Over half a century later, the entire month of June has become synonymous with Gay Pride, and raucous, colourful Pride events take place in cities over the world. Pride festivities are a blend of party and protest; they’re all about support, inclusion and a loud celebration of LGBTQ rights. Whether you identify as gay or straight, allies of equal rights for all are welcome at any event.
Because of the pandemic, Pride celebrations have been quiet the past couple years, but in 2023 they’re back in force! Here, we’ve suggested ten cities where the festivities are going to be nothing short of spectacular. Show up, take part, and meet up with a local guide while you’re there to get the best insight into your chosen destination.
The Ten Best Places To Celebrate Pride in 2023
New York City
New York should top the list for anyone wanting to celebrate Pride. Each year's events commemorate the Stonewall Uprising of 1969 — the beginning of the modern Gay Rights movement. The month of celebrations and demonstrations culminates in a massive parade on June 25 that begins at noon at Madison Square, passes through the West Village and the site of the Stonewall Riots and ends on 7th Ave in Chelsea.
Reykjavik
Reykjavik Pride, or “Hinsegin dagar” as it is known in Icelandic, is a festival where the whole nation comes together in celebrating the fact that in Iceland you can enjoy the freedom of being and living as you are. Iceland may be a small country, but around 200,000 people show up for the annual Pride events in Reykjavik – that’s more than one third of the nation’s population! The city’s mayor even marched in full drag one year. The celebrations are in August, when weather is best, with the main parade - which is getting bigger each year - scheduled for August 12. After the parade ends, the party continues at Hljómaskálagarður, a downtown park, with concerts and festivities. The program includes some local and international acts, drag queens, DJs and live performances.
Sydney
Sydney’s Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras is one of the world’s most famous Pride events. Because seasons are reversed in Australia, this event happens in hot and sunny February, rather than cool and cloudy June. It’s perfect timing; spend half the year recovering from a Pride Binge, then head to Sydney for another hurrah on Februaryi We hear Cher and Kylie tend to show up most years...
Paris
Gay Pride (Marche des Fiertés LGBT) is a colourful, joyous and utterly Parisian celebration of civil rights. A festival, parade and street parties paint the city in rainbows during the last week of June, and have become one of the City of Lights’ most highly anticipated festivals. Pre parties and events kick off two weeks before the parade, culminating in the parade (with over 700,000 spectators!) on June 24.
San Francisco
San Francisco’s flourishing LGBTQ community turns on the charm extra loud at Pride time. In addition to the city’s well-attended parade (sometimes criticized for being over-run with corporate sponsors) people in the Castro/Mission districts open up their doors and homes in a way that turns the neighbourhood into a giant street party. This year’s parade takes place on June 25, with the month’s biggest celebrations happening that weekend.
Tel Aviv
Close to 300,000 people attended the Tel Aviv Pride Parade in 2018, making it by far the largest Pride event in the Middle East/Asia, and cementing Tel Aviv’s reputation as the Gay Capital of the Middle East. The final stop on the parade route is the 30-acre Charles Clore Park, right by the beach. Bring your swimsuit and get ready to party by the water! This year’s event takes place on June 8-9.
Sao Paulo
Brazil loves its parties, and pre-pandemic, over 3 million people flooded the streets to celebrate Pride in Sao Paulo. In fact, the Sao Paulo Gay Pride is considered the biggest and best gay pride parade in the world; it even holds the title “largest pride” in the Guinness Book of World Records. This year the people are back! The parade will dance its way down Avenida Paulista on June 11, 2023, but the party in sunny Sao Paolo lasts all month.
Berlin
Named “Christopher Street Day” after the street in New York’s West Village where the Stonewall Riots took place, Berlin’s Pride Events center around a massive parade and rally, all in the name of self-determination. And of course, with Berlin’s loud and diverse club scene open again, the after-dark scene will be thriving! This year, Christopher Street Day takes place on July 22, 2023.
Madrid
Madrid Pride, or Orgullo Madrid, is one of the largest Pride celebrations in Europe, with a week-long program of events and parties. The festival takes place over the last week in June, and includes a wide range lively activities, including concerts, parties, cultural events, and a Pride parade on July 1st that attracts hundreds of thousands of people. The city also has a lively LGBTQ+ scene year-round, so if you miss Pride, you can still feel the love throughout the rest of the year.
Toronto
Toronto, Canada is home to one of the world’s largest Pride celebrations, with much of the city festooned in rainbows for the month of June. It’s also one of the most diverse, with a Dyke March and Trans March as well as the Pride Parade. Come out and see Canada’s spirit of diversity, openness and inclusion on full display. The city is excited for the return of in-person Pride celebrations for the whole month of June 2023. And get ready for a full out party on the weekend of June 23-25!