It’s almost here, one of the best weekends in the year – yes, it’s Brighton & Hove Pride! No shade, but we all know Brighton throws the best Pride celebration in the world. Are you ready for a sparkly weekend of love, fundraising and celebration 50+ years on from the Stonewall riots that changed gay history? We sure as hell are.

A spot of history

But did you know why Brighton is so famous for our particularly diverse, vibrant and inclusive celebrations? The city has a long history of being a welcoming and accepting place for the LGBTQ+ community. Brighton’s been a hub for LGBTQ+ activism and culture since the 19th century. In fact, it was one of the first cities in the UK to have a gay pub, and hosted one of the first LGBTQ+ Pride events in the UK, with its first official Pride march taking place in 1973.

We’re also a pioneering city for healthcare, too. The Sussex Beacon, a local charity, became the first Aids hospice in the country, offering care and compassion during the early days of the HIV/Aids epidemic. That spirit of unity, support and defiance against discrimination still runs deep in our city and is one of the many reasons we’re so proud to live here.

Brief history lesson over, read on for some of the best Pride events to take you through the weekend.

We know music is the food of love (thanks, Shakespeare) and Pride is all about love, so we’d recommend getting in the mood with a party-starting Pride playlist and 201 Dance Company’s latest fabulous Pride protest video.

When you’re out and about, look out for Brighton landmarks, like the Royal Pavilion and The Grand hotel, getting their rainbow on for the weekend!

Get in the pre-Pride mood – Friday

Party Bag throw one helluva party all year round, but their official pre-Pride edition is always a riot.

For a sportier start to the weekend, you need the annual Rainbow Run fundraiswer. Dress up, run (or amble), or spectate, this one’s a pre-Pride must.

Limber up for the big day – Saturday

If you’re not one to stay in bed, then how about another pre-Pride run? Get those endorphins flowing the unaided way with a free beachfront run from the bandstand (9am).

Fuel the party – Saturday

The easiest option is to book yourself a parade-adjacent brunch spot – check these ones out.

But if you’d rather wander around, start your day off right at the Bedford Tavern with their popular pre-Parade breakfast of bubbly and bacon baps – they’re throwing the doors open at 10am.

Home of Brighton Gin, The Bottom’s Rest in Hove are putting on a pre-Pride breakfast from 10am – it’s £13 for a bap and a beer (or wine/G&T). Come for the baps, come back for post-Parade party vibes.

Queer-owned coffee shop Bearly Awake is another great pitstop for home-baked cookies and coffee (and a great selection of queer books).

New opening alert! Happy Endings of ice-cream sandwich fame have opened a shop on Queens Road (from Fri; midday) and it’s a cool and colourful thing of beauty.

If you’re over Hanover way, The Geese are opening early (from 9am) for breakfast buns and Bloody Marys.

Along the parade route, you’ll find the pop-up I Heart Wines tuk-tuk, dishing out free wine (hurrah) and useful merch like dans (11am – 6pm).

Head to The Windmill where the Med boys are in residence for Pride weekend bringing some banging BBQ dishes (from midday to sellout, Fri – Sun).

Fill your boots at The Set who are celebrating their first Pride in their new permanent home on Preston Road, right along the parade route. They’re serving up Vietnamese iced coffees, breakfast butties and pastries in the morning from 9am and Bourdain sarnies, cocktails and more in the afternoon.

And in Kemptown, the one-and-only Bom-Bane’s have got takeaway Pride cocktails (from £5) or park up there from 2pm for a more chilled time, some colouful food and maybe a tune or two.

Over in Hove, Babble have joined forces with Everflyht for a sparkling wine brunch (10am – 2pm) with a huge helping of sea view.  

Curio, nearby on the corner of Clyde Road, have got a sausage party going on. Yep, they’re serving up hot dogs and more from midday on Saturday and Sunday.

