Brighton & Hove Pride celebrated its landmark 35th anniversary in unforgettable fashion this weekend, bringing together thousands of people for a vibrant celebration of love, equality and community under this year’s powerful theme, The Power of Love.

Across two unforgettable days, the city’s streets and Preston Park were transformed into a colourful celebration of LGBTQ+ culture, activism and world-class entertainment, with legendary performers including Diana Ross, RAYE, RuPaul, Paris Hilton, Holly Johnson and Melanie C leading one of the festival’s most impressive line-ups to date.

The celebrations began on Saturday, 1 August, with Brighton’s iconic LGBTQ+ Community Parade. Featuring more than 125 groups, the procession once again demonstrated everything Pride represents – protest, visibility, inclusion and joy. As thousands lined the streets, the parade showcased the incredible diversity of Brighton & Hove’s LGBTQ+ community while marking three and a half decades of one of the UK’s most celebrated Pride events.

Once the parade reached Preston Park, festival-goers were treated to an outstanding day of live music.

Performances from Moonchild Sanelly, Self Esteem and Leigh-Anne set the tone before drag icon RuPaul took to the stage for an exclusive DJ set, commanding the crowd with trademark charisma and several triumphant walks down the catwalk.

Jessie J reminded everyone why she remains one of Britain’s finest live performers, with crowd-pleasing renditions of Domino, Do It Like A Dude and Price Tag.

As impressive as Saturday’s line-up was, the evening belonged to RAYE.

Returning to Brighton Pride a decade after her first appearance, the chart-topping star delivered an emotional and captivating headline performance that seamlessly blended powerful ballads, big-band arrangements and her biggest hits. It was a stunning set that cemented her place as one of the UK’s most accomplished live performers and undoubtedly one of Brighton Pride’s most memorable headline performances.

Diana Ross Brings the Festival to a Glorious Close

Sunday’s celebrations continued with performances from Pale Waves and Caity Baser before Melanie C swapped the microphone for the DJ decks. The Spice Girl delighted fans by debuting her brand-new track, A Place Where We Belong, during an energetic set.

Music legend Holly Johnson proved to be one of the weekend’s biggest crowd favourites, performing Frankie Goes to Hollywood classics including Relax, Two Tribes and an emotional rendition of The Power of Love.

The festival’s Icons slot was handed to Paris Hilton, who lived up to every expectation with a dazzling performance in a diamanté-encrusted Union Jack dress, bringing glamour, nostalgia and plenty of #SLIVING energy to the Brighton crowd.

Nineties favourites Five then had the audience singing along to hits including Keep On Movin’, Got the Feelin’ and When the Lights Go Out.

Closing the weekend could only be one artist.

The legendary Diana Ross took to the stage with the unmistakable opening of I’m Coming Out, creating one of the most emotional moments of the festival. Her spectacular headline performance featured timeless classics including Upside Down, Where Did Our Love Go and You Can’t Hurry Love, providing a fitting finale to a weekend celebrating love, acceptance and togetherness.

Entertainment Across Every Corner

Beyond the main stage, Brighton Pride once again showcased the breadth of LGBTQIA+ talent across multiple immersive spaces.

Visitors explored much-loved favourites including Legends Cabaret, The Cocoa Butter Club, Queer Town and Party Bag, alongside exciting new additions for 2026 such as Bears In The Woods, Queer Soap Box and Outro. Family-friendly zones and community spaces ensured there was something for everyone throughout the weekend.

Meanwhile, the State of Us stage delivered two days of exceptional electronic music, headlined by Purple Disco Machine on Saturday and house music pioneer Armand Van Helden on Sunday, alongside performances from HAAi, Daniel Avery, Girls Don’t Sync, I Jordan and many more.

Away from Preston Park, the Pride Street Party transformed Kemptown into a giant open-air celebration.

Marine Parade became a sea of colour as Brighton’s iconic LGBTQ+ venues hosted stages featuring Gok Wan, Bimini, Freemasons and Woody Cook, with cabaret, DJs, bars and entertainment creating one of the city’s most vibrant festival atmospheres.

Celebrating 35 Years of Community

The celebrations extended beyond the music with Proud Brighton – We Are Community, a portrait photography exhibition marking 35 years of Pride in Brighton & Hove.

Created by award-winning community photographer Chris Jepson of Proud Studios CIC, the exhibition features portraits and personal reflections from members of the Pride community, highlighting the diversity of Brighton & Hove and amplifying voices that are often underrepresented. The exhibition remains on display at Jubilee Library until 15 August, with portraits also featured on banners across the city.

Looking Ahead

As another spectacular Brighton & Hove Pride comes to a close, the festival once again proved why it remains one of the world’s leading Pride celebrations.

From emotional headline performances and unforgettable moments on stage to community activism, inclusivity and celebration throughout the city, the 35th anniversary delivered everything Pride stands for.

With memories of Diana Ross, RAYE, RuPaul and countless other standout performances still fresh, attention now turns to Summer 2027, when Brighton will once again welcome the LGBTQ+ community and allies from across the globe for another unforgettable Pride celebration.