With a population of more than a million, the West Midlands city of Birmingham has a large and active GLBT population, more than a dozen gay bars and saunas, and one of the largest gay pride events in the UK, Birmingham Pride, which takes returns to its more traditional time this year, in late May. The dates are May 25 and 26, 2013.
Book rooms and compare rates on hotels in Birmingham during Gay Pride.
Birmingham Pride comprises two days of celebration. On Saturday, the Birmingham Pride Carnival Parade kicks off at noon from the city's center, Victoria Square, before proceeding along New Street to High Street, Carrs Lane, and then Queensway down to the festival grounds off Hurst Street - here's a map of the Birmingham Pride Parade Route.
There's also a Community Village with entertainment, a main stage with live entertainment, a cabaret stage, a Chic Dance Arena, and a Women's Arena. Headliners this year include pop legends Bananarama, singer and actress Paloma Faith, and R&B boy band JLS, along with Lucy Spraggan, Paloma Faith, Rylan Clark, A*M*E, Angie Brown, and many others. Here's a map of the Pride Festival grounds, which are at the foot of Hurst Street on Birmingham's southside, a block from the Birmingham Hippodrome.
Tickets to the festival are £8 for a single day, or £12 for the entire weekend - you can purchase tickets here.
Additionally, numerous bars as well as gay-popular restaurants, hotels, and shops have special events and parties throughout Pride Weekend. Check out the Visit Gay Brum website for details about Birmingham's vibrnat gay scene. Also take a look at the excellent GLBT site produced by the city's official tourism organization, Visit Birmingham.
