Brighton & Hove Pride has confirmed RAYE and global icon Diana Ross as the two headline acts for its 35th anniversary celebrations, taking place on Saturday 1st and Sunday 2nd August 2026 at Preston Park.
The landmark weekend will see RAYE headline Saturday night, with Diana Ross closing the festival on Sunday in a UK live show exclusive. Pride on the Park remains the festival’s flagship fundraiser, supporting local LGBTQ+ charities and community projects across Brighton & Hove.
RAYE returns to Brighton Pride as one of the most influential artists of her generation. Following a record-breaking year that saw her make BRIT Awards history with six wins, the chart-topping artist will bring a headline set packed with era-defining hits including Escapism., Prada, Hard Out Here and The Thrill Is Gone, alongside new material from her forthcoming album This Music May Contain Hope.
Having previously appeared at Brighton Pride in 2018 and 2022, her 2026 performance marks her first time topping the bill on the festival’s main stage — a defining moment in her career.
Across her career to date, RAYE has surpassed 10 billion global streams, topped international charts with My 21st Century Blues, earned Grammy and Mercury Prize nominations, and claimed the Ivor Novello Songwriter of the Year Award.
Sunday night will see Diana Ross make her Brighton & Hove Pride debut, closing the weekend with a career-spanning celebration of one of the most iconic catalogues in music history. Audiences can expect timeless anthems including Ain’t No Mountain High Enough, Endless Love, Stop! In The Name of Love and LGBTQ+ disco classic I’m Coming Out.
With over 100 million records sold worldwide, Diana Ross’s legacy includes two Grammy Lifetime Achievement Awards, a Golden Globe, a Tony Award, induction into both the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Songwriters Hall of Fame, and two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Alongside the music, 2026 marks 35 years of Brighton & Hove Pride, with the city’s iconic Community Parade once again opening the weekend under the theme The Power of Love — celebrating solidarity, resistance and community, while honouring the activists who helped shape Pride in Brighton.
Further artist announcements are set to follow.Pre-sale ticket registration is now open via brighton-pride.org.
Firmly established as the UK’s most popular international Pride festival, Brighton & Hove Pride continues to promote inclusion, diversity and education while raising vital funds for local LGBTQ+ causes.
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