Best Pride Events in the UK

For over fifty years, Pride marches have been held across the world to commemorate the progress of LGBTQ+ rights.  As well as a celebration, Pride is a great opportunity to raise awareness of issues currently faced by the community. People are encouraged to advocate for their peers and be vocal about the work that still needs to be done.  

Throughout the UK, numerous parades and protests are taking place. Hop on board a CrossCountry train to travel to the best pride events in the UK in style and comfort. 

Birmingham Pride

Birmingham Pride is representing queer joy in the Midlands this May for a weekend of celebration and community. The event started in 1997 as a low-key but vibrant carnival in the city centre. Today, Birmingham Pride has reached new heights with thousands of people attending each year. 

Across the weekend, visitors can enjoy multiple buzzing stages showcasing cabaret and dance, food vendors, markets, and a lively street party. There will also be a chance to listen to some illuminating speeches on the Community Stage, as well as a period of reflection at the candlelit vigil. 

CrossCountry is proud to be taking part in Birmingham Pride this year - look out for our team marching in the parade. We’ll be sporting the CrossCountry Pride logo, just like the one you may have seen on our trains throughout the UK! Getting there is easy: hop on a train from cities like Nottingham and Leicester, and arrive at Birmingham New Street, just a short walk from the festivities. 

Pride Edinburgh

Beginning in 1994, Pride Edinburgh is Scotland’s longest-running LGBTQ+ celebration. The march traverses iconic Edinburgh locations, starting at the Scottish Parliament and culminating in a big party at the Pride Edinburgh Festival Village in the EUSA Complex. 

A day at Pride Edinburgh promises an exciting selection of stalls from various companies, charities, and organisations keen to share knowledge and promote community engagement. As well as this, there are several arts displays each year, an Open Mic lounge bar, and quiet spaces. 

Pride day events in Edinburgh rely heavily on the work of their incredible volunteers, helping towards the smooth running of the festival. In the past, the event has always been a vibrant hub for the passionate and proud and it’s thanks to these brilliant community spirits that the event is such a continued success. 

If all the celebrations make you hungry, there are multiple LGBTQ+ friendly coffee shops in Edinburgh. Kafe Kweer, for example, is an award-winning sober-friendly space that has been heavily involved in past pride events, holding zine-making workshops, chatty sessions, comedy nights, and more. 

The march’s starting point, Scottish Parliament, is a fifteen-minute walk from Edinburgh Waverley. Several CrossCountry trains to Edinburgh run daily from nearby Scottish locations like Dunbar, Motherwell station, and Glasgow Central. Or, if you’re travelling from further afield, there are also services available from Newcastle and Birmingham New Street. 

Newcastle Pride

Northern Pride is the biggest LGBTQ+ charity event in the Northeast of England. This year, in July, the Newcastle Pride festival takes place in Times Square, holding numerous events. Join a march thousands of people strong, dance alongside the cabaret stage, browse the bustling market, and attend a candlelit vigil where you’ll have the chance to reflect and remember. 

Northern Pride is a charitable organisation formed in 2007. They hold multiple events, workshops, and campaigns throughout the year, with the July Pride festival being their star event. The first Northern Pride Festival was held in 2008 and was attended by 2,500 people. Today it attracts more like 82,000 people and is still growing. 

Newcastle Pride is held in the city centre, a short walk from Newcastle station. Newcastle can be reached with ease from various stations across the UK, including from Durham and Chesterfield.

Leeds Pride

Leeds Pride takes place in July each year and is spread across the city. The parade starts at Leeds Town Hall and weaves through the streets before reaching The Calls. The event prides itself on not only being a focal point for solidarity and pride but also one of the city’s biggest events every year. 

Leeds Pride is free to attend and totally family-friendly. On top of this, the event is passionate about being as inclusive as possible. British Sign Language interpreters will be present on stage, and there are multiple accessible viewing galleries throughout the parade. 

If you’re keen to support some LGBTQ+ small businesses in Leeds throughout Pride month, try The Bookish Type, an independent bookshop that sells a range of queer literature and who are active in the community, holding LGBTQ+ events and supporting local initiatives. 

Leeds Pride Festival starts a short ten-minute walk from Leeds station. There are multiple services to Leeds daily from various locations across the UK, including from Sheffield and York. 

