Brighton Pride returns on August 2, and this year’s festivities promise to be bigger and better than ever with Mariah Carey headlining Preston Park to a packed out crowd. However, for those without a ticket to see Mariah perform, there are no shortages of places to go to celebrate Brighton Pride with a drink in hand.
Read more: Best Pride Brunches In Brighton On August 2 & 3
Brighton’s many pubs and bars are renowned for their one-of-a-kind atmosphere whilst adhering to a strong sense of community and inclusivity. From Queen’s Road to Kemp Town, there are countless pubs flying the flag for equality and each are perfect safe spaces to enjoy Pride in.
Celebrating Pride: Brighton’s Best Inclusive Pubs
| The Actors | Hidden gem at the bottom of Kemptown village, promoting equality through live performances and theatre. |
| Charles Street Tap | Brighton’s best Cabaret bar, situated in the beating heart of Kemptown. |
| The Hope & Ruin | Progressive DIY pub/venue on Queen’s Road, hosting an alternative, anti-establishment Pride Party. |
| Marine Tavern | Diminutive gem in Kemptown with easy access to festivities. |
| The Camelford Arms | Beloved by locals, this pub is the perfect spot to experience Kemptown’s Pride Street Party. |
The Actors
Image: The Actors
Run by local favourite (and former Sticky Mike’s Frog Bar manager) Joe Sudell, with a level of dedication rarely seen elsewhere, The Actors in Kemptown is one of Brighton’s most established and successfully inclusive pubs with a clear identity and set of values.
With a sign outside welcoming everyone, and staunchly opposed to discrimination of any kind, The Actors has been on a mission to champion LGBTQIA+ and global majority communities through showcasing art, theatre, music and much more.
The Actors is the blueprint for a inclusive, safe-space pub, and celebrates Pride each and every year in its own charismatic and unique way, fostering an environment where authenticity is given a platform. From live performances to themed games, The Actors throws one of Brighton’s best Pride parties, and if you are lucky enough to secure a ticket to the Kemptown carnival, the pub is brilliantly situated to load up on drinks.
Where: 4 Prince’s Street, Kemptown, Brighton, BN2 1RD
Website: actors.pub
Charles Street Tap
Image: Charles Street Tap
In the heart of Kemptown, Charles Street Tap has forged a name for itself over the years as Brighton’s best pub to experience a heady mix of cabaret, craft beers, and gin!
The pub has been the proud recipent of the coveted award for “Brighton’s Favourite Cabaret Venue” at the Golden Handbags for three years in a row. With a festival-like atmosphere on most nights of the year, Brighton Pride is given the full weekend treatment at the Charles Street Tap.
This year, festivities kick off on Friday August 1st as Amy Laqueefa hits the decks for “She’s a Poptart Pride Special”. On Saturday August 2nd, revellers can watch the Pride Kemptown Parade at the “DILF Brighton Pride Opening Party” above the Charles Street Tap, while inside the venue, from 9 pm, enjoy a spectacular “Fierce Pride Special Party”, running well into the early hours of the morning. For more information on the various parties hosted by the Charles Street Tap over Pride Weekend, visit their website below.
Where: 8 Marine Parade, Kemptown, Brighton, BN2 1TA
Website: charlesstreettap.co.uk
The Hope & Ruin
Image: The Hope & Ruin
Renowned for consistently hosting the latest in cutting-edge DIY counter-culture live events, The Hope & Ruin on Queen’s Road has proudly fostered an inclusive and progressive environment where everyone feels welcomed and championed.
While much of Pride weekend’s festivities will be concentrated in Kemptown and Preston Park, Brighton Pride is celebrated all over the town, and The Hope & Ruin offers a great option for those looking to enjoy the parade and soak up the weekend atmosphere centrally.
This year, in keeping with the venue’s progressive and defiant approach to celebration, The Hope & Ruin are throwing a “Cheap Dirty Pride” party, objecting to the corporatization and ‘pinkwashing’ of the festival over the years.
The party will include a combination of workshops, politically-charged speeches from local organisations, and live music, whilst raising funds for charities including Trans Kids Deserve Better, Youth Demand, and Young Musicians for Palestine.
Live music at the party comes from seven loud and outspoken queer bands both local and travelling from afar, playing what promises to be some of the most memorable sets at Brighton Pride this year.
Where: 11-12 Queen’s Road, Brighton, BN1 3WA
Website: hope.pub
Marine Tavern
Image: TripAdvisor
Situated in the heart of Brighton’s gay village, Kemptown, and one of the town’s smallest pubs, what the Marine Tavern lacks in space, it makes up for in inclusive, celebratory spirit.
The pub is a cosy, diminutive gem, and is renowned the town over for its contributions to charitable causes. The pub is not only LGBTQIA+ friendly, but also welcomes furry friends, as Pride wouldn’t be the same without Brighton’s pets out and about, dressed to impress.
While the pub isn’t hosting a formal Pride party, its enviable position in Kemptown means it is the perfect spot to buy a drink and soak up the celebratory atmosphere. Experiencing Pride in Kemptown is an unforgettable experience, and while you will need a wristband to watch the parade, acquiring one is well worth it.
Brighton Pride is celebrated all weekend long, and the Marine Tavern is hosting a Brighton Pride Opening Party on Friday August 1st, hosted by none other than Stephanie Von Clitz. For more information on the pub and the various events it hosts, check out their website below.
Where: 13 Broad Street, Kemptown, Brighton, BN2 1TJ
Website: themarinetavern.co.uk
The Camelford Arms
Image: Camelford Arms
Situated on the Marine Parade seafront in Kemptown, The Camelford Arms is a popular destination for those looking for a drink by the seaside. The pub is also renowned for its friendly, inclusive atmosphere and is always one of the first drinking establishments to be recommended by locals to the area.
This year, The Camelford Arms will be filled to the rafters with revellers for Brighton Pride with its enviable position on the seafront for watching the parade pass by. There are countless parties being thrown over the Pride weekend, but the Pride Street Party in Kemptown promises to be one of the best, with performances from the likes of Juguar, Danny Beard, and Mary Mac. There’s no better place to enjoy the performances than at The Camelford Arms with a drink in hand.
Where: 30-31 Camelford St, Kemptown, Brighton, BN2 1TQ
Website: camelford-arms.co.uk
