Every August Amsterdammers celebrate the equality of straight, gay, lesbian and transgender people. Amsterdam Gay Pride is considered to be one the best and biggest Gay Prides in the world. Traditionally it lasts from the last Saturday of July until the first Sunday of August. More than 500.000 people come from all over the world to take part in Gay Pride. The city is a vibrant rainbow of events, with dance parties, film screenings, sporting events, debates, exhibitions and much more that are of course open for everyone.
One of its top highlights is the Canal Parade. Amsterdam Pride is the only capital city in the world that features a Pride parade on water! Instead of the usual march with floats and groups of people marching through the streets of a city, Amsterdam’s parade travels a route through the city’s historic centre along its canals. Thousands of people stand along the canals to see the parade and celebrate equal rights for all. It is Dutch way of showing that it welcomes and accepts people of all sexual orientations.
Numerous activities take place in Amsterdam during the Pride period. There are also big parties in several places throughout the city. The Reguliersdwarsstraat (just a few minutes away from our hotel) in particular is the place to be! The street is well known for its countless LGBTI-friendly bars and clubs. You can also party until the early hours on Rembrandt Square.
The Pride Amsterdam 2021 route starts at the Homomonument at 11:00, heading through the city centre and its last stop is Vondelpark. Although the majority of the parade takes place on the Prinsengracht, many other spots provide a great view of the boats. Boarding takes place at 11:00 in the Oosterdok, and the boats continue around to Nieuwe Herengracht and the Amstel river. They enter the Prinsengracht and then travel all the way around to the Westerdok – covering more than 5.5 kilometers with music, dancing and extravagant costumes.
For a more detailed schedule of the events taking place during Amsterdam Pride 2021 you can go to the official website.