London Pride 2023: Five celebratory events in June

It’s officially Pride month in London and the capital is buzzing with events and parties to celebrate our LGBT+ community.

Pride month takes place every June with parades, parties and protests to mark the anniversary of the 1969 Stonewall riots.

The London Pride Parade is traditionally the focus of festivities, but there are plenty of other LGBTQ+ events taking place both before and after it

This year’s Pride Parade will take place on Saturday July 1. We’ve rounded up five of the best events happening in June.

Bitchin’ Brunch at Savage Garden

Savage Garden, 12th Floor, DoubleTree Tower of London, 7 Pepys St, EC3N 4AF Saturday June 17 from 12pm to 3pm Costs £59 per person

Bitchin’ Brunch at Savage Garden is set to be one of the wildest weekend events of Pride month, with free-flow Prosecco, Bellinis or Hero Mocktails, and a ‘savage’ two-course brunch.

Hosted by comedian and lip-syncer extraordinaire Sue Gives a F*ck, the event promises outrageous performances and brash humour from the capital’s b****iest  Drag Artists.

With quick-witted comedy queens, a glamorous DJ and fierce lip-syncing acts, the event offers the perfect way to celebrate all things Pride.

Pride Party with Drag Race UK winner Danny Beard

Crystal Maze Live Experience, 22 - 32 Shaftesbury Ave, London W1D 7EU Till July 2

This Pride Month the Crystal Maze Live Experience is hosting an online charity auction for fans to bid for tickets to play the immersive experience with UK’s favourite northern bearded drag queen, Danny Beard.

The highest bidder will be announced on July 3 and get the chance to sashay away with tickets for up to six friends to play alongside RuPaul’s Drag Race UK Season 4 winner, Danny Beard.

All money raised will be gifted to their chosen national charity, the LGBT Foundation.

Pride Drag Brunch at Hilton London Bankside

Hilton London Bankside, 2-8 Great Suffolk Street, SE1 0UG Saturday June 24 12pm to 4pm

Costs: £38.00 per person or £55.00 per person with unlimited bubbles or still wine

This Pride month Hilton London Bankside, is hosting a whole month of festivities from a rainbow inspired charity cocktail, a spectacular Pride Bartender’s Buffet, through to a special one-off brunch event with drag queen and TikTok superstar, Sophia Stardust.

The drag brunch will have everything from singing and dancing to bingo, allowing guests to celebrate Pride in style.

The London LGBTQ+ Stand-up Comedy festival

Till Saturday June 11

The London LGBTQ+ Stand-Up Comedy Festival promises to offer something for every taste within the LGBTQ+ community across London.

Taking place at various venues including 21 Soho and Clapham’s The Two Brewers, it will feature sets from Rhys Nicholson, Sarah Keyworth, Victoria Olsina, Kuan Wen, Jess Fostekew, Stephen Bailey, Hannah Byczkowski and James Barr, among many others.

Full details here.

Nazar: Pride at Southbank Centre

Riverside Terrace, Southbank Centre, Belvedere Rd, SE1 8XX Saturday July 1 4pm Free

Celebrating the queer SWANA (Southwest Asian and North African) and South Asian diaspora, Nazar promises an unforgettable line-up of queer performances and DJs.

Hosted by Ryan Lanji (Hungama) & Drew Demetry (Nafs space), the event involves QPOC (Queer people of colour) DJs playing Bollywood sounds and SWANA anthems fused with club bangers.

The event aims to support marginalised QPOC voices.