Finally, Hi Cacti are doing the lord’s work with a Pride Hi-dration (geddit?) station, serving up lemonade and canned drinks (on a pay-what-you-feel basis) to stop you getting parched. It’s at their new (work-in-progress) shop at 67 Dyke Road so it’s a good time to get a sneak peek.

Consider yourself fuelled!

Where to get your glitter on

Feeling a tad bare of face? Velvet on Church Road in Hove is offering a glittery makeover from 9am to 11am in exchange for a donation (proceeds to Pride Community Foundation).

Where to watch the parade

This year’s theme is the Power of Love, which hopefully says it all but is a message that is worth regularly repeating particularly in today’s difficult climate.

The parade officially kicks off at 11am, but it can be closer to midday by the time things get moving – we’d recommend finding a spot early though if you want to be sure of the best view. You can see the parade route here.

If you’re not watching it over breakfast or brunch (check these ones out), then The Joker‘s front terrace on Preston Road is one of the best places to see the Parade on its last run into Preston Park. And with their roof terrace, there’s even more parade-viewing space. Come for the parade – and the dedicated margarita bar – and stay for the always-killer party (11am – 3am).

Or, head down to Hove Lawns for a more chilled (and family-friendlier) place to watch the approach into the city. Or park your bum at one of the beachfront hotels for a perfect parade-watching spot.

Where else to celebrate

If you want all the big park action – and to see Raye, Jessie J, Self Esteem, RuPaul and Bimini and more at the 35th edition of Preston Park’s Pride On The Park festival – then there are still some tickets available.

The Village Party’s not the same since it moved down to Marine Parade from St James Street and, of course, it’s drawn trade away from the main Kemptown drag.

The amped-up two-day street party (tickets here) on the admittedly wider road has drag and music stages, daytime clubbing courtesy of Revenge, Charles Street and Patterns, plus cabaret stages curated by local LGBTQ+ venues. Expect things to get MESSY.

This year, though, the Kemptown Community Association’s got together to put on their own – completely free – community pride event across the weekend. The Velvettes are performing oldies on Saturday afternoon and on Sunday, there’s a remembrance tree and service at St George’s to honour every life lost to Aids.

Another one worth checking out if you’re fed up of the increasing commercialisation of the weekend, and prefer a more chilled celebration, is DIY Pride at Saunders Park (2pm – 6pm) for acoustic music and good vibes over a picnic (bring your own), all for absolutely zero pounds.

Queens Park is always a good shout if you need a break from the crowds, but if you’re after some more organised Pride fun, read on for some of our top picks.

Keep the party going after the parade – Saturday

We’re focusing mostly on our favourite ‘queer all year’ venues here, because we all know there’s a lot of places who just hop on the bandwagon for Pride.

The Actors (ex The Marlborough) has been linked to the LGBTQ+ community since the 70s and it’s always one of our favourite spots to head for a friendly, fun and inclusive night out. This year they’re bringing all the queer carnival energy with a three-day free-entry Pride house party, plus a night of ticketed queer cabaret in their theatre space on Saturday. This is a busy one, but it’s always a good time.

This is women’s sports bar Crossbar’s first Pride and on Saturday, they’re hosting a traffic light event (you know, green for available, etc; – get one in advance for £2.50).

Back at Komedia again is Gal Pals‘ queer dance party for women, trans, and non-binary people on Saturday (9pm; from £12.06). Expect non-stop female-fronted bangers – making it the ultimate stop-off after the parade.

If cabaret’s more your style, try one of our all-year-round faves, LGBTQ+ institution the Bedford Tavern, aka the Beddy, which has camp disco all day, plus cabaret from Ophelia Payne, The Madame and more from 3pm.

Concorde 2 are hosting Brighton’s official Pride after-party, so get ready for a night of legendary post-street-party partying with I. Jordan, Mae Muller, Dykes on Decks and more spinning tunes. (11pm; £29.14).

