Celebrate Stockholm Pride 2019
On July 29, 2019, Stockholm’s most rainbow-colored festival week, Stockholm Pride, begins. The Pride Festival strives to raise awareness of LGBT+ issues, and the event is a safe zone for gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people.
Between July 31 and August 6, activities are organized throughout the city and at the main area Pride Park that are located on Östermalms IP. The highlight of the festival is the Pride Parade – a colorful LGBT manifestation that attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors.
The first Stockholm Pride took place in 1998, and has previously had opening speeches by Mona Sahlin (former politician), Fredrik Reinfeldt (former prime minister), Alexander Bard (artist and music producer), and Jason Diakité (a.k.a. Timbuktu, artist) among others. Today, Stockholm Pride is the largest Pride festival in Scandinavia.
Photo credit: Ove Nordström/Shutterstock.com
The festival’s main area is Pride Park on Östermalms IP. Here you can see captivating performances on the stages ‘Stora Scenen’ and ‘Kulturscenen’ and visit exhibitors from associations, political parties, administrative authorities, interest groups, and commercial participants. There’ll be seminars, workshops, and lectures, and there are also special activities for children and younger people. The separate area, the Kinky Quarter, with an 18-year age limit, welcomes visitors who are interested in BDSM and leather.
Pride House is held at Clarion Hotel Stockholm, located at Ringvägen 98 in Skanstull, and has a couple of hundred items on the agenda: lectures, debates, film shows, theater shows, and art exhibitions. It’s open from Monday lunch to Friday night.
Photo credit: Stefan Holm/Shutterstock.com
On Saturday afternoon (August 3) the Pride Parade, Stockholm’s largest outdoor party and Scandinavia’s biggest Pride parade, starts. The parade starts at the City Hall (Stadshuset) on Norr Mälarstrand and goes via Stadshusbron, Tegelbacken, Vasagatan, Kungsgatan, Sturegatan, and Lidingövägen to Östermalm IP. In the parade there are usually 200 equipages with a total of 50,000 people participating, and along the streets half a million people watch and celebrate. The 4.3 kilometer walk is a two-hour party, filled with music and love. So jump in where there’s a free gap, and demonstrate for everyone’s right to be themselves and love the one they want.
July 29 – August 3, 2019
Featured image credit: Stefan Holm/Shutterstock.com
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