London Pride 2022: Discover the most joyous LGBTQ+ events
Pride Month, which culminates with the annual London Pride 2024 Parade on 29 June, sees the city come alive with celebrations, parties and cultural extravaganzas to mark the anniversary of the 1969 Stonewall riots. From queer museum nights to glittering drag performances, there are plenty of joyous opportunities to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community. Here we’ve rounded up the Pride events you don’t want to miss this month and beyond.
What is London Pride 2024?
Pride in London, organised by London LGBTQ+ Community Pride CIC, is an annual celebration of the LGBTQ+ community. Though the organisers prefer to call the event by its proper name of Pride in London, the month-long event is often referred to as London Pride. Held every June in the capital, it centres around Pride Festival, a series of unmissable happenings across the capital including theatre and cabaret shows, tours, exhibitions, parties and more. These celebrations culminate in Parade Day, which this year takes place on Saturday 29 June. All these events serve as a vital platform for members of London’s LGBTQ+ communities to celebrate diversity and to promote values of visibility, unity and equality.
When is London Pride 2024 this year?
Though there are myriad events across the city throughout the month of June, the pinnacle of London Pride is the annual Parade, which this year takes place on 29 June. The vibrant procession, which kicks off around midday, starts at Hyde Park Corner before winding its way down Piccadilly, Haymarket and Trafalgar Square, ending up in Whitehall Place. The event will see more than 500 groups – made up from LGBT+ community groups, LGBT+ businesses and partners – travelling through the city, totalling some 32,000 participants, with the Mayor leading the proceedings.
How can I get involved with London Pride 2024?
Every year, the Parade draws a bigger crowd than the last – it’s free and unticketed, which means it can get busy. In 2023, a record 1.5 million people went out onto the streets to watch. There are ticketed grandstands along the route, which guarantee a view and a seat – there’s one at Piccadilly and also Cockspur Street. For those at home, you can watch the live stream of the Parade (the link is published on the day). There are also various stages across the city with free performances from big name music acts. This year’s line-up is yet to be announced, but 2023 featured headliners Adam Lambert, Idina Menzel and Todrick Hall, as well as performances by stars such as Eden Hunter, Rita Ora and Jack Hawitt.
London Pride Events
Peace, Love, and Pride concert at Old Spitalfields Market
28 June
As the capital comes alive with Pride London 2024 parties, parades and protests, Old Spitalfields Market is hosting its own celebration of music and dance with a free concert (6pm to 7.30pm). In keeping with the historic market’s ethos of being a platform for up-and-coming creatives and producers to showcase their talent, the concert will feature rising stars from the LGBTQIA+ community.
Performances include singer-songwriter Douglas Dare, who will play songs from their latest album; emotive dancing from Yos Clark; punk funk from the band Tetine; 14-year-old cellist Yoko Afi; and singers Canty and Anat Ben David.
Pride Month at Home House
Throughout June
Home House is one of the most beautiful – and exclusive – private members’ clubs in London, spread across a trio of Georgian townhouses in Portman Square, Marylebone. Throughout June, the club is hosting a series of Pride Month celebrations. These include a ‘House of Pride Panel Discussion: Celebrating LGBTIQA+ Tastemakers’ (24 June, 6.30pm) and a ‘Drag Bingo: Pride Edition’ with Queen Grace Shush and her guest friend Cybil War on 26 June (8pm).
But the highlight must be the annual Home House Pride Dinner & Party with DJ Fat Tony on 26 June (7pm till late), featuring a pre-party dinner, followed by an exclusive afterparty for members and friends, headlined by the legendary DJ. Oh and don’t forget to order the Unicorn Bliss, a limited-edition Pride-inspired cocktail. Cheers to inclusivity and joy!
Pride Late at Queer Britain
21 June
Queer Britain, the UK’s first and only national LGBTQ+ museum, occupies the ground floor of a historic building on Granary Square, King’s Cross. The gallery spaces, exhibition areas and retail shop welcome all, regardless of sexuality or gender identity and the dynamic programming shines a light on the rich, diverse history and culture of LGBTQ+ communities across the country and beyond.
