PRIDE EVENTS YOU CAN’T MISS IN AMSTERDAM
words by ANOUK WOUDT
Though Pride Month is technically over in the rest of the world, for Amsterdam, the festivities have only just begun. From July 25th until August 8th, Amsterdam Pride takes over the city, with events popping up all over beloved clubs, bars, museums, and event spaces to create a dazzling celebration of queerness in all of its many forms. Amsterdam has long stood as a beacon for queer culture, and this year carries even more significance as the city marks 25 years since the Netherlands became the first country in the world to legalise same-sex marriage. It will also its first time hosting WorldPride, meaning there are more events than ever this year. Block parties, parades, cabaret shows and even a Drag Olympics — the city will transform into a playground of rainbow streamers, glitter and ballroom music. To sort through the noise, we’ve crafted a list of the most intriguing, exciting and inviting events of the occasion, ranging from calm gallery exhibitions to ecsactic club nights.
Capturing queer love, humour and self expression, Eye Museum’s programme will be presenting classic and contemporary films from around the world, all based around a single theme: Queer Power. The selection includes cult classics such as John Waters’ Pink Flamingos (1972) and The Watermelon Woman (1996) by Cheryl Dunye, while also screening more modern beloved box-office hits like Bottoms (2023) and Moonlight (2016).
WUNDERKIND BY MARTINE GUTIERREZ
HUIS MARSEILLE
JUNE 27 - OCTOBER 18
Interdisciplinary artist Martine Gutierrez explores her identity through photography, video, music and performance art through her solo exhibition, Wunderkind. Identifying as a transgender woman, her art addresses the central challenge of childhood: to determine who you are and how you want to be seen. Her art feels highly reflective of the queer experience, especially for those who have transitioned, making this show a powerful and beautiful pitstop during the Pride festivities.
THE VOICES OF PRIDE POP-UP EXHIBITION
ART’OTEL
JULY 17 - AUGUST 4
In celebration of WorldPride, Art’otel presents a pop-up exhibition in collaboration with Winq Magazine. The exhibition features works by photographer Erwin Venema, painter Dmytro Trach, multidisciplinary artist Bas Kosters, and illustrator Sioe Jeng Tsao, illuminating all types of artistic mediums, each with a focus on celebrating identity.
PRIDE WALK
DAM SQUARE
JUNE 25
Starting in Dam Square, the Pride Walk kicks off in the very centre of the city, inviting protesters to stand in solidarity of LGBTQIA+ rights. Hosted by the Worldpride and the Homomonument, the march starts at 11pm and will continue until it reaches its final destination at Vondelpark. There, you will immediately met with the Pride Park opening event festivities, filling the fields with music, art and entertainment for all ages.
SLOTERDYKE CLUBNIGHT
ISO AMSTERDAM
JULY 25
In the warehouse-like walls of ISOAmsterdam, the FLINTA-based team at Zeedyke presents Sloterdyke: a celebration of Pride through Latin club sounds. Headlined by Colombian reggaetón icon Rosa Pistola, her beats will keep those hips shaking all night long, slicked in sweat and bad decisions.
MILKSHAKE FESTIVAL
WESTERPARK
JULY 25 & 26
Returning as a gay staple since 2012, Milkshake Festival is back to take over Westerpark for two days this Amsterdam Pride. With music that ranges from disco to electro to hip-hop, this park takeover is moulded to fit any guest’s tastes, as long as they can get down with the gays. And let’s be honest with performances from Amanda Lepore and Bob the Drag Queen, how could you not have a ball?
CABARET LA GAÎTÉ
ROODE BIOSCOOP
JULY 26
Bringing the dramatics for Pride, the Roode Bioscoop transforms its space into a cabaret club in the style of Tuschinski’s famed nightclub from 1921, now more known as Pathé Tuschinski. Crooners, dandy piano virtuosos and burlesque artists promise a flash to the golden age of cabaret in all its gaudy, sexy glory.
BARIO POP-UP PRIDE CAFÉ
HAL WEST
JULY 29 - AUGUST 6
Bar Bario returns for a Pride celebration despite its closing, with the launch of a pop-up café at Hal West. Through an exhibition, queer speeddating event, sketch & cake time and two screenings, they’ve got events lined up for Amsterdam Pride’s entirety— it acts as a Queer Haven, somewhere you can always go to when the chaos of Pride gets overwhelming.
CENTER OF ATTENTION: PLEASURE EXHIBITION
HUIS WILLET HOLTHUYSEN
JULY 30
The historic 17th-century walls of Huis Willet Holthuysen transform entirely, becoming a stage examining the beauty of queer pleasure, erotic performance, and sexuality. Through a series of workshops, talks, and performances, this exhibition positions pleasure as more than just sexual, instead acting as a societal force as we instigate its effect on Amsterdam’s culture.
DRAG OLYMPICS
HET HOMOMONUMENT
JULY 31
Ready, set, serve! Support your local drag queen at the Drag Olympics, as they compete for Olympic Gold across multiple categories, including: the 100m Stiletto Sprint, Handbag Toss, Bitch Volleyball, Hula Hoop, and a pole dancing finale. Starting from 16:00, the event is free and open to all — and as long as you have heels and a wig, you can join in on the competition.
PRIDE IS A PROTEST CLUBNIGHT
SKATECAFÉ
JULY 31
Live music, drag, literature, performances, and dj sets — what more could you want from a night? With guests hailing from London, Berlin, Belgium and the Netherlands, this year’s edition has a jam-packed lineup with over 30 artists, performers and activists. All the proceeds go towards T-Huis Amsterdam and Stichting Outway, so you are directly supporting LGBT+ communities while dancing at the club — win, win.
CANAL PARADE
CANAL BELT
AUGUST 1
Exploding as the main event of this festival, the world-famous Canal Parade turn the city into dazzling extravaganza of rainbow flags, glitter, and gay-pop classics. Vibrant boats crowd the canals as they make their way through Nieuwe Herengracht around to the Westerdok for a full-day of partying. Imagine King’s Day, just gayer.
CANAL PRIDE PARTY DECK
ROSEWOOD HOTEL
AUGUST 1
At the heart of all the Canal Partying chaos is Rosewood Amsterdam: the perfect spot to get coveted front-row seats of the parade. With live DJs, signature cocktails from Advocatuur and a curated culinary experience, the Rosewood Pride Party Deck lets you celebrate pride, lavishly.
OPUS 1 PRIDE BALL
CONCERTGEBOUW
AUGUST 7
An ode to the queens and the queers, Opus 1 creates a spectacular celebration of the ballroom scene and its innate diversity. Led by Zelda (Dapaah) Fitzgerald and Candida Thompson, this night promises vogueing, catwalks and all kinds of music to create a scene straight out of Paris Is Burning — oh to be a fly on the wall during the heights of New York’s ballroom culture.
