Pride Festivals in Europe

Pride Festivals in Europe

Europe does Pride – big time! 

At Eurotunnel Le Shuttle we are passionate believers in diversity, equality and inclusion, and we also think Pride festivals are fantastic. Wherever they are held there is an incredible atmosphere, colourful floats, sensational costumes and a spirit of solidarity and togetherness.

Europe’s most colourful gay pride parades

Every city has a different LGBT+ story to tell, and celebrates Pride in their own distinctive way.

Here’s our guide to the best Pride events in Europe over the summer months.  

Paris Pride - La marche des fiertés

Paris Pride is the largest pride festival in France, attracting over 700,000 people to the streets of Paris at the end of June. First held in 1977, the event is known as ‘La marche des fiertés’ and is the culmination of a week-long series of parties and festivities across the French capital. After the march ends, the party goes on long into the night, with events at gay bars and clubs in the city, with the district of Le Marais being Pride party central! 

From our Calais terminal it takes around three and a half hours to drive to Paris, with tolls. Needless to say, the streets of Paris are free of cars for Paris Pride!   

CSD Frankfurt

Frankfurt’s Christopher Street Day celebrations take over Germany’s financial capital for a wild weekend in July each year. CSD Frankfurt is part political demonstration, part LGBT+ party, and festival goers are known for their outrageous costumes. 200,000 people flock to CSD Frankfurt for the insanely colourful parades, live shows, parties, headline speakers and charitable events. 

Frankfurt is six hours 25 minutes by car from the Eurotunnel Le Shuttle terminal, but there are plenty of places to stop at along the way, such as the Belgian capital Brussels and the vibrant and diverse city of Cologne. 

Gay Pride Berlin 

Also known as CSD Berlin, Gay Pride Berlin is one of Europe’s biggest Pride celebrations. Berlin has an important place in LGBT+ history, and as long ago as the 1920s was the gay capital of Europe. So it is not surprising that the city is a favourite destination for visitors looking for a European Pride getaway. 

Hundreds of thousands of visitors come to Berlin in July to be part of the colourful experience. Floats snake their way from Kurfürstendamm to Brandenburg Gate, and there are club nights and film screenings across the city during the festival. 

If you haven’t been to Berlin before, here are some ideas on getting the most out of this fabulous city if you’re on a budget.

Barcelona Pride Festival

Barcelona Gay Pride has its roots in the protests against General Franco’s regime, which criminalised homosexuality in Spain until the late 1970s. Perhaps for this reason Barcelona’s celebration has a more political flavour than most, but let’s be clear, it does not get in the way of the partying! Revellers flock to the sunny Cataluñian capital in late June each year for music, dance, live shows, parades and beach parties. 

If you need some chill out time while you’re in this unforgettable city, why not check out some of Barcelona’s more secluded spots?

Madrid Pride Parade - Orgullo Gay

The Madrid Pride parade is the highlight of the 10-day Madrid Pride (or Orgullo Gay de Madrid) festival, which takes at the end of June and early July in the Spanish capital. Thousands of people march from the Paseo del Prado to Plaza de Colón, joining in the celebrations while making their voice heard for equal rights for the LGBT+ community. 

Madrid hosts a number of other LGBT+ events sending out messages of hope, support and love, and concerts are held at various stages dotted round the city. 

Pride Amsterdam 

Amsterdam hosts one of the biggest and most unique Pride festivals, at the end of July and early August each year. The parade (of course!) takes place on the water – the Canal Parade is an incredible spectacle, watched by hundreds of thousands of people lining the banks of the city’s canals. You also won’t want to miss the Drag Queen Olympics, with events like the Stiletto sprint and Handbag Discus! 

Believe it or not the Dutch capital is only four hours drive from our terminal at Calais, with plenty of interesting places to see on the way, so pack your best glam and head to Amsterdam! 

Stockholm Pride

Stockholm Pride takes place in early August and links the islands of the Swedish city in a rainbow chain. You can see open air concerts at Pride Park, hear talks and get involved in workshops at Pride House, and be part of the joy of the Pride Parade. This is the largest event of its kind in Scandinavia, with 50,000 spectators in attendance. There is also a place at the festival where young people in the LGBT+ community can meet and find support for themselves or their families. 

Belgian Pride

Belgian Pride is held in May in Brussels, and attracts around 100,000 visitors each year. It has been held in the Belgian capital since 1996, but began in Ghent in the late 1970s. The parade is the centrepiece of the celebrations. It begins and ends at the Mont des Arts, weaving its colourful, flamboyant way through the cobbled streets of the old town. The Belgian Pride festival encompasses a wide programme of events, including music, cinema, drag performances, voguing, art, conferences and exhibitions.

Prague Pride

One of the more recent Pride festivals on the calendar, Prague Pride is an important event for the LGBT+ community in central and eastern Europe, where prejudice and discrimination can still be more prevalent than in the west. The week-long festival is held in August and is the showcase for more than 100 cultural and social events, public forums and debates, as well as the city parade. In the past Prague Pride has attracted guest appearances from actor and LGBT+ activist Omar Sharif Jr and Eurovision winner Conchita Wurst. 

Why not include Prague Pride in a road trip to the Czech Republic?

Celebrate Pride with Eurotunnel Le Shuttle

Be loud, be proud, and celebrate who you are at one or more of the amazing Pride festivals around Europe every summer. Eurotunnel Le Shuttle is your ticket to Pride, taking you from Folkestone to Calais in only 35 minutes.