Pride Cymru Returns To Cardiff: Parade, Castle Festival And Kate Nash Headline

Thousands are expected in Cardiff this weekend as Pride Cymru returns for its 27th year, combining celebration, political visibility and community programming across the city centre and the grounds of Cardiff Castle.

Event Overview

The city-centre parade sets off at 11:00 BST on Saturday, before the main, ticketed festival opens within Cardiff Castle. Organisers say Pride Cymru — which grew out of Cardiff Mardi Gras in 1999 — attracted more than 50,000 participants in 2025 and remains a key moment for Wales’s LGBTQ+ community.

The festival is described by organisers as a "weekend of celebration, protest, and powerful visibility" [Getty Images]

When And Where

The weekend is a two-day programme that began on Friday with a gig from pop star Mika at DEPOT Live and continues through Sunday. Saturday’s festival runs until 22:30, and activities resume at 11:00 on Sunday.

Parade Route And Duration

The parade starts on Westgate Street near the Angel Hotel and follows a roughly 1.4-mile (2.25 km) route along High Street, St Mary Street, Mill Lane, The Hayes, Working Street, Queen Street, Park Street and Greyfriars Road, finishing close to Cardiff Castle. Organisers estimate the procession will take about 1.5 to 2 hours to complete.

Thousands of people are expected to attend Pride Cymru 2026 over the weekend [Getty Images]

Main Festival At Cardiff Castle

After the parade, Cardiff Castle opens its grounds for a multi-stage programme featuring a family area, a youth zone and a faith tent. While the parade can be watched for free from the streets, tickets are required to enter the castle grounds where headline acts perform.

Headline Acts And Stages

Saturday’s main-stage headliner is Kate Nash. Other Saturday performers include Louise, Ultrabeat, 90s pop group 911, BRIT Award nominee Caity Baser, and RuPaul’s Drag Race UK stars Divina de Campo and Catrin Feelings. Sunday’s highlights include Bright Light Bright Light — noted for collaborations with Elton John — and Drag Race UK favourite Marmalade.

Kate Nash, best known for her hit single Foundations, will headline on Saturday [Getty Images]

The Cabaret Stage will showcase a wide array of established local LGBTQ+ performers, while the Community Stage returns with acts that reflect the diversity of Wales’s cultural scene.

Politics And Participation

Political parties were banned from last year’s Pride as an explicit show of solidarity with the transgender community; organisers have invited First Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth to attend this year.

This year's Pride Cymru parade route [Pride Cymru]

Road Closures And Travel Advice

Attendees should expect extensive road closures across Cardiff city centre on Saturday. Plan journeys in advance and allow extra travel time.

Closed 06:00–00:00 (Saturday): Castle Street (from its junction on Westgate Street), Duke Street, Kingsway (up to its junction with North Road).

Closed 08:00–14:30 (Saturday): Westgate Street, Quay Street, Guildhall Place, Golate Street, Cowbridge Road East (to Cathedral Road junction), High Street, St Mary Street, Wood Street, Central Square, Park Street, Havelock Street, Scott Road, Mill Lane, The Hayes, John Street, Queen Street, Park Place, Greyfriars Road (from Boulevard De Nantes up to Kingsway).

Practical Information

Organisers advise arriving early, checking transport updates, and buying castle tickets in advance if you plan to enter the festival site. The event blends celebration with protest and community visibility and draws a broad cross-section of attendees and performers to Cardiff over the weekend.