The best parties at London Pride 2022

W Hotel Pride event

(Picture: W Hotel Pride event)

The sun was shining and the rainbow flags were flying on Saturday, as a record 1.5 million people descended upon London for the city’s first pPide in two years. Throughout the day, there were a host of familiar faces popping up at Pride events from Soho to Shoreditch.

Symone and Nicola Coughlan attend a Pride Brunch at The London EDITION (Dave Benett/Getty Images for The London EDITION)

Things kicked off at 11:30am at the London EDITION hotel, where the prosecco popped and US Drag Race stars Symone and Gigi Goode warmed up the crowd for brunch hosted by designer Henry Holland.

Bridgerton’s Nicola Coughlan joined designers Daniel Fletcher and Erdem Moralioglu in tucking into eggs and toast. By the early afternoon, the cocktails were flowing and Aimee Phillips was blasting sing-along tunes from the DJ decks under a rainbow balloon arch.

JW Anderson and Sam Smith at a Pride event (JW Anderson Pride event)

At JW Anderson’s Soho store, the designer hosted an intimate get-together for guests including Princess Julia and model Marc Forne. The highlight came as Sam Smith took to the mic and performed a captivating set in a white vest and blue jeans with a cheeky JW Anderson phallic keyring attached. Afterwards, they walked out to join the packed crowds.

Just down the road at the W Hotel, just off Leicester Square, drag queens Willam and Courtney Act opened the doors to a bash which saw Max Harwood, Riyadh Khalaf and Dr Ranj Singh gather for the afternoon. Guests toasted with drag queen seltzers — which came in cucumber and passion fruit flavours and were named after Drag Race contestants like Bob the Drag Queen and Bianca Del Rio. They were polished off quickly.

Dr Ranj Singh and Courtney Act at a W Hotel Pride event (W Hotel Pride event)

With nightfall came a migration to East London, as a well warmed up crowd headed to Shoreditch House for a rooftop rave. Bimini Bon Boulash from the UK’s Drag Race season two, grabbed the mic and turned heads in a pirate hat with strings of pearls and a pair of Union Jack briefs.

Also performing at the Soho House’s LGBTQIA+ blowout was singer, author and drag queen Tom Rasmussen, to the cheers from West End darling Layton Williams and performer Jason Mallinson Bird. Looks were turned and the music raged on until the early hours before guests began dispersing to the after parties.