Stars of RuPaul’s Drag Race to headline Rainbow Row stage at TCS London Marathon.
- Drag queens and kings to headline main stage
- Nissan Leaf to power Rainbow Row stage
Kitty Scott-Claus and Cheryl Hole, stars of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK, will be joined by RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars artist Silky Nutmeg Ganache as they lead a starry list of drag queens and DJs headlining the Rainbow Row main stage at the 2024 TCS London Marathon. The stage, sponsored by TCS London Marathon official lead vehicle supplier Nissan, will feature a host of live acts thanks to the support of G-A-Y and Heaven nightclub owner Jeremy Joseph and Polly Shute, founder of Out & Wild Festival and Pride Swim.
The stage will be powered by Nissan’s 100% electric vehicle, the Nissan Leaf. Nissan has also teamed up with Pride365 to bring an inclusive LGBTQIA+ Cheer Zone to Rainbow Row.
Stage headliners Scott-Claus, who finished runner-up in the third series of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK, and Hole, who was fourth in the 2019 series, will bring star power to this year’s Rainbow Row. Joining them will be fellow drag artists Sophia Stardust, Kyran Thrax, Kiki Snatch, and PopBuzz host Yshee Black, as well as DJs Sara Blowing, Liam and Prince JayJay.
Fellow DJ, Tony Perry, who played inspiring sets at Wembley Stadium for the England football team during Euro 2020, will bring his cheerful beats to Rainbow Row as one of Nissan’s headline performers and an ally of the LGBTQIA+ community. Joining him will be singer songwriter Liv. Hailing from London, 18-year-old Liv recently supported BRIT Award-winning artist Raye at the 2024 Brit Awards ceremony, as part of the Flames Collective Choir.
- New Official Pain Relief Partner Voltarol Gels to bring party bus
Brand new TCS London Marathon Official Pain Relief Partner, Voltarol Gels, will bring to life its long-term partnership with the Gay Times at Rainbow Row for the first time, with live DJs and drag queens and kings playing from on top of a double decker bus to keep participants energised as they head into the final five miles of the 26.2-mile route.
Rainbow Row was created in 2022 to celebrate the LGBTQIA+ community and promote inclusivity, expanding on Nissan’s inclusive Cheer Zones which were introduced in 2021. It is located on what is usually Butcher Row in Limehouse, a 250m stretch of road that is just past the 21-mile mark of the TCS London Marathon course.
For the first time this year, food and drinks vendors will be located off the route at Rainbow Row in St James’s Gardens, offering catering options to spectators. A host of LGBTQIA+ organisations including Pride Sports, Pride Swim, Frontrunners, Switchboard, TRUK United and Unicorns Netball, as well the 2024 TCS London Marathon Charity of the Year, Samaritans, will also be on hand to keep spectators entertained as they cheer on their loved ones.
London Marathon Events (LME) has continued to work closely with the LGBTQIA+ community to bring a carnival atmosphere to Rainbow Row for this year’s event on Sunday 21 April.
Hugh Brasher, Event Director of the TCS London Marathon, said: “Rainbow Row has brought energy and entertainment to the TCS London Marathon route in the last two years, giving our participants a great motivational lift at arguably the toughest point of the marathon. We’re delighted that it will be back bigger and better than before this April.
“We are committed to making the TCS London Marathon a truly inclusive event for all, and we have continued to work in collaboration with members of the LGBTQIA+ community to improve and develop Rainbow Row. We’re really looking forward to welcoming a diverse range of entertainment at Rainbow Row for participants and spectators alike.”
Butcher Row, where Rainbow Row will be located, runs from Commercial Road in the north to The Highway in the south. Participants pass the 21-mile mark on Commercial Road before turning into Rainbow Row and then exiting onto The Highway, back towards the Finish Line in central London.