It's Pride month, when the rest of London gets its Soho on. We've found a whole heap of affordable ways to celebrate Pride in London, so you're sure to find something that tickles your fancy. Parade with Pride The high point of this month's Pride celebrations is, of course, the Pride Parade. It will make its colourful, joyous way once more throughout the city’s centre in celebration of LGBTQIA+ communities and the core values of visibility, unity, and equality. It’s free to turn up to show support and watch the parade in all its splendour, as flag bearers, dancers and dazzling outfits fill the streets. Hands down, one of the best days out in London all year. Celebrate Pride at the Outernet Coming to the Outernet screens at Tottenham Court Road this June, the ‘Hate Hurts All of Us’ animation short reveals how rising levels of anti-LGBT+ hate are detrimental to us all, but can be stopped when we come together. Developed by the UK’s LGBT+ anti-abuse charity, Galop, and London-based animation studio Chicken Fruit, the emotive campaign features cute, colourful round characters, called Squidgies, who become vulnerable to being infected with hate, as it spreads across the immense Outernet screens through spikey, angry characters. But fear not, hate doesn’t get to win at Outernet - audiences will be able to watch the Squidgies refill the space with colour, light and hope. The animation will be free to watch at Outernet throughout Pride month. Have a laugh at Wembley Park Pride On the evening of 5 July, Wembley Park Pride returns for its fourth year as a joyful sunset finale to London’s Pride parade. It's free and there's no need to book; just head over and enjoy a cocktail along with some feel-good entertainment including live music, DJs and comedy. This year’s headliner is Mark Bittlestone, a London-based stand-up comedian known for his sharp wit and original take on the queer experience. Learn to meditate The London LGBTQ+ Centre is dedicated to supporting the LGBTQ+ community with loads of events all year around, including an unofficial Pride warm up. In June, they offer a large range of events such as Queer Book Club, LGBTQ+ ballet, Queer Walkday, LGBTQ+ meditation and much more. Sing along to show tunes Party until 4am at The Room Where It Happens in Soho. Expect bottomless brunch, singing servers, showtunes and singalongs; fun all year round but perfect for Pride. Visit Queer Britain Take in a free exhibition at Queer Britain, the UK’s first and only LGBTQ+ museum. The Terry Higgins Memorial Quilt is on display to the public in London for the first time, marking what would have been Terry Higgins’ 80th birthday. The exhibition celebrates his legacy and aims to engage as many people as possible in where we are today with the opportunity to end new HIV cases in the UK by 2030. Also at the museum, curated in collaboration with UK Black Pride and founder Phyll Opoku-Gyimah (Lady Phyll), 20 Years of UK Black Pride chronicles the movement’s evolution from a small gathering in 2004 to the world’s largest celebration for LGBTQI+ people of African, Asian, Caribbean, Latin American, and Middle Eastern descent. Attend a LGBTQ+ talk at Common Press This queer bookstore based in Shoreditch hosts loads of events such as, in June, the Popola Sober Club, space for Global Majority queers and womxn to hang out, share stories, and just be their full, authentic selves. They are also hosting a talk called We Have Always Been Here on 8th June 2025 to celebrate Pride Month. Attend a queer speed dating event Jam Circus, a retro pub in Deptford, hosts an eclectic list of events including the Fruit Mix Club - a speed dating event for queer singles held on the first Thursday of the month. Relax at the Pride Month Picnic The annual Pride Picnic organised by the West London Queer Project will be on 14th June at Chiswick House and Gardens. There will be games and cake, so bring a blanket, a picnic and get ready for some fun in the sun. The event is free to attend but please register to give the organisers an idea of numbers. Take a Pride Tour at the Globe Tours of the Globe Theatre take you back in time to Shakespearean London; now you can choose the Pride Guided Tour, which looks at the gender identities, queer characters and the LGBTQ+ historical context of Shakespeare's writings. Grab a drink at one of London's classic LGBTQ+ bars Whether you’re just visiting London for Pride or you’re a local, you might want to check out the city’s bars and pubs. London has plenty of queer bars to choose from with something for everyone. Get the full run-down here. Browse the LGBTQIA+ Archives The Bishopsgate Institute’s Special Collections and Archives holds one of the most extensive and fascinating collections on LGBTQIA+ history, politics and culture in the UK from the late nineteenth century onward. Admission is free. Cheapo Top Tip: As if that wasn’t reason enough to visit, the Institute is also home to the fabulous Darlish ice cream parlour, serving both dairy and vegan ice cream with a focus on Middle Eastern flavours; check out our guide to the Best Ice Cream and Gelato in London for the full picture. Happy Pride everyone! While we do our best to ensure it is correct, information is subject to change.
A Cheapo's guide to London
A Cheapo's guide to London
A Cheapo's guide to London
