The march is also coinciding with a parliamentary vote on a proposal to reduce the age of homosexual consent to 16.

The event, now in its 28th year, is taking place on July 4, starting at Hyde Park and concluding on Clapham Common.

Angela Mason : "Pride '98 is testimony of how far lesbian and gay rights has come in the last 28 years"

Angela Mason, executive director of gay pressure group Stonewall, said: "The vitality, passion and spectacle of Pride . . .will be the most eloquent testimony of how far the movement for lesbian and gay rights has come in the last twenty eight years."

"Section 28" of the Local Government Act 1988 forbade local authorities from promoting homosexuality in schools; it has been a particularly contentious subject ever since.

Highlights of Pride '98

The traditional Pride march convening at Hyde Park will include a total 25 floats and features a 250m long Freedom Flag and many masquerade troops.

Organisers say the festival will have a record number of bars, the biggest mobile fun fair, a market area, two large dance tents, two stages featuring indie and mainstream acts. The line up is still to be confirmed.

For the first time, BBC Radio 1 will be broadcasting live from the event. Radio One Controller Andy Parfitt said: "Pride gets bigger and bigger each year - its music credentials can't be matched as the biggest celebration of lesbian and gay life in the UK."

• BBC Radio 1 will be broadcasting from the march and concert from 5pm on July 4 to 4am on July 5.