Edinburgh Pride 2023: when is it, timings, parade route and road closures for weekend event

Scotland’s longest running LGBTQIA+ celebration will take place this weekend - here’s everything you need to know

Pride Edinburgh is set to take place this weekend for its 26th event. The event has run for 28 years in the capital city and is the longest running LGBTQIA+ celebration in Scotland. The exciting showpiece will see thousands of people take to the streets to celebrate diversity.

The chair, Brett Herriot, for Pride Edinburgh discussed the return of the event in a welcome letter that said: “2023 sees us returning to the growth point we were at in 2019, with the return of our outdoor arena and our spectacular giant pride carpet alongside the full festival village event hosted by our partners EUSA across their Potterrow and Teviot House complex. Who could have known it would have taken four years to reach this point especially as this is our second event since the easing of pandemic restrictions.”

This year, the theme of the event is “United”. When discussing the reason behind the decision on this year’s theme Herriot said: “Since we were last together in 2022, we as a community have looked on in pride at the Passing of The GRR Bill by the Scottish parliament only for it to turn to horror at its blocking by the UK Government. The impact of this decision is felt deeply by the Transgender community with rising transphobic incidents being reported daily.

“The bigoted fuel this has given to Terfs is staggering and is a potent reminder on why the Pride March matters. To every single member of the community we see you, we hear you and we stand shoulder to shoulder with you. Hence why the theme of this year’s event is Pride Edinburgh 2023: UNITED.”

So, when is Pride Edinburgh 2023? Here’s everything you need to know about the upcoming celebration.

When is Pride Edinburgh?

Pride Edinburgh is scheduled to take place on Saturday June 24, 2023.

Pride Edinburgh 2023 timings

The Pride Edinburgh march will begin at 1pm. The Pride March arrives at its final stop, the EUSA Campus, at 2:00pm. The official Pride Guide for the celebration says: “All timings following departure are approximate, should the EUSA Campus reach capacity, the remainder of the Pride March will continue ahead from Crichton Street into George Square, turning left into Middle Meadow Walk, dispersing on the Meadows.”

For any further questions, you can download The Pride Guide for everything you need to know about the special event on the Pride Edinburgh website.

Pride marchers march up the Royal Mile in Edinburgh.

Pride Edinburgh 2023 parade route

Those hoping to join the Pride Edinburgh March will need to be at the Scottish Parliament at 12:30pm, the meeting point for those participating in the event. The official website says the route will go: “From the Parliament the March will then go to: Canongate, High Street, George IV Bridge, Bristo Place, Lothian Street, Potterrow, Crichton Street, Charles Street and finish at The Pride Edinburgh Festival Village in the EUSA Complex.”

Pride Edinburgh 2023 road closures

The Parade route will close roads from 12:30pm until 3pm. Starting from Potterrow before continuing to Bristo Place, Candlemaker Row, Cowgate, St Mary’s Street, Canongate and then onto Horse Wynd.

There will be rolling road closures and police ‘stop and holds’ at New Street, Canongate, High Street, Lawnmarket, Johnston Terrace, Castle Terrace, Lady Lawson Street, West Port, Grassmarket, King’s Stables Road. These closures will be ongoing between 4:30pm and 5:45pm.