Pride Awards
Each year the Pride London Festival reaches out to the community to nominate deserving individuals to be recognized for several awards.
The Pride Awards ceremony happened Saturday, July 19 during Pride at the Park.
2025 Ken Sadler Award – Claude Guillemette
This award honours someone who demonstrates exceptional dedication over the past year to uplifting London’s LGBT2Q+ communities through active involvement with Pride London Festival or other local initiatives.
As the founder and host of Queeraoke, Claude has built one of London’s most enthusiastically supported events. Through music, humour, and unwavering support, he’s created a space where queer folks and allies come together to connect, celebrate, and express themselves freely. His commitment goes beyond the mic by supporting local causes like Rainbow Railroad, strengthening queer connection and making everyone feel welcome and valued.
https://queeraoke.ca
2025 Best Drag Entertainer Award – Vanity Affair
This award honours a drag entertainer who leads by example and demonstrates charity, professionalism, and a commitment to education through the art of drag.
Vanity Affair is a bold, brilliant force in London’s drag and queer communities. Her dazzling performances, fearless style, and magnetic presence light up every stage she steps on. Whether she’s mentoring emerging talent, hosting inclusive events, or standing up for those who need it most, Vanity Affair brings creativity, resilience, and flair to everything she does.
https://affairentertainment.ca/vanity-affair
2025 Best Promoter Award – Leif Harmsen
This award is given to a Promoter that has lead by example, demonstrated charity, professionalism and education through the promotion of events in London and surrounding region.
Leif is the “behind the scenes” powerhouse for the London Pride Festival. A dedicated community volunteer, he gave the Pride London Festival website a fresh new look, and created a community calendar showcasing both Pride and local queer events, boosting the Festival’s reach and helping bring the 2SLGBTQIA+ community closer together.
https://harmsen.net/project_list.php?id=1
2025 Best Overall Entertainer Award – Deon Howard
This award is given to a Band, DJ, Artist and or Entertainer of other form that has lead by example, demonstrated charity, professionalism and education through the art of music, comedy , spoken word or dance.
Deon is a talented BIPOC trans DJ who energizes every event with heart, rhythm, and unforgettable beats. Known for curating welcoming, high-vibe spaces, Deon shows up with authenticity, connection, and crowd-moving energy.
https://on.soundcloud.com/CKzouUW2h2TtxmR8k2
2025 Trans Spirit Award – Brooklyn Vennell
This award is given to a Trans identified member of the community who has led by example, demonstrated professional and activism in the Trans Community in London and surrounding region.
Brooklyn is an inspiring presence in London’s trans community. From launching the In Service to Rainbows podcast to spotlight local 2SLGBTQIA+ voices, to facilitating PFLAG’s Trans Collective support group, she’s created space for connection, visibility, and care. Brooklyn also helped bring PFLAG and TransLondon back to the Pride Parade and hosted this year’s IDAHOBIT open mic with humour and joyfulness. Whether welcoming newcomers, building community, or sparking important conversations, Brooklyn leads with vision, empathy, and courage, continuously uplifting others and helping to shape a more inclusive future for all.
https://inservicetorainbows.com
2025 Business/Organization Contribution Award – London Brewing Co-operative
The Business/Organization Contribution Award is given each year to recognize a group’s commitment to improving London’s LGBT2Q+ communities, through partnerships with Pride London Festival and/or other initiatives that promote inclusive, education & positive social change.
London Brewing Co-op is more than a business, it’s a cornerstone of queer community life in London. From hosting Queeraoke to supporting Pride London Festival and other local events, their space is inclusive, accessible, and infused with community spirit. They lead with generosity and allyship, helping queer voices shine and fostering lasting community bonds.
https://www.londonbrewing.ca/weekly-events
