, Europe’s largest celebration for queer people of African, Caribbean Asian, Middle Eastern, Latin American heritage, will be at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in East London on Sunday, August 20th.
Here are the dates for popular Pride parades elsewhere in the country:
Dublin Pride: June 24
Glasgow Pride: July 15th
Liverpool Pride: July 29th- 30th
Brighton and Hove Pride: August 5th-6th
Manchester Pride: August 25th- 28th
Sistermatic x Nite Dykez: We/Us Exhibition Closing Party
Curated by Roman Manfredi, We/Us is a collection of photos and oral histories celebrating the diverse, intergenerational experiences of masculine-presenting women from working class, British backgrounds. The exhibition closes on Saturday, June 10th with a party on Brixton’s Market Row, hosted by iconic lesbian DJ collectives Sistermatic and Nite Dykez. Tickets are just £8 and available for purchase via Dice.
Can’t make the closing party? Don’t worry because Night Dykez are also hosting another party on the 23rd of June at The Yard theatre in East London.
Faggamuffin Bloc Party events
From 6pm on Friday, June 9th, Faggamuffin Bloc Party are celebrating Black and Brown queer visibility at the Southbank Centre, with a wicked sound system and a stellar lineup of artists including Lady Lykez, Carter The Bandit and DJ Biggy C. The festivities continue on July 1st, with Carnival Pride, a carnival-inspired rave at Village Underground in East London.
London LGBTQ+ Comedy Festival Finale
London’s LGBTQ+ Comedy Festival ends on Sunday, June 11th at the Seven Dials Club. The MC for the night will be Taiwanese comedian, Huan Wen and the lineup consists of eight comedians, headlined by Rhys Nicholson and featuring the hilarious Matthew Ali.
Wandsworth Arts Fringe
Theatrical ‘pridestravaganza’, Wandsworth Arts Fringe, returns from the 9th-25th of June, showcasing an incredible line-up of LGBTQ+ talent in venues across the South London Borough. The festival consists of over 130 events and activities (some of which are completely free) ranging from queer cabarets, to reimagined Shakespeare plays and aerial burlesque. Browse the full programme here.
Pride Pasta Making
Learn how to make delicious, fresh, rainbow pasta while sipping bottomless prosecco at Pasta Evenagelist’s Pride in Pasta event on July 1st. The pop-up masterclass will be held at The Tampery in Shoreditch and promises to be the glitziest yet with performances from some of Britain’s biggest drag acts
Pride at Fora
London co-working space, Fora, have partnered with Open Doors to host a three day pride celebration that kicks off on Tuesday, June 13th. Events will take place at their different venues across London and include body-positive burlesque class and a discussion on trans inclusivity.