Proud Year ‘Round: 8 Amazing Pride Festivals From All Over The Globe
Here’s to celebrating what makes you you.
Pride Month has been and gone for 2019, but don’t put the glitter away just yet! There are a handful of amazing Pride festivals to look forward to when you’re planning your next Pride trip.
The most fabulous cities around the world throw their own parties, marches and festivals to celebrate the LGBTQI community. No matter where you’re heading, chances are there’s a Pride festival to dress up for.
We’re not joking – there are so many that it can be hard to figure out which ones you want to put on your bucket list (or, at least, which one to visit first if you put them all on your bucket list).
Here’s your guide to eight of the best, most glitzy, glam and amazing Pride festivals from all over the globe.
Pride in London
When: Usually occurs in June and July
View this post on Instagram
It’s the UK’s biggest and most diverse Pride festival and the celebrations are in a league of their own. Drag competitions, massive parties, and live concerts meet intimate theatre products, cabaret shows, and art exhibitions to create an unforgettable and supremely inclusive celebration.
The month-long Pride in London festival culminates in a massive parade down Oxford Street. You know you’re doing Pride right when your parade is one of the only events that can shut down London’s most iconic street.
New York City Pride
When: Usually occurs in June
View this post on Instagram
If you’re going to celebrate Pride, why not do it in the birthplace of the modern gay rights movement? New York’s parade passes the Stonewall Inn and while it’s all smiles and outrageously amazing outfits these days, it still pays tribute to the so-called Stonewall Riots that started it all.
Last month, New York was home to WorldPride NYC, a special month-long global festival and the largest Pride celebration in the world. But that’s not to say that the regular NYC Pride festival isn’t still well worth a visit, with events taking over Manhattan, Brooklyn, The Bronx, Queens and Staten Island.
São Paulo Gay Pride Parade
When: Usually occurs in June
View this post on Instagram
São Paulo knows how to party! Brazil is home to the world’s largest Pride parade, which saw three million people turn up to watch or march in 2006, and it’s the only Pride parade that’s funded by the government.
It stretches more than 4km through the city centre, giving you plenty of opportunities to get a good look at a truly dazzling parade.
Tel Aviv Pride
When: The second week of June
View this post on Instagram
Tel Aviv Pride has big vibes of freedom, acceptance, and love. And parties – lots and lots of parties. Parade day begins with drag shows, music, and speeches, and the parade itself ends at a massive beach party that rages from noon until night.
Various attempts have been made to shut Tel Aviv Pride down, but the festival just keeps coming back bigger, better, and gayer than ever.
Amsterdam Gay Pride
When: Usually occurs around July and August
View this post on Instagram
In a city known for its counter-culture, Amsterdam Gay Pride is perhaps one of the best places to celebrate everything LGBTQI. This is a Pride festival that’s hopped up on an extra-big dose of glitter and love, where everything you’d find at another celebration is taken to the extreme.
We’re talking Drag Queen Olympics, the two-day Milkshake Festival, and a Pride parade that’s taken to the water through the city’s canals. These are literally parade “floats”.
Madrid Pride
When: Usually occurs around June and July
View this post on Instagram
The biggest parade in Europe marches through Madrid and ends in the centre of the city, where a massive after-party kicks off.
An exceptional line up of parties, cultural and sporting events fills the days of Madrid Pride before the parade as well, with superstar DJs blasting bangers one minute and queer cinema being screened the next.
Pride Toronto
When: June
View this post on Instagram
Pride Toronto is split into two parts: Pride Month and Festival Weekend. For the month of June, a series of parties, shows, and talks make the city brighter and more colourful than ever, but things really turn it up a notch towards the end of the month, during Festival Weekend.
There are a few must-see events at Pride Toronto. Don’t miss the official Pride Month launch party, The Freedom Party, the opening ceremony or the Trans March.
Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras
When: The second Thursday in February until the first Saturday in March
View this post on Instagram
Our very own Pride festival is one of the world’s biggest and best celebrations of LGBTQI history and culture and absolutely fills Sydney with glitter, body paint, drag queens and, inevitably, Kylie impersonators.
Our Mardi Gras festival has some of the city’s best parties (that truly run late into the night) and it’s pretty much a guarantee that you’ll see a couple of dogs dressed up in their very best rainbow outfits.
Whether you’re looking for something amazing to do on your next holiday or looking for a new way to celebrate the LGBTQI community, there are so many amazing Pride festivals around the globe that are just waiting to welcome you with glitter and open arms.
—
(Lead image: Jeffrey Feng Photography via Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras)
—
Everyone is different and that’s a good thing. At Jaguar we want to encourage the celebration of our differences, together. Click here to explore the latest from Jaguar.