Best Pride Celebrations in the World
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Gay pride demonstrations date back to 1969, when members of the LGBTQIA community rioted against police brutality. More than 50 years later, there are Pride parades all over the world.
Pride celebrations are loud, gigantic parties, with millions of people celebrating diversity. But just because they’re fun doesn’t mean that they don’t serve a serious purpose. They make the queer community visible in a world where homosexuality is still illegal in 70 countries.
So get your Pride flag ready. These are the best Pride parades, festivals and parties in the world, ranked by the number of attendees.
15. Taipei Pride
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Country: Taiwan
Estimated attendees: 150,000
Celebrated since: 2003
How Taipei Celebrates Pride
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Taipei Pride might be smaller than many other pride celebrations, but it is the biggest in East Asia.
The region is not very accepting of the LGBTQIA community so Taipei is leading the way to change.
14. Tel Aviv Pride
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Country: Israel
Estimated attendees: 200,000
Celebrated since: 1979
How Tel Aviv Celebrates Pride
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Similar to Taipei Pride, Tel Aviv stands out for celebrating diversity in a region with markedly conservative views about sexuality.
The festival resembles a giant beach party, and it's way too fun to miss.
13. Capital Pride in Washington, D.C.
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Country: United Stated
Estimated attendees: 250,000
Celebrated since: 1975
How Washington, D.C., Celebrates Pride
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Pride in the U.S. capital was originally a one-day affair that has now become a week-long celebration.
Though it’s not as big as events in other cities of the country, it’s still one of the best pride celebrations in the world.
12. Mexico City Pride
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Country: Mexico
Estimated attendees: 500,000
Celebrated since: 1979
How Mexico City Celebrates Pride
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The second-largest pride parade in Latin America, Orgullo Gay crosses much of the so-called Pink Zone of the city.
This neighborhood is an LGBTQIA-friendly area of Mexico City and acts as a haven in a conservative region where homosexuality is still uncommon.
11. Amsterdam Pride
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Country: Netherlands
Estimated attendees: 500,000
Celebrated since: 1996
How Amsterdam Celebrates Pride
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This unique pride celebration is the only one in the world that happens on water.
Instead of taking to the streets, attendees get on a fleet of boats, which are paraded through the city’s famed canals.
10. CSD Berlin
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Country: Germany
Estimated attendees: 500,000
Celebrated since: 1979
How Berlin Celebrates Pride
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Berlin is famous for its nightlife and party culture, so it comes as no surprise that its pride celebration is one of the biggest in Europe.
Pride events in Germany are called Christopher Street Day (CSD) after the street where the first gay rights demonstrations happened in New York.
Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras
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Country: Australia
Estimated attendees: 500,000
Celebrated since: 1978
9. How Sydney Celebrates Pride
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Sydney’s most famous pride celebration happens from mid-February to early March and coincides with the carnival season, hence its name.
What makes it so awesome is that rather than a week, it is almost a month of celebration.
Almost 100 events, parades and parties happen during this time.
Pride in London
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Country: England
Estimated attendees: 750,000
Celebrated since: 1972
8. How London Celebrates Pride
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Pride in London may not be the biggest event in the city, but it is the only one that closes Oxford Street.
The celebration has seen up to a million participants in its best year and takes place in Trafalgar Square.
7. Toronto Pride
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Country: Canada
Estimated attendees: 1 million
Celebrated since: 1972
How Toronto Celebrates Pride
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Unsurprisingly, the largest pride event in Canada happens in Toronto.
Already, the city is a beacon of inclusivity and acceptance, with a large gay district and numerous gay bars and clubs.
Pride here is financially backed by the government, showing institutional support.
6. Chicago Pride Parade
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Country: United States
Estimated attendees: 1 million
Celebrated since: 1970
How Chicago Celebrates Pride
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The Windy City has one of the largest pride parades in the United States, constantly counting over a million attendees.
The parade happens on the last Sunday of June and is generally the send-off event of month-long celebrations.
5. San Francisco Pride
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Country: United States
Estimated attendees: 1 million
Celebrated since: 1970
How San Francisco Celebrates Pride
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San Francisco Pride enjoys worldwide fame and celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2020.
Millions of people come here from all over the world to celebrate love in a city that is famous for championing it.
4. CSD Cologne
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Country: Germany
Estimated attendees: 1 million-2 million
Celebrated since: 1991
How Cologne Celebrates Pride
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Though Berlin has an amazing pride parade, the best celebration in Germany is actually in Cologne.
This CSD march has often attracted 2 million people — double the city’s population.
Madrid Pride
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Country: Spain
Estimated attendees: 2 million
Celebrated since: 1979
How Madrid Celebrates Pride
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Madrid Pride, or Orgullo Madrid, is regarded as the best Pride day celebration in all of Europe.
It began after the death of dictator Francisco Franco, as many Spaniards protested for same-sex marriage rights.
2. New York Pride
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Country: United States
Estimated attendees: 2 million
Celebrated since: 1969
How New York Celebrates Pride
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New York Pride is what started it all. A year after the Stonewall Riots in 1969, the LGBTQIA community marked the occasion with a march, and it has done so every single year since.
The marches inspired other cities and countries to follow suit, which why there are gay pride celebrations all over the world now.
1. Sao Paulo Pride
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Country: Brazil
Estimated attendees: 3 million-5 million
Celebrated since: 1997
How Sao Paulo Celebrates Pride
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Though relatively new, Sao Paulo Pride is the largest Pride celebration in the world.
The parade has broken world records several times. In 2017, 5 million people showed up for it.
The parade is also one of the liveliest. What else would you expect from a country famous for its Carnival?