Global Pride: The Best LGBTQ+ Celebrations Around the World
The origin of Gay Pride is rooted in the Stonewall riots, a series of spontaneous demonstrations by members of the LGBTQ+ community against a police raid that took place in June 1969 at the Stonewall Inn in New York City. These events are considered a pivotal moment in the fight for LGBTQ+ rights and the modern gay rights movement.
The first Pride marches were held on the one-year anniversary of the Stonewall riots in 1970 in New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago, commemorating the uprising and continuing the fight for LGBTQ+ rights.
Since those initial marches in 1970, PRIDE celebrations have become a worldwide event. From tiny towns and villages to the world’s largest cities, PRIDE marches and celebration have become a way of honoring and supporting members of the 2SLGBTQUA+ communities across the globe every June.
While the PRIDE movement has grown to nearly every corner the world, there are cities that take PRIDE to the next level, hosting massive annual celebrations and marches - some lasting a week or more.
We have compiled a list of the biggest PRIDE celebrations around the world that we strongly suggest adding your bucket list, whether you are a member of the 2SLGBTQAI+ community or ally.
Starting with the world’s largest PRIDE celebration, the São Paulo Pride parade in Brazil draws crowds of millions of people annually.
Originating in 1996 and acclaimed as the world’s largest pride since 2006 (even making it in to the Guiness Book or World Records), the parade starts at the Praça Roosevelt square and ends at the Avenida Paulista street.
The celebration is not just the march, there are parties, festivals, concerts and events throughout the week leading up to the main event.
New York City’s Annual Pride celebration is not only one of the biggest in the world, it also holds special significance as it is home to the Stonewall Inn, where the Pride resistance originated.
Starting at 11:00am, and typically held in mid-late June, the march route typically traverses south on Fifth Avenue, through Greenwich Village, passing the Stonewall National Monument. Following the march, revelers can participate in the annual NYC Pridefest, a colorful and lively event drawing annual crowds of approximately 2.5 million, according to the NYTimes.
In addition to the main NYC Pride march and Pridefest, you will find events throughout NYC’s boroughs, including; Brooklyn Pride Parade and the Harlem Pride Celebration.
One of the world’s most unique Pride celebrations, Pride Amsterdam, is a city-wide LGBTQ+ celebration held annually in the Netherlands' capital city.
The parade is not only unique due to it featuring decorated boats sailing through the city's historic canals, but also because it is held annually the first week August as opposed to June.
While the boat parade is the highlight of this European Pride event, there are several other celebrations and events spanning the course of several days and attracting hundreds of thousands of attendees.
Toronto's Pride Week evolved from protests against the 1981 Toronto bathhouse raids, a turning point in Canadian LGBTQ+ history.
Toronto Pride is not only the biggest Pride celebration in Canada, but also one of the biggest celebrations in the world.
Packed with celebrations, events, film screenings, and a massive parade that draws millions of participants and spectators, Toronto Pride is a day’s long, vibrant celebration held every June.
Sydney Pride, Oceania’s largest Pride celebration, has been a long-standing favorite, attracting hundreds of thousands of participants and spectators.
The day’s long festival, which is both celebratory and political in nature, culminates with the famed Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, or Sydney Mardi Gras. This festive event features costumed entertainers, drag queens, and elaborate floats.
Sydney hosted WorldPride in 2023, marking the first time the event was held in the Southern Hemisphere or Asia Pacific region.
Considered by many to be “the best Pride Celebration in Europe” Madrid Pride, known as MADO, attracts roughly 2 million people every year.
The event is typically held from the last week of June into July with the parade taking place on the first Saturday of July and features festivals, shows, concerts, and events throughout the city.
The MADO parade is the biggest in Europe and is renowned for not only it’s size, but it’s vibrancy and festive vibes.
WorldPride is an international LGBTQ+ event that promotes awareness and visibility of LGBTQ+ issues through parades, festivals, and human rights conferences. It's held every two years in a different host city, selected by InterPride (International Association of LGBTQ+ Pride Organizers).
Starting in 2000 and held in Rome, this massive Pride event aims to bring together LGBTQ+ communities and allies from around the world to celebrate, advocate for rights, and foster a sense of global unity.
The most recent World Pride was held in Washington DC in May/June of 2025 and will next take place in Amsterdam in 2026, with Cape Town, South Africa set to host in 2028.
EuroPride is a pan-European international event dedicated to LGBT pride, hosted by a different European city each year. The host city is usually one with an established pride event or a significant LGBT community.
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Also of international scale, EuroPride is the biggest international Pride celebration in Europe and is hosted by a different country annually.
This year’s celebration is being held in Lisbon, Portugal (which also as one of the biggest celebrations in Europe, with festivals and celebrations spanning 2 weeks).
EuroPride is not only a vibrant and coloful festival and parade, but also a time of political and policy discussion with annual EuroPride Human Rights Conference taking place.
⭐Amsterdam will be simultaneously hosting World Pride and EuroPride in 2026! ⭐
This monumental celebration coincides with the 25th anniversary of the world's first same-sex marriages and is sure to be an absolutely incredible and once in a lifetime event.
Reach out to us to help you book your trip to Amsterdam, or any of these other amazing cities, to take in all of the joy, festivities, and celebration of PRIDE 2026 now!
