SEXY Party will be the highlight of this Pride weekend in Cologne | Photo: The world of SEXY party
Christopher Street Day (CSD) and ColognePride bring a colorful parade, extravagant outfits, and fever-pitch excitement to the streets the weekend of 6-9 July.
This will be a huge, vibrant festival which holds a very serious message. Every year, those in the LGBTI community descend on Cologne to dance and protest for acceptance and equality.
The parade
The parade will take the streets on Sunday 8 July between 12-6pm. This year’s theme will be Different is Normal.
Although the city celebrated Pride for the first time in 1972, the parade became an annual celebration only in 1991. At first, the march attracted around 3,000 people to the historical old quarter. However, up to 1.2 million visitors have gathered in Cologne over the last few years, making it one of the biggest Prides in the country.
Cologne Pride will have its own amusement park area | Photo: Pride Festival Cologne
The best parties in Cologne
ColognePride consists in four main events: the weekend street festival around Alter Markt, Heumarkt and Rathausplatz, the Friday AIDS-Hilfe gala at Hotel Maritim, the Colour Cologne Party in the Lanxess Arena and the grand parade through the city center featuring up to 120 floats and countless groups.
Thirty star DJs will spin the turntables at the city’s best locations during Cologne Pride. They will provide visitors with more than 60 hours of music from Friday to Monday.
The highlight of this Pride weekend will be the SEXY Party on 7 July. 5,000 people are expected at the Bootshaus, one of the biggest electronic clubs in town.
Kicking off at 10pm, the party will spread across four dance floors. Furthermore, there will be a Playzone darkroom provided by MGW, diverse indoor and outdoor areas, and a special amusement park with rides, food stands, and chill-out areas.
World-famous star DJs like DJ Aron, Micky Friedmann, DJ Suri and Sharon O’Love will operate the turntables and get the guests heated up.
Israelian artist Netta will also perform on stage. She will sing her hit Toy, the anthem which secured her the first place at the latest Eurovision Song Contest.
Netta will perform at Cologne Pride | Photo: Pride Festival Cologne
Check out these other German Prides
- Munich PrideWeek will also start on 7 July, going on for full seven days until 15 July. The parade will be on Saturday 14.
- The capital will host the parade on 28 July. Berlin Pride will kick off in Kurfürstendamm, one of the principal avenues in the city.
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Christopher Street Day (CSD) festival in Lübeck, northern Germany, will take place on the weekend 17-18 August, with the parade happening on Sunday.
Read more about Prides:
Missed out on Pride month? These are the highlights of parade season