Join Queer Britain for its first ever museum late on 21 June, when they’ll be staying open for an extra two hours (free entry), welcoming everyone to explore LGBTQ+ history. The museum is also hosting a ticketed Pride Panel on 23 June about the importance of Pride.
Drag brunches at Between the Bridges
15 June, 29 June, 27 July, 10 August, 7 September
Between the Bridges on Queens Walk, Southbank, is a huge riverside venue that comes alive in summer thanks to its sprawling courtyard garden, street food, craft beer, DJs and live entertainment. Once a month, every month over the season, they put on a Drag brunch which promises the “crème de la crème of Queens” hosting games and competitions. With bottomless fizz, energising tunes and an opportunity to practise your best lip-synching skills, this promises to be fun. Upcoming guest stars include Tomara Thomas, Michael Marouli, Tayce and Danny Beard, alongside resident Queen Miss Leigh Ding.
Pride Ride
22 June
The first ever Pride Ride – which typically takes place the weekend prior to the London Pride Parade – took place in 2016 and has been a highlight on the Pride calendar ever since. The annual bike ride is between 15 and 20 miles, the route wending its way through the streets of central London over the course of an afternoon. As you whizz past some of the capital’s most famous landmarks, you’ll be guided along the way by experienced marshals, with music booming from a fleet of disco bikes. The vibe is very much about having a good time, with participants dressing up and the route designed to be taken at a relaxed pace, so everyone can enjoy the camaraderie as they cycle.
House of Trash x One Hundred Shoreditch
22 June
One Hundred Shoreditch certainly knows a thing or two about hospitality. The hotel has firmly established itself as one of east London’s coolest venues, thanks to its Seed Library bar overseen by legendary bartender Ryan “Mr Lyan” Chetiyawardana, sushi restaurant and buzzing rooftop space. Little surprise that they put on an excellent party, teaming up with club event House of Trash on a series of evenings that promise upbeat tunes and killer cocktails (the next one is 17 July). On 22 June, they’re also pairing up for ‘apéritif, the ultimate pre-Pride party’ (5pm to midnight). The event takes place on the rooftop, with a line-up including Absolute., Bimini, SE.V.EN and Fidel.
Desire, Love, Identity: Exploring LGBTQ histories at British Museum
Ongoing
The British Museum in Bloomsbury has a permanent collection of some eight million works (the largest in the world), documenting human culture from its beginnings to today. The museum is currently running two trails showcasing objects from this extensive collection that have a connection with LGBTQ+ history. There’s a 15-object trail (doable in around 60 minutes) and a three-object trail, ideal if you have half an hour to spare. You’ll see ancient Greek vessels portraying intimate same-sex relationships; monogrammed pottery belonging to 18th century lovers Lady Eleanor Butler and Sarah Ponsonby, who challenged the conventions of the era by setting up home together; and a marble bust of the beautiful youth Antinous, who was emperor Hadrian’s lover, to name a few.
The Glory at River Stage
5 to 7 July
The Glory wears many hats – east London’s famous gay bar, LGBTQ+ performance venue, nightclub and curators of events and festivals – all overseen by London’s grande dames of drag Jonny Woo and John Sizzle, alongside party impresario Colin Rothbart. The Glory is appearing at the National Theatre’s outdoor festival River Stage this year, between Friday 5 and Sunday 7 July. Expect a dazzling, off-the-wall (free) weekend hosted by Woo and Sizzle, who will be introducing a line-up of top drag kings and queens, DJs, cabaret artists and theatre performers for this two-day extravaganza of queer music, performance and hijinks at the Southbank.
Quo Vadis Pride Party
29 June
The historic Soho restaurant and members’ club is no stranger to a celebration and they have something of a reputation for their fabulous Pride parties. This year they’re promising to host a mighty blowout on 29 June (12pm till late). The event is hosted by author and journalist Gurdeep Loyal, who has a series of “naughty activities” planned, from a feather boa throwing contest to “pin the smoked eel on Barbra Streisand”. Adding to the bonhomie will be The Five Madonnas, an LGBTQ+ performance act celebrating the queen of pop. With LEXII on the decks and a raffle raising funds for Terrence Higgins Trust, a charity that campaigns about and provides services relating to HIV and sexual health, this is one Pride party you won’t want to miss (it’s open to members and their guests).
