UK Black Pride has announced a 'strategic pause' from its annual festival this year, with organisers promising a 'landmark return' in 2027. The event, one of the UK's largest Pride festivals, typically takes place in August and celebrated its 20th anniversary last year.
The festival was co-founded in 2005 by activist Phyll Opoku-Gyimah, known as Lady Phyll, originally as a safe space for black queer women. It has since grown to celebrate LGBTQIA+ people from African, Caribbean, Asian, Latin American, and Middle Eastern communities, drawing crowds of more than 20,000.
In a statement on Instagram, UK Black Pride said: 'We're not stopping, we're pausing. ... This pause strengthens our long-term vision, deepens our community work and prepares us for a landmark return in 2027.' The organisation will continue community work through partner events and collaborations throughout 2026.
Reactions from supporters included praise for prioritising rest, with one commenter writing: 'Black folk resting is my favourite jam!' Another expressed disappointment, saying: 'Why does it feel like Christmas is cancelled this year.'
