This year's theme was the Carnival of Love, and many marchers wore spectacular and creative fancy dress costumes The parade started at 1300 BST in Regent Street, heading through Piccadilly to Trafalgar Square.
Among those carrying an enormous flag of rainbow colours - a traditional sign of diversity and inclusiveness - were members of the Out at Tesco network - a group of employees of the supermarket chain who have formed to support gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people.In Soho - the gay capital of London - roads were closed to traffic for a lively street party Drag queens tottered on heels and people blew whistles while members of the armed forces marched in unison.Participants followed 21 floats - sponsored by organisations such as the Trades Union Congress and firms like British Airways - through central London to support the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LBGT) community.Organisers expect to attract up to a million people to the nine-day festival which ends on Sunday Thousands of revellers streamed through the capital on Saturday for the annual Pride London parade - the biggest day in the UK's biggest gay rights event.