When is London Pride, what time does it start and what is the parade route?

Thousands of people will visit the capital to celebrate the LGBT+ community

Pride in London 2017

(AFP/Getty Images)

The capital is set to become a sea of rainbows and smiles this weekend as Pride in London takes place for the 46th year.

A number of talented performers are going to be making appearances on the day, including the cast of West End show Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, the London Gay Men’s Choir and Celebrity Big Brother winner Courtney Act.

Pride in London has also launched a new app for this year’s festivities so that everyone attending the parade can stay updated on the day’s schedule.

Here’s everything you need to know about Pride in London, from the starting time to the parade route:

When does it take place?

Pride in London is going to be taking place on Saturday 7 July.

The parade will mark the end of Pride Festival in the capital, which began on Saturday 9 June.

The festival has consisted of an assortment of celebratory events, including Pride-themed spin classes, club nights, networking evenings and much more.

What time does it start?

The parade is going to start on Saturday at 12pm and then will continue on throughout the afternoon, ending at approximately 5pm.

Performances on the Trafalgar Square Stage are going to begin at 11.50am, with an introduction given by host Michael Twaits at 11.45am.

Proceedings on the Women’s Stage in Leicester Square and the Cabaret Stage on Dean Street will start at 12.30pm, while those on the Golden Square Family Stage in Golden Square will commence at 1pm.

People will be able to take part in activities in the Community Village in Soho Square from 12pm.

What’s the route?

Starting at 12pm, the Pride in London parade will head off from Portland Place.

The parade will then move down Oxford Circus and carry on along Regent Street, before heading to Piccadilly Circus, Lower Regent Street and Pall Mall.

It will then pass Trafalgar Square before finishing in Whitehall.

A number of parade hosts will be situated on podiums along the route, who’ll happily answer any questions that you have about the event throughout the afternoon.

The Pride in London organisers recommend avoiding areas such as Trafalgar Square and Piccadilly Circus while the parade takes place, as they’re likely to become extremely congested.

They also suggest travelling to stations that are slightly further away from the route, as those closest to the parade will be very busy.

Applications to take part in the parade as a group are now closed, but you can still apply online to volunteer on the day.

Who’ll be performing?

Pride in London is going to play host to a number of accomplished artists, including stars from the West End, pop singers and orchestral musicians.

Stars in attendance will include Eurovision contestant SuRie, the casts of West End productions Aladdin, The Lion King and Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, finalists from Drag Idol 2018 and household names such as Sinitta.

“We are extremely proud to bring some of our community’s biggest and brightest stars to our stages for Pride in London this year,” said Ian Massa-Harris-McFeely, executive producer for Pride in London.

“Our ambition is always to showcase and give a platform to all the incredible and diverse LGBT+ community acts and performers our city has to offer, alongside some amazing headline artists from the UK music industry across four stages.”

The security in place

The London Metropolitan Police Service has issued an open letter about staying vigilant during Pride in London.

“Pride is renowned internationally for being one of the safest and friendliest events in London, and this year we are working as hard as ever to prepare,” said Commander David Musker.

Musker stated that while the 2017 terrorist attacks have made people feel more afraid about attending big events in the capital, the police force is ensuring that the Pride parade will be as safe and enjoyable as possible for all those taking part.

“We will continue to monitor all risks and keep everyone up to date as the event approaches,” he said.

“Vigilance is always important at a time of general threat, but we want people to be alert, not alarmed and to reassure you that the Met Police are working tirelessly to keep you safe."