Canal Parade

Our Canal Parade has been on the list of the ‘100 Best festivals in the World’ for several years, which is of course a great compliment, but also a great attraction for visitors from abroad. In 2018, this even led to an untenable situation, with far too many boats in the canal and people celebrating their own parties. 

To limit this nuisance, amplified music has therefore been banned since 2019 and the water has become an event-only area that can only be entered with a Pride Vignet (permit). The entire route is divided into sections and private individuals can buy a vignet for a boat up to a maximum of 12 meters. There is a mooring ban from Wednesday so that the city government can deliver the route in a clean condition to us on Friday evening. We then close the entire route and only on the next morning can you enter via the designated passageways and time slots. After the Canal Parade, everyone must leave immediately, and we close the canal again until Sunday morning 08:00, when we return the canal to the city government.

Because the Canal Parade is so popular, prices are skyrocketing. Associations and foundations that are not financially strong enough to absorb these price increases can therefore appeal to our Canal Parade Fund. This fund, which is sustained with commercial income, gives donations of up to €5,000.

The World Taking Part! For WorldPride we will support one boat for each continent.