Also on the seafront is fun grassroots venue Daltons, which has got an afternoon/evening of queer pop plus a performance by Brighton’s Next Drag Monarch. AND it’s only a tenner. Stay on for the late-night Lady Gaga party.

Super-central music venue pub Hope and Ruin is hosting a ‘f**k corporate Pride’ all-day live music fundraiser (from 2pm – 11pm; £22). We also love that they highlight the fact they’re a safe space for all with approachable staff taking everyone’s safety seriously. We know this should be a given, but sadly, in many places, it’s not (yet).

Over in Kemptown, get your fill of cabaret with a properly jam-packed line-up from some of Brighton’s best, including Crudi Dench, at our absolute favourite musical theatre bar, Bar Broadway (Saturday and Sunday; from 3pm; free).

And on the seafront, Patterns is always a good shout for a party. During the early evening (7pm), there’s the Homostash takeover, then once the street party’s over, there’s the legendary Horse Meat Disco after, also featuring Brighton and BOTI faves Wildblood & Queenie (from 11pm). (Plus Sunday Sundae on, you guessed it, Sunday – add yourself to the waiting list if you’re keen on this one.)

Or wander down to one of Brighton’s most Brightonest pubs, the Hand in Hand, for Ms Jessa on the decks, playing 90s pop, hip hop and R&B (from 8pm; free).

There are far too many other places to list, but for good vibes, good drinks, and good times, we’d also recommend heading to Bison Beach Bar or (for a break from the madness) The Independent or new wine bar Outgrown in Hanover.

What to do on Sunday

If you’re still going strong after Saturday, first of all, we salute you. And if you’re up for continuing the party, you’ve a stronger constitution than us. You can still get tickets to the second day of Pride On The Park, with Diana Ross, Five, Holly Johnson, Mel C and Paris Hilton, or the Sunday Village party.

And because run clubs seem to be a big thing right now, it seems fitting to start your Sunday with one, too. The Easy Does It community are hosting a free Pride special run at 11am, finishing at Crossbar for coffee and pastries.

Want to help clear up the inevitable (sadly) mess? Then sign up to the Pride beach clean. There are slots from 8am, and helping out gets you a free ticket to the Sunday session in the park, so there’s double the incentive to help out!

Or have a crafty Pride with a macrame bottle-making workshop (£35) at The Greenhouse in Hove or a free embroidery sesh at Lucy & Yak.

The always-brilliant Bedford Tavern does recovery roasts – then stay on for the Pride edition of bonkers musical bingo at 6pm.

For something more low-key, Dukes Lane are putting on an afternoon of free entertainment (12pm – 4pm), including a drag performance by Lovinia Belle and a sing-a-long performance from the Actually Gay Men’s Chorus.

Or get yourself over to Vine for a vermouth party (drinks from a fiver; from midday) paired with Bee May Bakery’s rightly famous tiramisu.

And if you’d like a non-boozy day, head over to Ironworks for the official sober post-Pride day party (4pm – 10pm) featuring happy house and lots of love.

Alternatively, a beach-side sauna session, a sensory sauna and sound experience, a swim at our fabulous beach pool, a chilled-out yoga class at this new queer and trans-led studio, or an afternoon of novels, nibbles and Pimm’s may be just the ticket to end your weekend in a state of bliss. Phew.

Oh, and for something free to read, head to (expensive) home of fragrant stuff Aesop to pick up a free book by a queer author (just one per person!), part of their Queer Library initiative. Sunday’s the last day you can get one if there are any left by then.

Get outta town – Sunday

And if you’d rather escape the busy city entirely, we’d highly recommend a trip to Lewes for The Lewes Arms’ annual pea-throwing competition. Or combine it with a kayak trip down the Ouse, ending with a free pint at Abyss brewery.

Finally, have a happy Pride! Whatever you’re doing, have fun, stay safe, and look after yourself and each other.

Lots of love, Team BOTI x

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With contributions from Lucy Sambrook