Where to Celebrate Pride in London
© Carlos Calika
Follow the rainbow flags to find out where to celebrate Pride in London. LondonTown lists the best events and happenings celebrating diversity, individuality and LGBT rights, culminating in the colourful Pride parade.
Trafalgar Square, Central, Westminster, London, WC2N 5DS
Tube: Charing Cross Station
, Leicester Square Station, Embankment Underground Station, Piccadilly Circus Station
Dates: 27th June 2020
With growing numbers year on year - over a million spectators lined the streets last year - the Pride in London Parade is back in 2019, 50 years after the Stonewall Riots, for another colourful occasion of dancing, marching and rollerskating through London. Celebrate the people and organisations who've contributed to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) rights over the years and join over 450 groups as the parade marches proudly from Portland Place, along Oxford Street, Regent Street and via Piccadilly Circus. Adding to the fun, there are performance spaces in Trafalgar Square, Leicester Square and on Dean Street in Soho, with appearances by chart acts, musicians, dancers and West End stars. On the main Trafalgar Square stage you'll find the cast of Everybody's Talking About Jamie, singer Saara Aalto and the Pride's Got Talent Finalists as well as other performers before Billy Porter brings the festivities to a close.
Kiss My Genders
The Hayward Gallery,
Belvedere Road London, SE1 8XZ
Exhibitions
The Hayward Gallery, Belvedere Road, London, SE1 8XZ
Tube: Waterloo Station
, Embankment Underground Station
Dates: 12th June - 08th September 2019
In this "invigorating" (Telegraph) group exhibition, Kiss My Genders, the Hayward Gallery celebrates fluid gender identities through the works of more than 30 artists. "At the heart of the exhibition is a queering of the tradition of portraiture" says the Evening Standard, awarding the exhibition four stars. The Guardian goes one further, giving it five stars and praising the way the exhibition "touches, in profound ways, on what it is to be human". Unearth erotic photomontages, photographs of drag performers and a moving portrait of the Warhol star Candy Darling on her deathbed at this display of over 100 different works spanning the past 50 years.
Tube: New Cross Station (East London line closed. Bus service operates)
Pedestrian crossings across the Royal Borough of Greenwich have been painted in vibrant rainbow colours to celebrate inclusivity and show support for this year's Pride in London. You can find the colourful crossings in Greenwich and Plumstead town centres while in Woolwich, at the junction of Thomas Street and Wellington Street, three crossings have been painted to create London's first Pride junction.
National Theatre, South Bank, South Bank, London, SE1 9PX
Tube: Temple Station
, Waterloo Station
Dates: 05th July - 04th August 2019
The Glory, East London's cabaret club and drag pub, open The River Stage Festival at the National Theatre this summer launching the festival on Friday 5th July for a weekend of free entertainment. They'll be staging their drag queen contest LIPSYNC1000 and drag king battle, Man Up, while performances on Saturday 6th July include a Homage to Kylie, followed by the Pride Anthem Party. On the same day the Southbank Centre nearby also stages an alternative Pride party, with electrifying music from Pxssy Palace in collaboration with BBZ on the terrace.
Madame Tussauds, Marylebone Road, London, NW1 5LR
Tube: Baker Street Station
, Regent's Park Station
Dates: 05th July 2019
Gear up for the London Pride Parade with the help of Holly Stars' Big Pride Cabaret, taking place at Madame Tussauds on the eve of the parade. Joining the many stars that fill the rooms in the world-famous attraction, Holly Stars will present an evening of laughter, music and lip-syncing in a one-night drag-stavaganza. Audiences will be treated to show tunes and silliness from Carrot; belly-dancing from South Asian royal goddess Minara El Waters; a fiery extravaganza from Prinx Silver; and an outstanding drag burlesque performance from Lilly SnatchDragon. It's the perfect warm up to a weekend of LGBTQ celebrations.
