Prides, Mardi Gras and Events
Christopher Street Day Parade
Almost every large town in Germany celebrates CSD. Due to organizational reasons, the CSDs do not take place on the historic date of June 27, but on different weekends between June and August. On the one hand, CSDs are considered political parades, and therefore also include speeches, political mottos, and attendances and patronages from well-known politicians. On the other hand, CSDs are often compared to carnival processions or techno parades, in which celebrating and partying are the main focus. This is the idea of all gay pride parades: through celebrating, the LGBT community shows that they can be proud of themselves and their lifestyle.
New York City Pride - 22 June, 2008
New York City’s gay, lesbian and transgender communities come together each year for a week-long party in commemoration of the Stonewall Riots of 1969.
The first NYC LGBT Pride Rally occurred one month after the Stonewall Riots in June 1969 when 500 people gathered for a "Gay Power" demonstration in Washington Square Park. It was followed by a candlelight vigil in Sheridan Square. Since 1997, the Rally has been held in the beautiful and well-maintained outdoor venue of Bryant Park.
San Francisco Pride - 28 June, 2008
One of the biggest, brashest and consequently best-known pride events in the world, it’s fair to say that no one knows how to party quite like San Francisco’s gay and lesbian community does.
Every year at the beginning of June, 500 rainbow flags are hoisted the length of Market Street and San Francisco explodes with queerness. For a city known as the “Gay Mecca” for the other eleven months of the year, June is Queer Heaven. The International Gay & Lesbian Film Festival, the Queer Arts Festival and, of course, San Francisco’s vibrant club, bar and community scene leave hardly any time to grab a bite to eat in the restaurant capital of the USA. The energy reaches a crescendo the last weekend of June.
Stockholm Pride - 01 July, 2008
The Stockholm Pride is the largest gay and lesbian event in Scandinavia and each year attracts thousands of revellers of all persuasions for the week-long celebrations, which take place on the largest of the city's islands, Sodermalm.
London Pride - 05 July, 2008
This year's Pride London Parade and Rally will take place in central London on Saturday 5 July. Pride Day will encompass an even bigger Pride Parade with commercial float sponsors linking up with LGBT groups and charities to support them. The capital is home to the largest, most diverse lesbian and gay population in Europe and this event, attended by people of all sexualities, sends out a clear signal that London welcomes and is a safe place for lesbians and gay men to live in and visit.
Brighton Pride - 02 Aug 2008
The theme for this year's Carnival Parade on Saturday 2nd August as 'Pride around the World'.
The event at Preston Park starts at midday, about the same time as the parade starts to arrive, and carries on until 8.00pm. At the park there will be the Pride Member's Area, the Women's Tent, the Wild Fruit Dance Tent, the Revenge Cabaret Tent, Calabash, Bears Tent, bars, the fairground, the Community Village, trade stall, food bars and much much more.
Manchester Pride - 15 Aug, 2008
Where else would you get the chance to sample 78 hours of non stop partying, revelling and general bawdiness, safe in the knowledge that when you wake up with a hang over it was all in the name of a good cause?
That’s the beauty of the Big Weekend, the venues on Canal Street pull out all the stops to provide a good time for you and your mates while you provide some much needed cash which goes to improve the lives of others.
The Big Weekend 2008 is on from 6pm Friday 22nd August right through until midnight on Monday 25th August.