Amsterdam Gay Pride bigger then ever

Fifteenth edition themed ‘Celebrate’

The program of the Amsterdam Gay Pride this year is bigger then ever. From the 1st until the 8th of August more then 300 activities will be organised in Amsterdam. The 15th edition of this event is themed ‘Celebrate’. Saturday the 7th of August 80 festive boats will navigate through the canals during the traditional boat float.

The internationally known boat float sets off on the 7th of August at 2 o’clock in the afternoon from Westerdok. Eighty festive boats navigate from Westerdok through Prinsengracht to the Amstel. Like in years past there’s a couple of firsts this year. For the first time a Jewish boat takes part from Beit Ha’Chidush. And there’s also a Europe Pride and an African Pride boat taking part for the very first time.

The official start of the Amsterdam Gay Pride is on Tuesday the 3rd of August with a festive opening reception. During the Amsterdam Gay Pride week there’s more then 300 activities being organised in the city. This means the event is bigger then ever. There are activities for young people, seniors, transvestites, transgenders, the deaf, gay-parents and their children. ‘Cruising’ is the official opening party on Thursday August 5th which will set sail on the Supperclub cruise boat. Pride festivities end on Sunday August 8th with the official closing party on Stoperaplein on the Amstel.

From Friday August 6th thru Saturday 7th there are more street parties then ever. There are outdoor parties on the Zeedijk, on the Amstel, in the Amstelveld, Rembrandtplein, Paardenstraat and the Reguliersdwarsstraat. At the Rembrandtplein there’s more activities then ever. On Friday evening Mr. Gay Netherlands will be elected on Rembrandtplein out of eight competitors.

This years Pride isn’t just about partying, there’s and extensive sport and cultural program. Thursday it’s Art and Culture Day with loads of museums and art galleries taking part. Friday August 6th has been declared Amsterdam Gay Pride Sports Day. Rowing associations Willem III and Skoll organise rowing trips and clinics. On the Nieuwmarkt there’s an outdoor cinema screening on Wednesday and Thursday evening with short African Pride and European Pride movies followed by ‘I love you Philip Morris’ (Wednesday-Aug 4th) and ‘And then came Lola’ (Thursday-Aug 5th).

For women there’s a special program with a walking tour thru Amsterdam and a motor route. The women’s program starts on Saturday the 31st of July with Cumshots, the first lesbian porn festival in the Netherlands. IHLIA in the Amsterdam Public Library (OBA) is the centre of the women’s activities with the LesBian Pride Chill Out on Sunday.

“The Amsterdam Gay Pride has grown into a multidisciplinary festival of international allure that Amsterdam could and should be proud of”, says Frank van Dalen, ProGay Chairman, which organizes Amsterdam Gay Pride. “The combination of parties, culture and emancipation make it a ‘one of a kind’ event. Hundreds of thousands of the people of Amsterdam and visitors enjoy the Amsterdam Gay Pride.”

The Amsterdam Gay Pride starts on the 1st of August and continues until the 8th of August. The boat float on Saturday the 7th of August leads from Prinsengracht to the Amstel. A record of 175 organisations applied to take part in the float, eighty actually take part. TV broadcaster Avro covers the boat float and BNN broadcasts the Homo100 from Rembrandtplein on Dutch national radio.

This news item is also available as a press release in the PRESS section.