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Plans for London Pride 2013 unveiled!

Besi Besemar May 21, 2013

Martina Navratilova
Martina Navratilova

Pride in London, London LGBT+ Community Pride will go ahead in 2013 with a week long festival starting on Sunday, June 23 and culminating with the Pride Parade a musical festival in Shoreditch Park and National Black Pride in Soho on Saturday, June 29.

Since the Mayor of London gave them the go ahead for the event, organisers have in just three months obtained funding, volunteers support and completed all necessary operational plans to stage the festival.

As the Equal Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill continues to be debated in Parliament the organisers of Pride in London believe the event offers the LGBT+ community a unique chance to be seen and heard with the theme “Love (and Marriage)” uniting the community.

Clare Balding
Clare Balding

Record nine times Wimbledon Singles Champion, international LGBT+ champion and Global Foundation Patron of Pride in London, Martina Navratilova gets the festival off to an impressive start on Sunday June 23 at the St James’ Theatre with a special Audience with Martina Navratilova hosted by TV presenter, Clare Balding.

For tickets and details of the Pride in London events CLICK HERE: 

The Festival programme includes:

• A Gala dinner with Boris Johnson on 25 June at Claridge’s
An Audience with Martina Navratilova hosted by Clare Balding on Sunday 23 June at the St James’ Theatre
• Summer Rites Pride in the Park music festival in Shoreditch Park
• Special Pride film screenings at the BFI and Channel Four
• A Gay Photographers’ Network exhibition at Foyles
• A London Gay Symphony Orchestra Concert
• A Chavurah at St John’s Wood Synagogue
• Panel events on LGBT+ health and campaigning issues
• Polari’s tour of Tate Britain, Queer Britannia

For many the highpoint of the week will be the Parade on Saturday June 29. The parade starts at 1pm and will follow the now traditional route from Baker Street along Oxford Street, down Regent Street and ending in Trafalgar Square.

With over 120 groups already signed up to take part this year’s march looks set to bring over well over 10,000 marchers, roller-skaters, dancers and singers into the heart of the capital. The organisers believe that the Parade will be a highly visible way to continue to fight for equality.

The organisers of Pride hope that the LGBT+ community will come together in Trafalgar Square and Soho to enjoy the entertainment there, which will feature the best of the LGBT+ community and other well-known performers – details will be announced soon.

Pride in London is also partnering with UK Black Pride who will stage their own celebration in Golden Square for a free ticketed event, for details view: www.ukblackpride.org.uk

For the later in the afternoon and evening, Pride in London has teamed up with Summer Rites for the official Pride music festival, Summer Rites – Pride in the Park in Shoreditch Park. Six official after-parties will soon be announced.

Commenting on her involvement Martina Navratilova said:

“London holds a very special place in my heart. But it’s not just Wimbledon I love, it is the city itself, which is so welcoming and energetic. I am proud to be part of the first Pride in London to be organised by London LGBT+ Community Pride. I want everyone to come out and support the events and remember that Pride is about campaigning as well as celebrating.  The campaign for Equal Marriage in the UK and in the US is an important one and we should show solidarity and work together for greater acceptance and equality for all.

“I am looking forward to taking part in the pride event on 23rd June with Clare Balding and I think it’s great that the opening event is focused on women. I am also honoured to be Global Foundation Patron of Pride in London.

 “The team who have put together Pride this year have done an incredible job in a really short time and now they need your support; so please buy a ticket, sponsor an event, make a donation and participate in the Parade. This is YOUR Pride and with your support Pride in London can become a beacon to the world.”

Boris Johnson
Boris Johnson

Mayor of London Boris Johnson said: ‘

“Our Pride celebrations are one of the biggest events of the year as befits a city with a large LGBT population. The diversity of people taking part encapsulates why our city is one of the most exciting places on earth to live. I’m delighted to support this fabulous event. Here’s to it being a massive success.”

Chairman of London LGBT+ Community Pride Michael Salter said:

“I am honoured to be part of an amazing team that in record time has put together Pride in London.  Over the last four months a huge amount of hard work has gone in to recruit over 1,200 volunteers, raise sponsorship money and plan the event.  I want to thank everyone involved, our suppliers, contractors, sponsors and supporters for all they have done and continue to do. I also want to specifically thank Martina, Clare and Boris for being part of this year’s Pride in London and showing their commitment to the LGBT+ community and our City.

“London deserves a great Pride celebration – we are a truly global city and have much to be proud of but we should never forget our history of campaigning for equality. I want this year’s Pride in London to be an amazing celebration of our community but also a moment for us to think about and champion “Love (and Marriage)”. 

“We now need everyone to get involved in order to make Pride and its festival of events a success.  Please start planning your Pride now, book tickets for the events in the week running up to the Pride Saturday and on the day come and join or watch the Parade and join together as one community in Trafalgar Square. Whether you’re making costumes for your Parade group, attending a film screening or debate, performing on one of our stages, partying in Soho, enjoying yourself at Summer Rites or dancing the night away at one of our after-parties you are the people who make Pride, so let’s give London and ourselves the brilliant Pride we deserve!” 

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