Manchester Pride

Manchester is home to a lively LGBTQ+ scene, so it’s no wonder that Manchester Pride is one of the biggest in the UK. Join the Love Parade through the city streets, bring the kids along to Family Pride, celebrate love and community at the Gay Village Party and stand up for injustice at The Rally. 

Manchester Pride, a registered charity, envisions a world where LGBTQ+ individuals can live and love without prejudice. Since 1985, annual celebrations have been held, alongside protests advocating for key issues such as Section 28 and HIV/AIDS causes.  

Today the charity is not only a champion for queer identity, expression, and diversity but an advocate and key player in the community, supporting a range of local and independent businesses and raising money for good causes. 

If you’re visiting Manchester for Pride, be sure to support some of the city’s small businesses. Take Feel Good Club, for instance, just an eight-minute walk from Manchester Piccadilly. This beloved establishment is a true gem in the community. With a mission to spread positivity and mental health advice to coffee-lovers in Manchester and beyond, the little coffee shop has been active during Pride in the past, hosting comedy nights, book clubs and more. 

Attending Manchester Pride is easy with CrossCountry. Simply board a train from various routes across the UK, including Bournemouth and Bristol Temple Meads, and join in the celebration. 

Pride Cymru

Since 2012, the Pride Cymru parade has grown exponentially. Run entirely by volunteers, Pride Cymru holds the festival to uplift and advocate for LGBTQ+ people in Wales. In June, Cardiff comes alive with colour as the city hosts a range of activities, including cabaret and family-friendly events. The parade winds through significant landmarks in Cardiff, culminating at the festival site within Cardiff Castle grounds. 

Pride Cymru’s market is the place to go to support local businesses, good causes, and to grab a bite to eat from a range of street food vendors. Or, beyond the march, there’s a host of great coffee shops and bakeries to try out. 

The Queer Emporium is a plant-based café located in the Royal Arcade. The space is owned and managed exclusively by a team of non-binary people who are non-negotiable about creating a safe, affirming, accessible space for visitors. 

Cardiff is easy to reach by train with CrossCountry, just hop on a train from various locations across the UK, including Newport station, Exeter St Davids, and Derby station. 

Our people, our pride

CrossCountry are proud to support the LGBTQIA+ communities around the UK, including many of the amazing people we work with every day. We’re looking forward to transporting our passengers and colleagues to Pride events around the UK, but first, let’s celebrate Pride by introducing you to some of our colleagues who identify as LGBTQIA+. 

Meet our colleagues

“Pride for me is our community coming together, to not only celebrate but also to represent and acknowledge our community's histories and struggles from the Stonewall riots to Harvey Milk and many other pioneers and advocates who have sacrificed for the freedom of LGBTQ+ and Trans rights. 

Pride is also a coming together of how in many countries it's still illegal or the death penalty for being Gay or Trans exists. 

To be in Drag and walk the parade, it really was fantastic. Also to have CrossCountry take part in Pride finally and give voice and recognition to their LGBTQ+ Employees. Also to have three Directors there taking part was most monumental… showing that change is here. I hope this is just the beginning.” 

Gursh; Senior Conductor 

“Pride is something many are denied. As for themselves, fitting into the heteronormative world will never be for them.  

There is a realisation that “you” are different, and that difference will be used to define you for what you are and not who you are. You are a person of worth, value and love with the right to love and be loved. 

Pride is about not ever having to feel ashamed of who you are, or who you love and what you stand for. Pride is about being proud of who you are and allowing your light to shine in every kind of situation.” 

Paul; EDI & Wellbeing Manager 

“For me it holds a place in my heart for a few reasons. It’s an opportunity to raise awareness, to help further discussion and education. The fact it's still illegal in many locations around the world speaks as to why these types of events are still required. 

My hope is that these events help individuals struggling with their sexuality to come through whatever barrier/difficulty they’re facing. It's a show of compassion and support from LGBTQ+ and all allies and family members who see the value in walking this line together. 

More broadly, it’s a statement that there is still further to go to ensure that all forms of discrimination or oppression have a spotlight on them and to raise awareness through education. Lastly, it’s an opportunity for me and those around us through these events, to be our authentic selves.” 

Simon; Head of HR Projects 

“What does it mean to me? Pride to me means living as my true authentic self: unapologetically and without fear.” 

Adam; Retail Service Manager 

If you’re planning to attend a pride parade, don’t forget to book Advance rail tickets via our website or the CrossCountry app. Before you travel, make sure to check scheduled train times to find the best journey for you. If you need more information, you can contact us here.