Crowds flock to city for Brighton Pride

Hundreds of people have flocked to Brighton seafront for the annual pride parade

Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to attend Brighton this weekend for the city's annual pride celebrations.

Visitors from across the country are to descend on Brighton seafront on Saturday for the parade, which began at Hove Lawns and ends in the city's Preston Park, where Pride on the Park will take place.

Mariah Carey is to headline the first night of the event, while the Sugababes will close out the show on Sunday evening.

Paul Kemp, managing director of Brighton Pride, told BBC Radio Sussex: "We are really, really excited – Pride really puts our city on the map."

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He added: "Brighton is an events city and, although sometimes there is some disruption, the value of these events is part of our reputation."

The community parade, with the theme "ravishing rage", will see local community groups and LGBTQ+ organisations marching through the city.

The march will begin at Hove Lawns before travelling through the city centre.

John McPherson, chairman of the Brighton Gay Men's Chorus, who have a float in the parade, said: "Pride this year is very important to us, particularly for our trans members. The theme for our float this year will be about trans pride.

"We will be having an amazing banner that our members have worked on, which I think will make a really dramatic statement in the parade.

"We've always seen queer joy as activism and as a celebration of our authentic selves."

Left to right: Aneesa Chaudhry, Finial Brophy and Paul Shuttleworth, from the Rainbow Chorus

Community groups from across Brighton and Hove have designed their floats for the event, waving and singing to people lining the streets.

Other events planned throughout the weekend include the Pride Street Party, which this year moves from St James' Street to Marine Parade.

Finial Brophy, a member of the Rainbow Chorus singing group, said: "I think Pride is intergenerational, it cuts across all communities and its wonderful being on a float and showing off."

Aneesa Chaudhry, musical director of the chorus, added: "Seeing people holding hands and being able to kiss and be who they are in public in a city that supports us is wonderful."

Hundreds of people are taking part in the Brighton Pride community parade

Groups walking in the parade lined Brighton seafront ahead of the parade in a sea of colour and sequins.

Organisations walking in the parade included the Brighton School of Samba, and Terrence Higgins Trust.

Paul Callander, LGBT network lead for Brighton and Hove Albion football club, said: "I think its amazing and we have been groundbreaking for all football clubs across the country.

"It's the love and seeing the joy in everyone's faces. It brings people together.

"We need to be unified in this and in this city we are."

Paul Callander, LGBT network lead for Brighton and Hove Albion

The parade was also led by Ted Brown, the pioneering LGBT activist who helped to organise the UK's first pride march in 1972.

Ticket sales from the street party raise funds for LGBTQ+ charities and causes across the country, which will be distributed through the Pride Community Foundation.

Large sections of the city including London Road, Preston Road and the A259 Kings Road will be closed throughout Saturday.

Train services are also expected to be busier than usual, with more trains and extra carriages running to try and match demand.

Preston Park and London Road train stations will be closed all weekend.

About 300,000 people are expected to attend Brighton Pride across the weekend, similar to the crowds the city saw in 2024.