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7 Biggest Pride Celebrations Around The World

Pride Celebrations Around The World

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, LGBTQ people around the world would flock to the streets in June, waving their rainbow flags and banners in celebration of Pride. Sadly, the pandemic put a pause on the celebrations and protests that we have all come to look forward to. 

Thankfully, in 2022, Pride appears to be back in full swing, and it looks like the parades are about to be bigger and louder than ever before! 

If you’re eager to celebrate Pride again – and let’s face it, who isn’t? – you must be wondering where in the world to go. Here are some of the most exciting Pride celebrations around the world. 

1. São Paulo, Brazil

When most people think of going to Brazil, Rio de Janeiro is always top of mind. But when it comes to Pride, São Paulo is the place to be. As the world’s largest pride parade, with about three million visitors each year, La Parada do Orgulho GLBT de São Paulo is second only to Rio’s Carnival as the biggest, most colourful celebration in Brazil.

This year, the parade takes place on June 19, starting at the São Paulo Museum of Art. The parade always makes its way through Avenida Paulista, where you’ll find all kinds of rainbow flags, decorations, floats, dancers, and musical performances – the whole shebang. Expect great music, merriment, and lots and lots of dancing.

2. Amsterdam, The Netherlands

In 2001, the Netherlands became the first country in the world to legalize same-sex marriage. This is just one factor that makes Amsterdam, the country’s capital, one of the most progressive cities and the best places to live if you’re LGBTQ. 

Amsterdam Pride doesn’t take place in June. It happens roughly two months after, starting at the end of July, in a month-long celebration with over 300 events around the city. 

Aside from all this, what makes Amsterdam a truly unique place to celebrate Pride is the one and only gay canal parade on the iconic Amsterdam canals that make the city so charming and picturesque. This year’s canal parade will take place on August 6th, with more than 80 floats going down Oosterdok to Westerdok. 

3. Madrid, Spain

Head to the Chueca neighbourhood (Madrid’s own “gaybourhood”) this June 9 for the largest and loudest Pride celebration in the European continent. 

Unlike other Pride events around the world, Madrid Pride is as much a demonstration as it is a celebration. The theme for this year’s event is “Facing Hatred: Visibility, Pride and Resilience". On the official website, organizers describe the annual Pride demonstration as “one of the main tools we have to conquer our rights and achieve real and effective equality in all areas of society”.

Madrid Pride is set to happen on July 9, with 50 distinct floats and approximately 2 million expected attendants. 

4. Berlin, Germany

As Europe’s party capital, Berlin is home to a thriving nightlife scene and an incredibly diverse and inclusive LGBTQ community. For anyone who feels like an outcast or a “queerdo”, Berlin will accept you with open arms. 

Berlin’s 2022 Pride parade, named Christopher Street Day in honour of the birthplace of the Stonewall Riots, carries a bilingual motto: “United in Love! Against Hatred, War, and Discrimination” as a nod to “the current world situation and our fight against hate, hate speech and discrimination of all kinds”.

Berlin Pride takes place on July 23 with a parade that starts at Ku'damm and Joachimsthaler Strasse and ends at the Brandenburg Gate. The celebration is marked by a rally featuring drag performances, DJ sets, talks, and a queer picnic at Volkspark Hasenheide.

5. New York City, USA

New York is often considered the birthplace of the modern LGBTQ rights movement. It was in Greenwich Village when the first-ever pride demonstration took place in 1970. Since then, Pride in New York has grown into one of the biggest and most epic celebrations of queer love and community in the world. 

The annual NYC Pride March is set to happen on June 26, starting at 26th St. and Fifth Avenue, and will be led by grand marshals Ts Madison, activist Schuyler Bailar, and comic Punkie Johnson. The NYC Pride March is the culmination of the month-long celebration of Pride in New York – 30 days of over 50 events around the city, including Bliss Days, which celebrates LGBTQIA+ Womxn; the Fantasy Days annual circuit party; Youth Pride; and the Brunch, a “culinary experience” featuring Juneteeth food stories from Black LGBTQ chefs. 

6. Toronto, Canada

Also happening on June 26 is the annual Pride Toronto, a massive event expected to bring an estimated 1 million attendees this year. The event will feature dozens of stages, more than 300 2SLGBTQ+ artists, a StreetFair, a Bi+ Pride Parade, a Dyke March, a Trans March, and so much more. 

This year’s event will also include a special Family Pride program which promises “extra fun” for kids aged 12 and below.

7. Taipei, Taiwan

Back in 2019, Taiwan became the first country in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage. It also plays host to one of the largest Pride events on the continent. 

Like many other Pride events, Taiwan’s LGBTQ Pride Parade started as a political rally to “awaken citizen conscious” to the struggles of the country’s LGBTQ community. Today, Taiwan Pride is a fun, vibrant celebration of the great strides the community has made toward equality and acceptance. 

Taiwan Pride 2022 will be held on October 29 under the theme “An Unlimited Future”, which highlights the “future expectations of the LGBT community in Taiwan and celebrates the progress of LGBT rights in the country over the years”, reports Focus Taiwan. It is unclear, however, if this year’s celebration will still be held virtually as it was in 2021.

The Bottom Line

Over 50 years after the Stonewall Riots, Pride celebrations have evolved from protests and demonstrations to major city-wide events that put the vibrance and diversity of the LGBTQ community on display. However, the fight for equality and acceptance is still not over – that’s why it’s still important to show up at Pride. 

Whether you’re attending Pride at home or abroad, it’s important to show up in clothes that are comfortable and true to who you are. At urBasics, we offer a range of chest binders, underwear, and other gender-affirming gear that may be difficult to find at your regular clothing store. Browse our shop today!