Words Vidula KotianDate 30 May 2022

If you’ve missed outdoor celebrations like we have the past two years, this year beckons with promises of long summer nights, music to make you groove, and that extra sparkle of inclusivity that pride festivals boast.

Starting from June until the end of October, these pride destinations beckon you to celebrate love and let those rainbow colors fly high.

Mexico City

20 to 26 June

Already known for its lively gay scene, Mexico City has one of the wildest events in the whole of Latin America. Held annually for over 40 years, Marcha del Orgullo LGBT de la Ciudad de México turns the city on its head with week-long events and parties in the capital’s gayborhood Zona Rosa or more low-key adjacent areas such as Roma and Condesa. The highlight is, of course, the incredible Marcha de la Diversidad parade which starts at the Angel of Independence on Saturday, 25 June. The weather in the city at the end of June can be unpredictable so take both sunscreen and an umbrella.

San Francisco

25 to 26 June

With one of the oldest and largest parades in the world, the San Francisco pride features over 20 community-run spaces that include music stages, community events, a LGBTIQ family garden, a Queer Youth space, and a women’s stage. The heart of the event is set up around the main stage at the bottom of the City Hall steps on Polk Street. The country’s biggest Dyke march is on 25 June, a protest-oriented but nonetheless joyous celebration of all things queer. We recommend getting to the parade early on Sunday or getting one of the grandstand seats so you can see the march of neon feathers, glittering sequins, Harley motorbikes, and countless races, religions, and sexual orientations upfront.

New York City

26 June

Not that it is ever a bad time to visit New York but this resilient city where, one of the first prides took place, boasts a huge lineup of celebrations—one that runs two weeks long. Apart from the main parade and music festival, festivities run amok in neighborhoods such as West Village and Hell’s Kitchen with plenty of LGBTIQ-owned restaurants, cafes, and bars. Try to visit one of the Harlem balls to truly appreciate this subculture, which has taken the world by storm. For alternative protest-oriented marches, the Dyke march is on 25 June and the queer Reclaim Pride march is on 26 June.

London

2 July

One of the most prominent epicenters of queer culture for hundreds of years, dating all the way back to the city’s 18th-century “Molly Houses”, London is gearing up for its 50th year of Pride celebrations in 2022 with a month-long program of events showcasing LGBT+ culture, including theater, dance, art, cinema, parties, and activities. The Royal Mint has even issued a new 50-pence coin designed by East London artist and activist Dominique Holmes to mark the occasion. The festival usually ends with the colorful parade in central London, as well as free performances in Trafalgar Square and the West End. For better views, avoid standing at the starting point and walk further along the route. Also, be prepared to have rainbows drawn across your face and find glitter on your body and clothes for days after! For a more politically driven march, the Trans Pride comes out in full bloom on 9 July.

Berlin

28 June to 24 July

You can’t beat Berlin when it comes to its gay scene and parties. The city’s Christopher Street Day (CSD), named in honor of the Manhattan street where the Stonewall Inn is located, has both the main parade on 23 July as well as a month-long schedule of everything from film screenings to boat parties with the final week culminating in some of the largest festivities.

This year’s plans include a big Kiki ball for the voguing/ballroom community, a pop-up bar for FLINTA (Female, Lesbian, Intersex, Trans, and Agender), a sober party, and an interreligious panel on how spiritual communities in Berlin deal with LGBTQIA. The lesbian and gay city festival (16 and 17 July), around the bars in Schöneberg, is not to be missed. For a more local chilled vibe, head to Kreuzberg Pride, which is held each year alongside the Dyke march.

Amsterdam

30 July to 7 August

One of the most unique prides around, the Amsterdam procession takes place on a series of boats floating down the Prinsengracht. After the Canal parade on 6 August—which sees a diverse crowd each year from all over the world—head to the lively celebrations taking place on Reguliersdwarsstraat where a host of bars and clubs welcome pride enthusiasts well into the night. Don’t miss the Milkshake Festival, an outdoor dance party for open-minded people on 30 and 31 July in Westerpark and the biggest drag ball in Europe, the Superball.

Taipei

27 to 30 October

The last Saturday of October, Taiwan hosts the biggest pride parade in Asia. Since many other countries on the continent are not as gay-friendly, Taipei sees a host of visitors from China, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Philippines, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia. This truly international experience gives everyone a chance to connect with likeminded people. The procession on Saturday, 29 October will end in Gay Village (Kaidagelan Boulevard) with a huge party. The area also has plenty of stalls with charities and organizations relating to the local LGBTQ community. The three-night Formosa Pride party features live performances by different DJs and outstanding Taiwanese singers and orchestras, as well as GOGO dancers and drag queen performances.