The biggest Pride month celebrations across the world include places like San Francisco and Spain. Pride month started to commemorate the 1969 Stonewall riots. Inside History records, “Police raids on gay bars common, but on that particular night, members of the city’s LGBT community decided to fight back—sparking an uprising that would launch a new era of resistance and revolution.”
Pride month not only honors the Stonewall riots, it seeks to encourage equal rights, opportunities and justice for the LGBTQIA+ community. Attend conferences, parties, concerts and marches planned all month long all over the world.
Pride month is here and, after the lack of events the last couple of years, it’s time to show out big! Here’s a list of the biggest Pride celebrations, parades and marches around the world. It isn’t too late to book your flight to NYC, Houston or São Paulo, Brazil.
June 28 is International Day of LGBTQIA+ Pride and the Alphabet Mafia is ready to slay. The biggest Pride celebrations are happening in the month of June and early July across the world. Marches, festivals and parades; the month is jam-packed with celebrations of the LGBTQIA+ community.
The March - NYC
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On June 26, The March in New York City will be celebrating its 26th year. Over four million people have participated and attended The March in years past, making it one of the biggest Pride events in the world.
The long- held civil rights demonstration, organized by NYC Pride has, “broadened to include recognition of the fight against AIDS and to remember those we have lost to illness, violence and neglect.”
Rainbow flags fly everywhere. A flow of people wearing the biggest smiles go on as far as the eye can see. Costumes, floats and love fill the air at the annual march.
That isn’t all that NYC Pride has to offer this month. There’s also, Pride Island, the two-day festival; “THE premiere LGBTQIA+ music festival experience of Pride Weekend” with Lil Kim and Kim Petras headlining.
Plan to stay for all of the NYC Pride events and go to a conference, brunch, a ball, family night, movie premieres and more.
If you have to stay home, you can still catch The March on TV, as it’s airing live on June 26.
São Paulo, Brazil
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Started in 1997, the São Paulo Gay Pride Parade brings in millions of people each year. The parade, which is being held on June 19, is South America’s largest parade and the route is just about two-and-a-half miles. The event takes about eight hours to run its course.
The most surprising thing about this parade is that the local government supports it, both financially and physically. It isn’t at all out-of-the-norm to see a float or two with some of the city’s officials riding on top.
Capital Pride Parade, Washington DC
This year’s route will be different at the Capital Pride Parade in Washington DC. The event, presented by Marriott International, “will honor our history and acknowledge the evolution of the LGBTQ+ neighborhoods in Washington, DC, while respecting the origins and importance of taking to the streets in our fight for equality,” states Capital Pride Alliance.
The DC Pride Parade will start on June 11 at 3 pm. The route is over a mile long and will have announcement stands and a family friendly area.
Stick around for the block party that starts at noon and runs until 10 pm. Enjoy food trucks, music and more at this DC Pride celebration.
Orgullo Gay de Madrid, Spain
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Orgullo Gay de Madrid, or Madrid Pride is celebrated for ten days, with the city’s Pride March falling on July 9th. Most of the events occur right at the center of town, in Chueca.
“Madrid Pride features a host of other events that send out a strong message of support, warmth, colour, visibility and hope.”
The celebration kicks off with an official opening ceremony. It continues with concerts all over the neighborhood, a stiletto race, the International Conference on Human Rights and even a Mr. Gay Pride contest.
The march starts at 8 pm at the Plaza de Chueca and is free to attend. It is good to note that the Pride March is usually the first Saturday of July, but has been postponed to July 9 this year.
San Francisco Pride Parade
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When thinking of Pride parades, San Francisco automatically comes to mind. The rainbow sidewalks of the Castro District, the freedom of Hippy Hill, the wild street art and just as wild fashion make San Fran the perfect city to celebrate Pride. Not just in the month of June, but every, single day!
This year’s Pride parade is on June 26 and will pop off with headliner, Martha Wash. Attendees can expect to see the city’s Mayor, along with some uniformed officers (who doesn’t love a person in uniform?) from the San Francisco Police Department marching in the parade. After a potential ban from participating, officers are relieved to hear they will be able to be part of the LGBTQIA+ event.
This year’s theme, ‘Love will keep us together’ is quite serendipitous given the news above.
Events over the two days will include drag shows, storytelling and a display at the AIDS Memorial Grove of almost 3,000 hand-stitched quilt panels that, “honors and remembers loved ones lost to AIDS.”
With over one million in attendance in 2014, along with the lack of any Pride events over the last couple of years, this year’s events are expected to bring even more attendees.
The Cologne Pride Festival, Germany
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One of the biggest Pride events in Europe, Cologne, Germany brings in the fun of the month with the Cologne Pride Festival. The events begin as early as June 18, with the parade on July 3.
Sporting events, pool parties, drag shows, forums, after-hour clubs, a giant street festival and so much more. The parade itself will have over 120 floats and the city will see over a million attendees.
Stay at the Presidential Suite at the Hyatt Regency Cologne while in town. The hotel is just a 20-minute walk from the parade’s starting point. Plus, there’s a baby grand in the living room, perfect for an impromptu Broadway tunes sing along with the crew.
Houston Pride LGBT+ Celebration
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The opening ceremony for Houston Pride LGBT+ Celebration 2022 commences in the evening of June 16. Hosted by Pride Houston 365, attendees can expect dance floors galore, DJ’s, pool parties, food and of course the main event, the festival and parade.
The festival starts at noon downtown on June 25, with the parade starting at 8 pm and will continue until 10 pm. The event expects to have hundreds of thousands in attendance this year, so get ready for a non-stop party.
If guests aren’t ready to stop partying when the parade ends, there’s an after party at Rise Rooftop that goes until 3 am.