One of Europe's most dynamic and popular pride celebrations, London Gay Pride officially takes place at the beginning of July with the Pride London Parade (On July 7, in 2012 - Pride London begins June 23, 2012), but this is actually the culmination of a 15-day Pride London Fortnight that runs throughout the end of June and beginning of July. It's one of the most well-attended such events in the world, drawing more than 500,000 participants. This year is expected to be an especially huge gathering, because London Pride is coinciding with WorldPride 2012 (which will take place in conjunction with Toronto Gay Pride in 2014) and EuroPride 2012 (which will next take place in Marseilles in July 2013).
Book rooms and compare rates on hotels in London during Gay Pride.
Details about London Gay Pride and WorldPride will be posted here as they're released to the public - in the meantime, here's more on last year's event:
The Pride London Parade kicks off on Saturday, July 2, at 1 pm, with a partially new route this. It commences on Regent Street just north of Mortimer Street (a few blocks above Oxford Circus), and then continues down to its terminus, Trafalgar Square, by way of Piccadilly Circus, where there's a Pride Rally running from 2 well into the evening. A number of top performers and prominent speakers will enlighten and entertain the crowds on multiple stages during the festival. Here's a map of the parade route.
Numerous gay clubs, hotels, pubs, and restaurants will also be holding events and offering special promotions during London's Gay Pride. Check out About.com London's excellent primer on the London Pride Celebration, as well as such useful gay London resources as London Gay Guide Online and the Patroc London Gay Guide. Also take a look at the excellent GLBT site produced by the city's official tourism organization, the London Tourist Board.
