Pride in London, Saturday 28 June, is one of the biggest celebrations of diversity in the world. Whatever kind of Londoner you may be... whether gay, lesbian, bi, trans, straight or whatever else, there are plenty of activities and events to enjoy this weekend.
The Parade
With over 200 organisations taking part in the shape of floats, buses, walking parties and everything in between, the Pride parade is one of London's biggest celebrations of diversity. Transport for London, Barclays, US Embassy London, Stonewall and The Scout Association are a handful of the groups involved in this year's revelry.
Parade route
Leaving Baker Street at 1pm, the procession will travel east along Oxford Street to Oxford Circus, down Regent Street to Piccadilly Circus, down Lower Regent Street, along Pall Mall and Cockspur Street, through Trafalgar Square and into Whitehall, where the Parade ends and disperses.
Main Stage @ Trafalgar Square
If you’re in the mood for an outdoor concert with a huge variety of acts, including Sinitta, Samantha Fox, and Sink The Pink, this is the place to be from 2pm until 8pm. It gets busy as the parade comes to a close, so get there early to bag a good spot. The Pride headliner this year is the fabulous Concita Wurst, the recent winner of Eurovision. It’s time to rise like a phoenix!
Dean Street Stage, and Soho Street Party
For a street party vibe, revellers can drink and dance in the streets of Soho. The hub of the action takes place around Old Compton Street and Dean Street, where there’ll be another stage with live performers. Look out for up and coming stars with Pride’s Got Talent finalists Jes Stretton and Luke Upton. You can also see winner Dorian Reland on the Trafalgar Square stage before catching Concita.
Golden Square Rainbow Fete
With Soho Square closed this year, Golden Square (a short walk from Regent Street and Old Compton Street) has picked up the gauntlet to be Pride’s outdoor festival-style space. Live performances on the bandstand, a 1950's Airstream trailer bar and tempting street food stalls will get you in the party mood. Who wanted Glasto tickets anyway?
The rainbow crossing
For one day only, London will get its very own rainbow crossing, similar to those at Tel Aviv Pride and Sydney Mardi Gras. It’s close to the main action on Trafalgar Square. Just head to Pall Mall East and Suffolk Street. Great spot for a selfie, we reckon.
WE Party London
Day turns into night then back into day again (10pm to 7am) with this epic party from Spanish promoters WE. Known for their tongue-in-cheek (sometimes literally) themes, this one's called ‘Kiss Me Tiger’ and promises 90s glam and plenty of live action. It’s at the fabulous Coronet in Elephant and Castle.
Blocheads at East Bloc
If you fancy things a bit more underground, head to East Bloc, one of east London’s hottest, coolest, club. With DJs Done & Dusted, Tasty Tim and Ray Noir on the decks, along with hordes of the Shoreditch set, you’ll be in good company. From 10.30pm to 6pm
Pride in London is Saturday 28 June 2014.