Organization
What began in 1996 as a party to attract more LGBTI+ visitors to our city during the summertime has evolved into a nine-day festival becoming one of the world’s best and largest celebrations of its kind. The city transforms into a rainbow of events including dance parties, film festivals, sporting events, debates, culture, a Pride Walk, Rainbow Park and the closing weekend, that literally and figuratively blows the roof off with outdoor stages in multiple locations.
The annual highlight is, of course, the world-famous and unique Canal Parade, consisting of a colorful procession of 80 boats and hundreds of thousands of enthusiastic and colorfully dressed visitors. Nowhere in the world is Pride celebrated on the water on such a scale as in Amsterdam.
Pride Amsterdam was incredible and epic, and like nothing l have ever seen! The whole city celebrates being trans, bi, lesbian, gay, with straight people and whatever your identity is… everyone joins in… everyone celebrates and Pride takes over the whole city! The message was also about inclusion and of all the “others” .You can feel why this was the first country to allow same sex marriage and why they are at the forefront of human rights!
Stacey Lentz, LGBT activist and co-owner of the legendary Stonewall Inn Cafe in New York after her visit in 2019.
