Your ultimate guide to Brighton and Hove Pride 2018

As you may already be aware, it’s Pride season, aka the summer of love, Twenty Gayteen, the year of the queer - and here at Mixmag, we’re celebrating what it means to be a member of the LGBTQI+ community. Next up on the UK Pride train is Brighton and Hove and as the UK’s queer capital it promises a wealth of events where you can get your freak on this summer.

You can check out top picks below and also hear our Pride playlist here.

UK promoters Queer Prom are back with a Rainbow Ball taking place at Patterns club. Their slogan is “Do It Again, Do It Right, Do It Queer AF” - in reference to those LGBTQI+ people who may have missed out their school prom, or didn’t get to go as their true selves. At Queer Prom you can re-live the party of the year, as your best self, in a judgement-free zone, as gay as you like and with queer cabaret and drag performances, photobooths, and two floors of DJs.

The night will be hosted by Ali Hannon and Felix Le Freak, with performances from Drag King Benjamin Butch, GRIM. and Leila Davis as well as DJ sets from Alex Spinks, DJ Pretty Boy, Grass Dahmer, Poppy L Kavanagh and more. Queer Prom is in partnership with OutSavvy and HER App and is raising money for LGBTQ+ charities Mermaids and Brighton & Hove LGBT Switchboard's LGBTQ Disability Project. You can check out the event page here and grab tickets here.

With an opening statement on the Komedia Website being “Not Gay as in Happy, but Queer as in Fuck You”, The Gal Pals party is going to be lit at this year’s Brighton Pride. Ran by Gal Pal’s resident DJ, Jumeau and photographer and co-creator Scarlett. With both previous professions in organising Student Union events, their mission was to bring more inclusive nights to the scene and championing queer women and non-binary people. And after hold their first party in Dalston Superstore they are take the Gal Pal brand across parts of the UK.

The Gal Pal’s party for Pride is jam packed with stellar acts like Bbz London, Pxssy Palace and FLUFFIE. Expect to hear a wealth of queer icons such as Beyonce, Charli XCX, SOPHIE, Rihanna, CupcakKe, and Lizzo and with an extended opening time of 4am there’s really no excuse but to dance all night long.

Check out the event here.

Brighton’s Marlborough Pub & Theatre is throwing a massive street party - and it’s a queer takeover with some of the biggest names in the scene. The legendary venue, located by the Brighton Pavilion, has been run by Community Interest Company Marlborough Productions since 2010 and is known for pioneering the work of LGBTQI+ creatives.

The event kicks off at 8pm on Friday August 4 and London collective Pxssy Palace will be bringing the energy with colourful performers and DJs. They do invaluable work in creating safer nightlife spaces and celebrating womxn and femmes of colour around the UK and beyond. They said: “Come down, get down and celebrate originality and acceptance in a space where no one's going to chuck you a side eye for the moves you pop or the outfits you drop”.

Also on the bill is cabaret collective, Kings of Colour (KOC) will take to the outside stage, showcasing their Drag Kings with outrageous flare and lovable characters. The group was created by founder Zayn Phallic who is leading the way for the UK Drag King scene with diverse acts and forward-thinking performances.

The evening will close with Mixmag Visionary, Jay Jay Revlon’s party brand, Let's Have a Kiki. As one of the UK’s most prolific vogue events where you will find yourself twirling with glee amongst the booming sounds of DJ Kartel Brown and the duckwalks, catwalks, dips and spins of ballroom dancers, it promises the most spectacular finale for the Queer Takeover.

You can grab a Pride Street Party wristband for £10 here and check out the event page here.

You heard right. One of the most I C O N I C pop stars of our generation is stealing the show this summer with a headline performance at Preston Park. It’s Britney, bitch! Ms Spears will hit the stage at midday on August 4, with her record-breaking, four-year headlining Las Vegas residency: ‘Britney – Piece of Me’.

The megastar said: “I’m so excited to be kicking off my UK tour this summer at Brighton Pride! I guarantee it’s going to be a night to remember and can’t wait to sing and dance with all of my LGBTQ fans.”

Whether you’re a disco diva or a cheese queen, or you just goddamn love Britney (don’t we all?), then this is guaranteed to be a performance of a lifetime, as Britney’s only UK Pride appearance this year. You’re lying to yourself if you don’t think you’ll be whining against the nearest pole to ‘I’m A Slave 4 U’.

Tickets are flying fast for this one, but if you do miss out on tickets, there’s also a cinema showing of ‘Crossroads’ Duke of York's Picturehouse on August 2. So much choice...

The formidable Horse Meat Disco are a part of Brighton Pride's official proceedings this year with a party at Brighton’s Patterns which will be playing host to Honey Dijon later on this month.

On the night expect to see the amazing Severino and Luke Howard with the special guest DJ Faro serving you the best italo disco, jackin' house and dancefloor classics for the best kiki that brighton has to offer.

Horse Meat Disco are renowned for putting some of the best parties in the world so expect sequins, a load of glitter and a beautiful range of people to dance with the basement. Whether its Homos and Heteros, club kids, bears, fashionistas, naturists, guerilla drag queens and ladies who munch there’s no doubt you are in good company.

Check out more info on this bad boy here.

Brighton-based party, Wonderland is bringing the Scottish superstar to The Arch for the ultimate Pride mash up. Teaming up with collectives DAZE, YAAS B*TCH & Hideaway, this night promises a glittering, sassy sesh of dreams spread across three rooms.

The Main Room will see Sulta perform, with support from Sami Kubu, Sandor, That Songbird and more; The Garden will be hosted by Rhys's Pieces with sets from the likes of Michelle Manetti and Wildblood and Queenie; and the Hub room sees Dave Stanford & James Wilkinson, NoTwin and Heptone take to the decks.

The event is 9pm-6am and you can grab tickets here and check out the full line-up here.

If bass is more your vibe, then Bass Levels is where you need to be this Brighton Pride. With D’n’B rising star Mollie Collins heading up the main room alongside Freddie Martin and Champagne Breakfast, The Tunnel room will see the Tropicalé Residents on full UK funky force all night long.

It all takes place at Hideout, one of the south's newest Grassroots Music Venues decked dout with a Funktion-One Soundsystem and located on Brighton’s seafront.

Grab tickets here and find out more info here.

‘Everyone is welcome, and everyone is celebrated.’ is the motto for Sink The Pink. This collective has been one of the crazy driving forces behind being bold and have no shame of being who you are in the LGBTQI+ scene. If you want to be surrounded by love and people undoubtedly being themselves Sink The Pink Presents Ta’dah is the perfect place to have you spirits lifted higher.

Expect jaw dropping performance and healthy dose of naughtiness. Only from the best fucking drag act going.

Find out more here

LoveBN1 is the official Brighton Pride festival. Held every year LoveBN1 Festival always brings through the most campest acts through from across the globe. This year makes no exception when the legendary Nile Rodgers will be making a special appearance alongside his band mates Chic. You can also expect performances from the likes of Jess Glynne, Raye and Happy Monday’s Rowetta.

For more info, check out the event here: LoveBN1 is the official Brighton Pride festival. Held every year LoveBN1 Festival always brings through the most campest acts through from across the globe. This year makes no exception when the legendary Nile Rodgers will be making a special appearance alongside his band mates Chic. You can also expect performances from the likes of Jess Glynne, Raye and Happy Monday’s Rowetta.

For more info, check out the event here