Your Pride 2024 guide, from the parade to bars, concerts and food events taking place this weekend
London’s Pride Parade takes place this Saturday, marking the end of the Pride month of June. Expect events to take place throughout the weekend, both celebratory and some with more of a feeling of protest. (Let’s not forget LGBTQ hate crimes have been on the rise in both the UK and the USA.) Whether you’re a member of the LGBTQ community or an ally, here’s where to spend this Pride weekend.
AT THE PRIDE IN LONDON PARADE The Parade is free to watch from any vantage point along the route. It begins at midday on Saturday at Hyde Park Corner where tens of thousands of people will gather. It’s a good idea to arrive early to get ahead of the Tube rush. When the Parade leaves at midday it will snake down Piccadilly, up to Piccadilly Circus and to the Haymarket, then Trafalgar Square. Then many choose to gather in Trafalgar Square itself where live performances take place, and there’s a bar and food options. This year there will be performances from former Drag Race stars and Moulin Rouge! The Musical as well as musicians like pop star Bebe Rexha. It is free to attend but arrive early to guarantee entry. There are other live performance stages also on Dean Street in Soho, Leicester Square, Golden Square and a family area along the Victoria Embankment by the river.
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MARK PRIDE 2024 ON FRIDAY INSTEAD, AT SPITALFIELDS MARKET Spitalfields Market in Shoreditch is ringing in the Pride weekend a day early. This Friday their free-to-attend Peace, Love, and Pride event will feature live musical performances from bands and singer-songwriters, as well as other multi-disciplinary arts shows. It runs from 6pm.
GO TO CLASSICAL PRIDE TO RETHINK THE EXPERIENCE ENTIRELY Pride is often associated with drinking too much as well as loud crowds out on the streets. But something more sedate is happening across the City from 3 – 7 July at venues including the Barbican and Here at Outernet near Tottenham Court Road. The world’s first-ever Classical Drag show will take place on 3 July, featuring top worldwide drag talent and the London Symphony Orchestra, with Oliver Zeffman and host Nick Grimshaw, formerly of Radio 1, appearing on 7 July for the culimation concert at the Barbican Hall. Other events, some free to attend, take place in the days between. For more information and tickets go to classical pride.uk.
ESCAPE THE CENTRAL LONDON CROWDS FOR AFTERNOON TEA The W hotel on Leicester Square will be a calm oasis away from the huge crowds this Saturday, when they’re throwing a slap-up Pride themed Afternoon Tea. From 3 – 4.30pm with live DJs.
Read more: London Pride 2024: here are 15 amazing events to book this June
GO ON AN LGBTQ HISTORY TOUR OF THE CAPITAL Pride isn’t just about celebrating, it’s about remembering the various challenges LGBTQ people have endured over the the past 50 years since legalisation. London With a Local offer free tours across London taking in queer history, from pubs to clubs and neighbourhoods. There’s still space on tours this Sunday, book online at londonwithalocal.com
BOOK A SHOW The newly opened King’s Head Theatre in Islington is premiering an award winning LGBTQ play called Wreckage on 2 July. Book tickets at kingsheadtheatre.com
Visit the official Pride 2024 website for more information