Pride in London 2016 filled the West End with rainbow flags, parade floats and crowds lining the streets. I came across the celebration while out in London and stopped to film it. This is a view from the pavement: the procession passing by, people watching and a city making room for a day of visibility and celebration.
The parade took place on Saturday 25 June, and I published the film the following day. Its theme, #NoFilter, asked people to feel free to be themselves. That message runs through the banners, costumes and atmosphere captured in the video.
Watching Pride in London 2016 on Regent Street
Much of the film follows the parade along Regent Street. Familiar shopfronts form the backdrop, but the road belongs to the procession. Spectators gather behind barriers, lift their phones and wave as each group arrives. There is plenty to look at before the next float even comes into view.
An open-top red bus carries a large Opening Doors London banner in rainbow colours. People on the upper deck look out over the crowd, while marchers walk alongside at street level. The combination of a familiar London bus and bright Pride decorations makes a memorable scene.
Further along, a BuzzFeed float approaches with shiny balloons and rainbow flags. The camera stays close to the crowd, so the film also catches the small moments around the procession: people turning to see what is coming, friends talking and spectators finding a better view.
Floats, colour and the #NoFilter message
The floats bring plenty of spectacle. One carries a giant golden high-heeled shoe, with performers standing beside it above the road. Bright costumes, oversized props and waving flags stand out against Regent Street’s pale stone buildings. As a result, even a brief view captures something of the scale and energy of the afternoon.
However, the signs give the celebration its purpose. A group passes with black and pink placards reading “Love Is a Human Right”. Elsewhere, rainbow colours appear on buses, banners and small flags held above the crowd. The message is easy to see even when the pavement is packed.
In the original description, I explained #NoFilter as an invitation to live openly and authentically. Many LGBT+ people feel pressure to hide part of themselves or change their behaviour. Pride creates space to be visible, while reminding us that attitudes and discrimination still need to change.
Celebration and remembrance
There was also a painful context to Pride in London 2016. The attack in Orlando earlier that month made this a time of remembrance as well as celebration. I acknowledged that in the original film description, alongside my hope that the footage would show the freedom and respect people can offer one another.
I had stumbled upon the event, so I did not set out to identify every group or explain the whole programme. Instead, the film records what I saw from the street. The mix of community banners, public messages and people simply enjoying the day is central to that view.
Towards Trafalgar Square
Later, the film reaches Trafalgar Square, where people gather around the familiar monuments and open spaces. After the close views of the parade, the wider scene gives a sense of how the celebration spread through central London. Some people stand and watch; others sit together around the square.
The City Hall archive for the 2016 event confirms the 25 June celebration and the #NoFilter theme. It also records the Trafalgar Square programme of performances and speeches. This article and film preserve that particular day in London.
Watch the Pride in London 2016 film
Watch the full film below for the moving procession and the street-level atmosphere. For another year in the archive, visit my Pride in London 2018 parade article. Each film offers a different glimpse of the crowds, colour and reasons people come together for Pride.
