Pride in London — the UK's biggest LGBTQ+ parade — returns this summer, after two years off.
On 2 July 2022 the streets of central London will once again throng with thousands, celebrating — and marching in support of — lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer, questioning, intersex, non-binary, asexual, polysexual, genderqueer and gender variant people.
The last Pride in London was in 2019, with the 2020 and 2021 parades cancelled owing to the pandemic.
Submissions to take part in the 2022 parade, as well as to volunteer as stewards, are now open on the Pride in London website.
Pride in London returns on July 2nd! We'll be marching across London marking 50 years since the first UK Pride March and supporting @ukblackpride in celebrating the diversity of the LGBT+ community.
— Pride in London (@PrideInLondon) January 28, 2022
Want to be in the parade? Applications open at 3 pm.
Photo credit: @GettyImages pic.twitter.com/PL2OYmax9v
While you can expect a street party atmosphere and a riot of colour, music and dancing, Pride makes some all-too-serious points. Among its aims, says Pride in London, are to get the UK government to ban conversion therapy for all LGBT+ people; end the hostile environment toward minority migrants; establish a national AIDS memorial; and to take a leading role in tackling the violence and discrimination against LGBT+ people around the globe.
There is, however, already some controversy surrounding 2022's event, with Pink News reporting that UK Black Pride says it will not be collaborating.
Details of what to expect for Pride in London will undoubtedly be unveiled over the coming months, but we already know there'll be another edition of Pride's Got Talent, the popular contest celebrating the skills and diversity of LGBTQ+ music and cabaret performers.
2022 is an extra special year for Pride in London, as it marks 50 years since the first Pride March, in 1972. The parade takes place on the Saturday nearest to the anniversary of the Stonewall Riots of New York City.
It was recently announced that the UK's first LBGTQ+ museum will open in King's Cross this spring.