St Martins Lane Hotel, 45 St Martins Lane, London, WC2N 4HX
Tube: Leicester Square Station
, Covent Garden Station, Charing Cross Station, Embankment Underground Station
Dates: 28th June - 07th July 2019
St Martins Lane Hotel celebrates Pride in London 2019 with a special line-up of parties, monologues, installations and cocktails. The series kicks off on the day of London Pride itself (Saturday 6th July) with Costa del Soho hosted by leading Spanish gay night, Gayzpacho. Designed by drag legend Jonny Woo and Gayzpacho founders Angel Perez and David Roy, the event is themed around a Mediterranean cruise boat, inviting guests to hop aboard a fictional floating paradise complete will Euro-pop disco, live flamenco performances, drag shows and Tomatina tomato wrestling. Further events include the Coming Out Monologues on Friday 28th June and two colourful new installations: a specially designed rainbow-coloured catwalk and a giant butterfly vinyl in the hotel lobby. The St Martins Lane Kitchen Bar, meanwhile, serves the special Jubilee Passion cocktail from 24th June to 7th July.
West Handyside Canopy, York Way, Marylebone, London, N1C 4UZ
Tube: King's Cross Station
Dates: 04th - 07th July 2019
Italian born, London based artist Naomi Vona will hold a series of workshops every day of The Other Art Fair, including a free 'Create Your Own Colourful Pride Poster' drop in session. The art fair, which comes to West Handyside Canopy and The Crossing in King's Cross for four days in July, showcases work by more than 140 painters, sculptors and illustrators. An exhibition of 12 astronaut helmets entitled 'ONE SMALL STEP' coincides with the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon landing. Art Upcycle gives visitors the chance to have old artworks reworked for £95. Events include a supper club which explores millennial capitalism and there's a special an installation that's a celebration of love.
Apollo Theatre, 29 Shaftesbury Avenue, London, W1D 7EZ
Tube: Piccadilly Circus Station
, Leicester Square Station
Dates: 06th November - 29th August 2020
Despite being openly gay and confident enough in himself to tackle the school bullies, 16-year-old Jamie is still reserved when it comes to opening up about his drag queen dreams. Tom MacRae's fearless musical, Everybody's Talking About Jamie, is a huge hit. This coming-of-age story follows Jamie as he overcomes the prejudice and steps into the limelight. After an acclaimed run at the Sheffield Theatre it's now playing at London's Apollo Theatre, directed by Jonathan Butterell, the show features music by Dan Gillespie Sells, frontman of The Feeling, who wrote the score.
372 Kennington Lane, Kennington, London, SE11 5HY
Tube: Vauxhall Station
The Royal Vauxhall Tavern has been a gay venue since the Second World War, surviving both oppression and the great mainstreaming of Gay culture that saw it lose its biggest stars (including Lily Savage) to television. It's the spiritual heart of Vauxhall's gay village, and a busy midweek program packs it out every night for bingo, comedy, music or drag acts. On weekends, queues stretch all the way round the block for Duckie, the drag cabaret collective who've performed their cabaret/comedy/experimental theatre show everywhere from the Barbican to New York. Straights are very welcome, but the more delicate should be aware that there is a lot of audience participation.
Britain's Got Talent's Sheila Simmonds will perform as part of John Lewis' Pride celebrations.
John Lewis Rooftop, 300 Oxford Street, London, W1A 1EX
Tube: Oxford Circus Station
, Bond Street Station
Dates: 19th April - 29th September 2019
John Lewis is joining in on the Pride in London celebrations with a special weekend of activities on its Oxford Street rooftop. Roof Fest London will raise the Pride flag to show support while a line-up of performers will provide the entertainment. Sheila Simmonds - known for her appearance on Britain's Got Talent - will take to the Caravan mainstage to host speed bingo and perform her own comedy songs while one of the UK's leading hula hoopists, Storm Hooper, will showcase her dynamic skills. Drag Queen and recent winner of Superball Amsterdam's 'New Upcoming Talent 2019' Aria Knightly will also perform. A special Pride cocktail made with pink strawberry gin, fresh strawberries, lemon and prosecco will be available at the bar and Bong Bong's Manilla Kanteen will serve Filipino-inspired cuisine.
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