Party, protest and no politicians please

Thoughts from the street at Edinburgh Pride 2025

The Royal Mile was awash with colour. Thousands took to the streets to march from Holyrood up the Royal Mile to Teviot Row, flanked by a double-decker bus, a fire engine and an ambulance all donning rainbow bunting.

For well over an hour the full length of the Mile from Holyrood to George VI Bridge was stuffed with crowds, costumes, flags, drumming and general merriment - the pavements were flanked with pedestrians-turned-spectators, stopping to watch, film, or cheer on the parade.

Following the march, the Edinburgh Pride organisers put on a free festival at Teviot Row, and a picnic area at George Square. Just as some unfortunately-timed heavy showers came down, I asked some of the revellers at George Square for their thoughts on what Pride means for them, and how Edinburgh performs as a city for the LGBTI community.

Pride: a party or a protest?

“At its core, [Pride] is a funeral march,” said one Pride punter. “But now, it's less focused on the dead and more celebration and a thank you for the raise we’ve got so far.”