Pride season has arrived! If you’re not stripping off, dragging up on a float, dancing in the street, or waving the political flag – the least you can do is show up and get pissed! There are a number of Pride festivals popping up all over the country – from the massive London Pride to more intimate local Prides – there’s truly something for everyone.
Pride London
Festival: June 15-30
Parade: Saturday, June 30
www.pridelondon.org/
After a brilliantly successful Europride festival last year, Pride London returns with a vengeance this year with crowds expected to reach a cool half a million. The two-week queer arts festival marks the 35 anniversary or this Pride legend, which is touted as Europe’s largest gay festival. The parade will take over the Wes End, tracking down Oxford Street and Regent Street, culminating for the annual rally in Trafalgar Square. Parties for all shapes, sizes, tastes, and cliques of queens will be sparking up all over the capital. Don’t miss the now legendary dance party in Soho square – or London’s bumping disco village in Vauxhall. For up-to-date details of London clubland check out Discodamaged. Click here for our inside on the women’s scene. Darren Hayes, Dragonette, Qboy, Mz Fontiane, Kelly and The Kelly Girls, Jimmy Sommerville, Unckle Jam, Nemesis and Axe Girl are set to perform in Trafalger Square’s mainstage with celebrity hosts including Amy Lame, Jamie Crick, John Barrowman, Lucio and Graham Norton. This year’s theme? “Icons”. See you there!
Dublin Pride
Festival : June 8-23
Parade: Saturday, June 23
www.dublinpride.org
Cultural and racial diversity are set to triumph at Saturday’s Dublin Pride parade which is gonna move on down O’Connell Street, ending with a wild party where you can strut it outside the Civic Offices. Yeah! The Pride n’ Joy festival has a plethora of exciting events, leading up the parade and if you’re especially adventurous, check out the GFSN Football Tournament, Pride film at the Irish film Institute, Friday’s Official Pride Dyke Night, the free Pride Champagne Breakfast hosted by OUThouse. Click here for Gay.com’s travel guide for Dublin.
Pride Scotia
Saturday, June 23
www.pride-scotia.org/
Get your glad rags on and get to Edinburgh for, Scot style! Scotland's annual Gay Pride event will be one big sloppy party in Pilrig Park, with numbers expected to reach a whopping 5000. The park is set to become a village of marquees, with a large stage for cabaret and comedy acts and another for a tea dance and ceilidh. Kick off the parade at East Market Street, saunter down Queen street (naturally) and splash down in the park for what promises to be a fantastically festive fest.
Brighton Pride
Festival: July 28th –August 5
Parade: Saturday, August 4
www.brightonpride.org
Fire and foremost, this year’s theme is Musicals! (Hysterical applause for that decision) And for that reason alone, you need to be there. Period. Pride in Brighton and Hove is the largest free Pride festival in the UK and show queens by the tens of thousands are likely to turn out this massive spectacle by the sea. Expect lots of Marias, Sandys, and even more Dorothys – amid a sea of glistening and gurning hard bodies. What more could a girl want?! The Carnival Parade starts from Maderia Drive at 11am. The main event on Preston Park runs from 12noon-8pm.
Manchester Pride
Festival:August 17-27
The Big Weekend and parade: August 24-27
www.manchesterpride.com
Manchester’s Canal Street will become a hotbed of decadence, pleasure, and pride for a solid 72 hours – making it the largest gay pride festival outside of London. Entry into the big weekend costs a wee ten quid, for which you get access to all of the village’s gay bars and the mainstage, lifestyle expo, women’s space, and the Pride market. The Kylie exhibition will also be transplanted up north, celebrating the iconography and costumes of the pop princess. As part of Manchester Pride,Pink Parents UK have organised the Pink Picnic, welcoming LGBT families from all over the country, taking place in Sackville Park on the Sunday. Don’t forget the tremendous Sparkle!, the annual international transgender celebration featuring workshops, exhibitions, film-making and fashion shows. There’s so much to do and see at this year’s Pride; it’ll be a mistake to miss it. For the latest up to date information, check out Gay.com’s scene channel for exclusive updates from Manchester's Bobbie Dazzler and Miss Whiplash.
There’s also…
Cardiff-Wales Lesbian and Gay Mardi Gras
Saturday, September 1
www.cardiffmardigrad.co.uk
Oxford Pride
Saturday, July 14
www.oxfordpride.org.uk
Nottingham Pride
Saturday, July 28
www.nottinghampride.co.uk
Leeds Pride
Sunday, August 5
www.leedspride.com
Cambridge’s Pink Festival
Saturday, August 18
www.pinkfestival.com
Elsewhere in Europe…
Europride in Madrid
June 30-July 2, 2007
www.europride2007.com
Click here for Gay.com’s guide to Europride
Amsterdam Pride
August 2-August 5
www.amsterdampride.nl
Berlin Pride
June 23
www.csd-berlin.de
Paris Pride
June 30
www.inter-lgbt.org/
Hamburg Pride
August 3-5
www.hamburg-pride.de
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