UK Black Pride to return to Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in 2023

Last year’s UK Black Pride saw more than 25,000 descend on Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park for a day of love, party, and protest. It was a truly record-breaking event.

Now the organisation has announced that it will be returning to Stratford for its 18th event on 20 August 2023.

UK Black Pride is the world’s largest pride celebration for LGBTQI+ people of African, Asian, Caribbean, Latin American, and Middle Eastern descent.

What started out as a bus-load of people travelling to Southend-on-Sea then turned into 10,000 people in Haggerston Park. That, in turn, evolved into last year’s taking over of the Olympic Park, the largest space UK Black Pride has occupied to date.

Commenting on Tuesday’s (2 May) announcement UK Black Pride co-founder and Executive Director, Lady Phyll Opoku-Gyimah, reflected on the organization’s journey.

“When myself and a group of Black lesbians set out to create our own Pride event, as the others felt exclusive and unwelcoming, we were told we’d never get anyway.

“That no one would support us and that any community built around a ‘Black Pride’ would fade away. Here we are, 18 years later. Bigger, bolder, braver, and brighter than ever.”

“We cannot wait to welcome our family back”

Thanking everyone who has helped along the way Lady Phyll looked forward to UK Black Pride 2023.

“To be able to return to the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, where we saw 25,000 people share their joy and queerness with us, is incredible.

“We cannot wait to welcome our family back and continue to leave a legacy for the next generation of Black and POC queer love and progress.”

Application for performers, community stall-holders, food and drink vendors, and workshop hosts will be open soon.

A separate announcement will also be made in due course with the theme of this year’s event. UK Black Pride 2022 was themed ‘Power’.