Celebrate Love at Birmingham Pride

One of the UK’s biggest LGBT celebrations, Birmingham Pride weekend is on 27^th and 28^th May in 2017. This famously flamboyant street parade is well worth a weekend trip to Birmingham, and while you’re here, don’t miss out on all the city has to offer. Here’s the lowdown on Birmingham’s gay pride festival as well as our tips for the best places to eat, drink and dance in the neighbourhood.

The Main Stage

Located right in the heart of Birmingham’s Gay Village, near Hurst Street, the Main Stage is where you’ll find the big acts and the largest crowds. The 2016 Pride festival saw pop icons Katy B, Tulisa and Liberty X perform, and you can expect 2017’s line up also to be just the right amount of kitsch and cool. The stage is near some of the liveliest gay bars in Birmingham, including the glitzy Nightingale Club and friendly Equator Bar.

The Nightingale is the city’s biggest gay club, with 2000 capacity, so expect the party to be in full swing for Birmingham Pride.You can book a booth at the club if you want to guarantee a prime spot for your group.

The Equator Bar is a smaller, more relaxed affair, and ideal for grabbing a hearty breakfast before the live music starts, or for a chilled pint later in the day. If you get there early enough, you can even enjoy watching the bustle from the venue’s outdoor terrace.

Sherlock Street

Home to the Eden Bar and The Core, Sherlock Street is one of the main drags of the city’s LGBT scene, and it becomes even more electric during Birmingham Pride. The Eden Bar is firmly established as one of the best gay bars in Birmingham, and for 2016’s festival it played host to an exclusive performance from 1980s synth-pop legend Marc Almond. Past performers have also included Bonnie Langford and Stacey Solomon, and the venue offers a more intimate setting than the Main Stage.

The traditional pub atmosphere makes it a great pick for an afternoon drink too. It will be busy throughout the festival, so get there well in advance of show start times if you want to get to the front.

The Core is one of the newer gay bars in Birmingham, and has already made its mark. One to head for after hours, it’s a raucous, atmospheric, late-night kind of place. The decor mixes classic neon and rainbow club lighting for the dance floors with some more chilled-out spaces to relax in between tunes, complete with Chesterfield sofas.

Where to eat

Before catching a show or hitting the dance floor in Sherlock Street, stop for dinner a short walk away at the stylish but simply decorated MODU Korean restaurant along neighbouring Bishop Street. A meal of spicy, tangy, authentic Korean food is a truly delicious way to start your evening.

Come and experience the event in May – tickets for the 2017 event range from £12.50 to £59.

More UK Events to look out for in May:

The Richmond Park Marathon in London – May 21^st

Tough Mudder 2017 in the Midlands – May 21^st & 22^nd

Maldom Prom Parkrun in the East of England – May 27^th to June 4^th

While you’re in the city, why not enjoy the best of Birmingham with these unique experiences the city has to offer.