The annual London Pride Parade will return this weekend (Pictures: Metro.co.uk/Getty)

London’s annual Pride Parade is set to return this weekend marking 51 years since the capital held its first march for the LGBTQ+ community.

Pride Month in the city is celebrated with a number of events championing LGBTQ+ rights and issues, with the annual parade being one of the highlights.

More than one million people hit the streets for last year’s 50th anniversary, and large numbers are expected for the 2023 parade with more than 30,000 participants from across 600 organisations.

The parade will kick off on Saturday, July 1, with rainbow flags set to litter the air as the procession makes its way through the city with a number of special performances planned on the day.

Chart-topper Rita Ora has confirmed she’ll be among those performing, taking to the stage in Trafalgar Square at around 3.30pm.

‘It’s going to be so much fun I can’t wait to come and support the LGBTQ+ community ❤️ 📍Trafalgar Square @ 3:30pm,’ she said as she confirmed the news in an Instagram post.

If you’re wondering which route the parade will take, and where you can nab yourself the best view of the festivities, here’s what you need to know.

What is the route for the London Pride parade 2023?

The parade will start off at Hyde Park Corner at approximately 12pm, according to organisers.

Click to enlarge (Picture: Metro.co.uk)

From there, it will make its way to Piccadilly Circus and pass through Haymarket Square, Trafalgar Square, and then Whitehall where the parade will end at 6pm.

A number of stages will also be hosting performances from LGBTQ+ acts as part of the celebrations.

These include:

Trafalgar Square Stage

The LGBTQIA Women and Non-Binary Stage – Leicester Square

Golden Square Stage

Soho Square Stage

Dean Street Stage

Organisers have stated that entry to these stages is free and on a first-come, first-served basis with performances set to take place throughout the day.

Acts set to dazzle crowds include Adam Lambert, Idina Menzel, Todrick Hall, and many more. The full programme of performers can be found here.

For our LGBTQ+ families, there will be a dedicated family space at St Giles-in-the-Field.

Where are the best places to stand?

The parade is free to attend and watch from the sidelines, with some of the best views being available from Piccadilly Circus, Trafalgar Square, Haymarket, and Whitehall.

Its easy to make your way to the different top spots to watch the parade (Picture: Sinai Noor/Shutterstock)

Piccadilly Circus can be directly reached via the Piccadilly Circus London Underground station located directly beneath Piccadilly Circus itself.

Located in Travel-card Zone 1, the station is on the Piccadilly Line between Green Park and Leicester Square and on the Bakerloo line between Charing Cross and Oxford Circus.

This station is also the closest for those hoping to watch from Haymarket, with both Charing Cross and Leicester Square stations nearby.

The closest Tube station is Trafalgar Square is Charing Cross, with additional nearby stations including Leicester Square and Piccadilly Circus.

If you travel to the area via mainline train, the Charing Cross station is a three-minute walk away.

Both of these stations in Charing Cross would also be the closest to Whitehall for those wanting to watch the parade from these locations.

You can also buy tickets to watch the parade at the Haymarket Grandstand which will be open from 11.30am so you have plenty of time to get seated before the festivities begin.

Ticket prices start from £50 and can be purchased from the Pride In London website.

Arguably the best view of the parade would be walking in it, which you can do if you are part of a group or affiliated with an LGBTQ+ organisation, a volunteer steward, a flag bearer, or as an independent participant.

However, applications to participate in this year’s Pride Parade are now closed.

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