Pride London 2015

London Pride took place this year on Saturday 27 June 2015 with both the parade and concert starting at 1pm. Organised by Pride in London, this year’s theme is Pride Heroes which celebrates individuals and organisations “who’ve contributed to LGBT+ rights over the years”.

I would have to say my Pride Hero is Lady Gaga and not because she has such lovely ways with her words and support for the LGBT community, but her boundless love she has for everyone. Her Born This Way was released in 2011 and it gave me enough strength to come out to my friends and family.

My volunteering experience for this year’s Pride wasn’t really on par as the previous 2 years I volunteered for Pride in London, which I sense was because of the wrong sense of direction partly due to being short on stewards. Good thing about Pride in London is that they listen to their volunteers so I will definitely be voicing my feedback. Nonetheless, I had a lot of fun with fellow stewards in the team with lots of freebies and group photos on the way.

Packs donated to Pride in London volunteers were put together by Tesco consisting of food, water and summer essentials such as wipes, sun cream and rain poncho (thrown in for good measures after last year’s poncho gate). Baristas at Starbucks were put into overdrive as volunteers flocked to the nearest Starbucks for their free drinks and I, for one, really appreciate it.

The arrangements for the flags in the parade were re-arranged in light of recent events in USA which saw a Supreme Court ruling allowing all gay and lesbian couples the right to get married across all the states. They are joined by Ireland which too in light of recent events saw votes in legalising gay marriage. The love can be felt in Trafalgar Square where the concert were taking place where many artists were taking the stage to voice their happiness of the USA’s ruling.

The spirit of Pride doesn't end there, you can find other information on the website where you can also find out information on how to volunteer.

#PrideHeroes

Canalway Cavalcade 2015

Canalway Cavalcade, organised by the Inland Waterways Association, is a waterways festival running along Little Venice in London. It runs over the May Bank Holiday this year from Saturday 2 May to Monday 4 May 2015.

Along the canal in Little Venice, there are over 100 boats lined up on the mooring decks for viewing pleasures in all glory and colours.

Apart from the main attraction are stalls selling food, drinks and gifts. There are a range of children’s activities to do ranging from carousal rides to face painting.

 

 #CanalwayCavalcade

St Patrick’s Day Parade and Festival 2015

London’s St Patrick’s Day Parade and Festival 2015 took place in Trafalgar Square and Piccadilly Circus on Sunday 17 March, two days before the grand day on Tuesday 17 March.

Despite the dreary London weather, the Irish festival took place on full blast with Irish food and drinks, music and dance in Trafalgar Square. The Main Stage showcased troupes, a tribute to W.B Yeats, sport, music and dance. In the surrounding area, there was a food market containing different Irish food and drinks as well as a bar which opened at 15:00. There were marquees set up for different organisations as well as a children’s marquee with arts and crafts activities for families to enjoy together.

The parade started off at Green Park at 12:00 making its way through to Piccadilly Circus, Trafalgar Square and White Hall, featuring the vibrancy of the Irish community with music, Irish dancing, art and culture.

#StPatsDayLDN

Chinese New Year Celebrations 2015

Kung Hei Fat Choi! It’s Chinese New Year! Chinese New Year was on 12 February 2015 celebrating Year of the Sheep which happens to be my zodiac. Celebrations for the London event took place on Sunday 22 February 2015.

The event started with a parade down Shaftesbury Avenue showcasing different styles of Chinese culture. Taking centre stage at the Shaftesbury Avenue Stage were performances of dramatization, martial arts and dance with music which included strangely K-Pop.

With events taking full swing, Trafalgar Square Stage opened up with fireworks and speeches of different representatives of the events and the Chinese community. In the surrounding areas, there were stalls with freebies galore, Chinese food and drinks. Met Police were there at hand to offer advice on staying safe at the event near their double decker bus. Next door to them were the Royal Air Force giving experiences of taking flight into the air. The design on it is reminiscent of the Chinese flag of the 5 stars in the corner.

On Charing Cross road, you’ll be able to find the Leicester Square and Charing Cross Performance Hub with performances of different kinds which includes martial arts. Just nearby, there were small rides adorned with Chinese decorations and lanterns.

In Chinatown, there were many things to do such as enjoying the views of the Chinese lanterns of all different colours on display, watching and following the lions as they dance their way around Chinatown. There were many food stalls placed outside their respective restaurants. There was also a pop up exhibition in the Q Car Park.

#CNY2015LDN