Pride month in Islington: events and activities

This June, Islington is celebrating Pride with a series of events that spotlight LGBTQ+ history, creativity and community. From hands-on workshops to thought-provoking talks and opportunities to explore local archives, there are plenty of ways to get involved and connect with others across the borough.

Whether you’re keen to make something, learn something new, or uncover hidden stories, take a look at what’s coming up so far:

Textile Workshop: Islington’s Pride

Thursday 4 June, 2-5:00pm
Islington Archives, 245 St John Street, Finsbury Library London EC1V 4NB

Learn to sew with Recycle & Stitch and Islington Archives, contributing to our community bunting for Pride Month. We will be sewing giant bunting inspired by the Islington’s Pride archive collection and our borough’s vibrant LGBTQ+ heritage.

You will design and create a section of the bunting, using bold imagery from the archives alongside your own creative flair! The team from Recycle & Stitch will teach sewing skills, from applique to embroidery, with all materials provided. Your work will be proudly displayed at Islington Archives throughout Pride Month.

Book your place

‘Thank You for Calling the Lesbian Line’ with Elizabeth Lovatt

Monday 8 June, 6-7:30pm
Islington Archives, 245 St John Street, Finsbury Library London EC1V 4NB

Join author Elizabeth Lovatt as she shares her research from the Islington’s Pride archive and how she turned living history into her debut non-fiction book Thank You For Calling the Lesbian Line. There will be an opportunity to hear from Elizabeth on the history of the Lesbian Lines and how she discovered the stories of the women who rang the Women’s Line at London Friend – one of the oldest LGBTQ+ charities that is still running today in Islington.

Reserve a spot

forum+ cooking with Pride!

Tuesday 8th June, 6-8.30 pm
St Luke’s Community Centre, 90 Central Street, EC1V 8AJ

forum+ and St Luke’s Community Centre are proud to present a special session of Cooking With Pride in celebration of Pride MonthAt the cookery class and social support group we learn culinary skills, how to cook low-budget nutritious meals and enjoy dining together. All participants are invited to wear rainbow colours, submit favourite pride anthems for our class playlist and enjoy celebrating Pride at St Luke’s!

Pre-booking is essential (no walk-ins admitted)

LGBTQ+ Pride housing drop-in

Thursday 18 June, 4.30-6.30pm
Islington Town Hall, Committee Rooms 4 and 5, Upper Street, N1 2UD

Come along to get valuable information and ask questions about housing, community safety, mental health, sexual health and lots more.

Enjoy drinks and snacks and chat to your neighbours and support services in a welcoming and inclusive space.

No need to book, just stop by. Free and open to all Islington residents.

forum+ Queer Ecology Walk

Tuesday 23rd June, 6.30-8 pm
Gillespie Park, 10 Tannington Terrace, Gillespie Road, N5 1LE

Celebrate Pride Month in Islington on a guided Queer Ecology Walk through Gillespie Park. Join with forum+ for a gentle guided nature walk led by ecologist Connor Butler. As we wander through Islington’s largest nature reserve we’ll explore the diverse and unusual lifecycles found in commonly encountered plants and animals right outside your doorstep. See nature from a new perspective and learn fascinating facts about queer ecology.

Pre-booking is essential via Eventbrite.

Archives Drop-in: Islington’s Pride

Thursday 25 June, 3-6pm
Islington Archives, 245 St John Street, Finsbury Library London EC1V 4NB

The Islington’s Pride archive documents the history of LGBTQ+ life in the borough. The collection reflects the diversity of Islington’s LGBTQ+ community, shedding light on pioneering political campaigns, vibrant nightlife, healthcare for those affected by HIV/AIDs, and the mundanities of everyday life.

Reserve a spot

Protest and Recognition In Queer Islington: Art Exhibition

Multiple dates throughout June
Union Chapel (Sunday school entrance), 19b Compton Terrace, London N1 2UN

A multi-media exhibition emerges from research in Islington Local History Centre’s Pride archives to mark Pride Month 2026.

Since well before the Gay Liberation Front’s landmark march through Highbury Fields on 27 November 1970, Islington has been a vital site for radical political organising and alternative community formation.

Here, we consider this legacy through several complementary formats: political banners and agitprop, portrait photography, experimental film and video, and archival printed matter. This legacy is extended into the present through the creation of new banners and zines with participation from local community organizations, including Say It Loud Club and Capitol City College Angel Campus.

Book your spot

Queer as comics

Multiple dates throughout June
Quentin Blake Centre for Illustration, EC1R 1AG
Tickets from £15. Tickets include entry to all exhibitions

Discover stories of fantasy, identity and resistance, as told by queer comic-makers in this first exhibition of its kind.

Queer as Comics traces comics, strip cartoons, graphic novels and zines that have represented LGBTQIA+ perspectives since the 1940s. From the UK’s first published gay comic strip and the first gay Black superhero, to today’s self-publishing scenes and webcomics, this is an exhibition of trailblazers.

For decades, queer artists have used comics to share impactful stories, often in defiance of censorship. With most artworks shown for the first time, the exhibition chronicles how comics have provided a voice for queer communities.

Buy a ticket


More events will be added as the programme grows—check back to see what else is happening across Islington this Pride Month.

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