ColognePride

Cologne’s annual events around “Christopher Street Day”

You know it: if you’re a member of the LGBTQIA+ community, Cologne is with you! And Cologne Pride shows that every year! Would you like to be part of this thrilling festival that rejects discrimination and celebrates self-confidence and joie de vivre? Hundreds of events, a parade through Cologne’s city centre lasting several hours and a street fair proudly fly the flag that represents these values. You’re cordially invited — however colourful you might be. Cologne loves you!

Cologne Pride is the overarching roof for countless activities that support the rights of gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transsexuals, transgender people, queers, intersexual and asexual individuals, as well as everyone else. Every year there’s a programme that is spread out over two weeks.

Its highlight is the three-day Christopher Street Day street fair, with a demo-parade through the city centre of Cologne. It’s the biggest pride parade in Europe. About 1.2 million guests had been able to experience last in 2023 over 220 foot groups and demo cars.

The highlight: the CSD parade

How shrill, colourful and exciting do you want it to be? At Germany’s biggest CSD parade, with its countless floats and marching groups, the mood is celebratory. To march in this parade, members of the LGBTQIA+ community come to Cologne from all over Germany — and of course from other countries too. Across all generations.

The mood is joyous, in large part because of Cologne’s sunny summer weather. In a spirit of joy and peace, people at the CSD demonstrate their belief in a tolerant and open society. Here you can join the parade and mingle with thousands of kindred spirits, or stand on the sidewalk as a spectator observing the colourful goings-on, like the Carnival parade on Rose Monday. And that’s how things should be!

The CSD street fair

Live music on several stages, political action and discussions await you during the three days of the CSD street fair. At this colorful event, Cologne celebrates the memory and the ideas of Christopher Street Day. There are lots of outrageous shows, political talks and artistic performances by participants from Germany and abroad. It all takes place near the Heumarkt in downtown Cologne.

Impressions from the CSD in Cologne

© Jörg Brocks, KölnTourismus GmbH
© Jörg Brocks, KölnTourismus GmbH
© www.badurina.de
© www.badurina.de
© Jörg Brocks, KölnTourismus GmbH
© Jörg Brocks, KölnTourismus GmbH
© Jörg Brocks, KölnTourismus GmbH
© Jörg Brocks, KölnTourismus GmbH
© www.badurina.de
© www.badurina.de
© www.badurina.de
© Jörg Brocks, KölnTourismus GmbH
© www.badurina.de
© www.badurina.de
© www.badurina.de
© www.badurina.de

1969 – in memoriam: Christopher Street Day in the USA

CSD refers to Christopher Street Day in New York in 1969. A group of homosexuals and members of other sexual minorities in New York City staged the first widely publicized uprising against police brutality. The “Stonewall uprising” began at the Stonewall Inn on Christopher Street on the morning of June 28, 1969.

Since the 1970s, this day is commemorated every year at the beginning of July — with demonstrations and celebrations, including demands for political action. Every year anew, the CSD takes a stand against hatred, discrimination and exclusion — and for diversity and tolerance. And Cologne is just the right place for it — wouldn’t you say

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