Pride in London: What you need to know about the annual LGBT festival and parade

Pride in London is one of the world's biggest LGBT celebrations, with thousands of revellers taking part in the parades and performances across the British capital. Here is everything you need to know about the festival and parade.

When does it start?

The London Pride Festival takes place from Friday 10 to Sunday 26 June. The main events, including the world-famous parade, will take place on Saturday 25 and Sunday 26 June.

What's on during the festival?

The festival includes theatre, dance, art, music, debates and conferences - and even self-defence classes. The inaugural Pride in London Spectacular - a night of music and entertainment on London's Southbank - will take place on Monday 13 June from 7.45pm.

A preview of the new documentary, The Pearl Of Africa, which focuses on the transgender activist Cleopatra Kambugu fighting Uganda's anti-LGBT laws, will be shown on Thursday 16 June at the Frontline Restaurant near Paddington. It will be followed by a Q&A with the film's director.

The LGBT+ choir, the Pink Singers, will perform a specially-commissioned Pride Anthem which will be performed in Trafalgar Square on Saturday 25 June.

Pride in London has even moved abroad. A small London Pride delegation will attend the Baltic Pride on Saturday 18 June, to support LGBT equality in eastern Europe. See here for a full list of events taking place during the festival.

Where does the parade take place?

The pinnacle of Pride in London is the parade, which not only celebrates LGBT culture but raises awareness of human rights issues and campaigns for greater freedoms to allow equality among all people of all sexual orientations and genders. Unfortunately, applications to take part in the parade are no longer being accepted, but you can still watch the parade from various locations around the city.

Starting at 1pm, the parade leaves Baker Street and turns into Oxford Street, heading past Bond Street station before branching into Regent Street as it moves towards Piccadilly Circus. It then heads down Lower Regent Street and onto Waterloo Place, before continuing towards Pall Mall and Trafalgar Square. The parade route, which is around two miles in total, finishes at Whitehall Place.

Where can I watch the parade?

The streets will be closed and viewers will be able to watch the parade from the barriers. Oxford Circus and Regent Street will be extremely busy, so the organisers have advised revellers to avoid these areas.

To avoid heavy congestion, those travelling into central London to watch the parade are advised not to head to Oxford Circus or Regent Street, but Tottenham Court Road, Leicester Square or Charing Cross instead.