To commemorate June 1969 Stonewall riots in New York’s Christopher Street, a pivotal moment in the LGBTQ+ rights movement, Pride month marks global celebrations across the world. As the riots sparked by a police raid on the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar, galvanised the LGBTQ+ community and led to the first pride marches and protests the following year, even today, hundreds of LGBTQ rallies, events, parade marches, seminars, parties, after-parties in cities across the world are planned in June.
For instance, the 50th anniversary of pride celebrations in Washington DC this year starts at a crucial time, bringing together voices from around the world to support the LGBTQ+ community’s ongoing fight for equality, visibility, and justice. Washington DC’s WorldPride 2025 will feature an all-star celebrity artiste line-up including pop icon Shakira, Jennifer Lopez, Troye Sivan, RuPaul, Doechii, Cynthia Erivo, Paris Hilton and more, who will perform at the two-day music festival.
In Los Angeles, a pride parade and festival is being organised on June 8, while San Francisco Pride is happening June 28-29 with the theme being ‘Queer Joy Is Resistance’.
What’s new? The Frankfurt Pride or the Christopher Street Day (CSD) in Frankfurt is moving from its traditional location at Konstablerwache to the banks of the Main river in Frankfurt because of the newly available open area at the riverbank which will provide more open seating, rest areas, and tree shade in the hot July sun. The event is planned between July 17 and 20 which will see celebrations and cultural highlights like the CSD Frankfurt cinema evenings with film screenings that will address important issues facing the LGBTIQ+ community; A diverse stage programme with music, speeches, and plenty of space for community celebration and demonstration. New York City Pride will be held with a week of events capped off by a rally and a march that draws around 25,000 marchers and two million spectators to Manhattan.
Chicago Pride Fest is a two-day street festival, featuring live music, space for teens, best of Chicago drag performance, the Proud Pet Parade with prizes, dance exhibitions, Chicago Gay Men’s Chorus, speakers and over 150 food and merchandise vendors, all set for June 29. The parade through Boystown, (now Northalsted) in Chicago’s East Lakeview, one of the Midwest’s largest LGBT communities, will be full of floats, dancers, and community groups, followed by live music and food vendors. Amsterdam Pride, also known as Pride Amsterdam, is a citywide LGBTQ+ festival held annually in Amsterdam, Netherlands. It takes place during the first weekend of August and attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors. The event is known for its Canal Parade, a vibrant spectacle with decorated boats, and various street parties. It’s a prominent feature in the city where decorated boats parade through the city’s canals, various street parties and events are held.
Lisbon in Portugal is gearing up for a show from June 14-22. The day is celebrated with a huge parade through Lisbon’s historic Alfama and Bairro Alto districts, along with human rights conferences, art exhibitions, and live performances, along with workshops, film screenings, and discussions and lively nightlife events in Lisbon’s gay-friendly bars.
Madrid Pride, also known as Orgullo Gay, is one of Europe’s largest, with over a million attendees showing up each year since its inception in 1979. The celebrations begin on June 28 and go up to July 5. It hosts one of the world’s largest parades which goes through famous streets like Gran Vía, with floats, dancers, and live music creating an electric atmosphere. Chueca, Madrid’s gay village, hosts concerts, drag shows, and street parties, making it a week-long fiesta.
Having started in 1972 to commemorate the Stonewall Riots, London’s parade typically features over 600 LGBTQ+ community groups and thousands of participants at the parade which is being held on July 5. The parade starts at Trafalgar Square and ends up at Hyde Park in the middle of London, with live music, drag performances, and food stalls.
The mood is upbeat with rallies, a diverse lineup of speakers and performers that include comedians like Alan Carr, celebrities like Dame Kelly Holmes and Anna Richardson, and activists like Laila El Metoui, alongside community workshops, and events in Soho’s gay bars, as well as family-friendly activities in city parks.
Famous for its vibrant nightlife, especially in Schöneberg with many themed parties, film festivals, art installations, and discussions on trans and queer rights, Berlin in Germany will have its celebrations on July 20. Some wild after-parties dominate the scene, creating a lively, sun-soaked atmosphere.
