Katrina Rosales
Cologne Pride, also known as Christopher Street Day (CSD), is a two-week-long celebration of LGBTQ+ culture and identity. The event, which usually takes place in July, is one of the biggest Pride festivals in Europe, attracting hundreds of thousands of participants and spectators. The festival includes a range of activities, from film screenings and exhibitions to parties and parades, all promoting LGBTQ+ awareness, acceptance, and pride.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Cologne Pride or Christopher Street Day |
| Location | Cologne, Germany |
| Date | 21 June to 6 July 2025 |
| Duration | 2 weeks |
| Expected Guests | 1.2 million |
| Floats | 80-120 |
What You'll Learn
Cologne Pride 2025 dates
Cologne Pride 2025
Cologne Pride, also known as Christopher Street Day, is an annual festival celebrating LGBTQIA+ rights, self-confidence, and joie de vivre. The event usually lasts for around two weeks, with the main festivities taking place over a weekend. In 2025, Cologne Pride will be held from 21 June to 6 July.
Dates
The 2025 Cologne Pride festival will kick off on Friday, 4 July, with events taking place in the city's charming Old City district. The Street Festival will feature food trucks, bars, information stands, vendor booths, and multiple stages with a variety of performances. The official opening will be held at 6 pm.
The Cologne Gay Pride Parade, one of the highlights of the festival, will take place on Sunday, 6 July. The parade will start from Deutzer Brücke and make its way through the old town to Komödienstraße, with over 120 floats expected to participate. The parade typically begins at noon.
The Pride Festival Cologne will run from Friday, 4 July, to Monday, 7 July. This part of the festival will include circuit parties with international DJs, dancers, and stage shows with live performances and large play areas. The festival will conclude with the famous Greenkom and Naughty after-parties.
On Saturday, 5 July, the Cologne Fetish Pride will host a special Pride Boat Party in the afternoon. The three-hour river cruise will feature DJs and a special guest appearance by the winner of Mr Bear Europe 2024.
History
Cologne Gay Pride first started as a relatively small demonstration in 1991, organized by the Cologne Association for Gays and Lesbians. The event followed the maxim of "Good Friends Come Together" and has since grown into one of the biggest LGBTQ+ demonstrations in Germany and Europe. Cologne Pride attracts hundreds of thousands of participants and spectators each year, with around 1.2 million guests in attendance in 2023.
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The CSD Street Festival
The festival is a celebration of the memory and ideas of Christopher Street Day, which commemorates the first widely publicised uprising against police brutality by homosexuals and other sexual minorities in New York City in 1969. The CSD Street Festival is a demonstration against hatred, discrimination, and exclusion and a stand for diversity and tolerance. It is a joyous occasion, with people of all generations coming together in a spirit of joy and peace to advocate for LGBTQ+ rights.
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The Pride Parade
Cologne Pride, also known as Christopher Street Day, is Germany's biggest LGBTQ+ demonstration and one of the largest in Europe. The Pride Parade, or CSD Demonstration, is the highlight of the two-week festival, attracting hundreds of thousands of people each year. The parade features around 80 floats and marching groups, with participants and spectators coming from all over Germany and beyond.
The parade route takes a few hours to wind its way through the city centre, starting at Deutzer Brücke and making its way through the old town to Komödienstraße. The CSD Demonstration is a celebration of the LGBTQIA+ community, with a joyous and peaceful atmosphere. The event advocates for the legal and social acceptance of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersexual, and asexual individuals.
The CSD Demonstration is part of a larger Gay Pride Festival in Cologne, which includes several cultural events, concerts, and parties. The festival kicks off with a huge street festival in the Old City district on Friday evening, with food trucks, bars, information stands, vendor booths, and live performances across several stages. The street festivals continue throughout the weekend, with daily dance shows and parties at various locations.
Cologne is known as the "gay capital of Germany" and is one of the most gay-friendly destinations in Europe. The city has two distinct pockets of gay activity: Schaafenstrasse, Rudolfplatz, and the streets around Heumarkt, and the older leather scene on the Old Town's Heumarkt-Mathiasstrasse, catering to a younger, trendier crowd.
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The Street Party
Cologne Pride, known as Christopher Street Day, is Germany's biggest LGBTQ+ demonstration and one of the largest in Europe. The event, which lasts for about two weeks, includes a series of political, cultural, and party events, with the CSD Street Festival and the Pride Parade being the highlights.
The CSD Street Festival takes place over three days in the charming Old City district of Cologne. It includes food trucks, bars, information stands, and vendor booths spread across several squares near Heumarkt in downtown Cologne. The festival features a complete stage program with local and international acts, DJs, drag queens, and live performances. There are also daily dance stage shows at Günter-Wand-Platz and an opening party at Odonien/artheater/Helios37 on the Friday.
The Pride Parade, also referred to as the CSD Demonstration, is the biggest pride parade in Europe, with about 1.2 million guests and 120 floats participating. The parade starts from Deutzer Brücke and makes its way through the old town to Komödienstraße. It usually kicks off at noon, and Deutzer Brücke offers panoramic views of the historic old town.
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The Pride Boat Party
Cologne's Pride Boat Party is one of the most anticipated events of the city's Pride celebrations. This year, the party will take place on Saturday, 5 July 2025, in the afternoon. It is one of two boat parties held during Cologne Pride, the other taking place during Cologne Fetish Pride in May.
The boat will depart from the banks of the Rhine, with panoramic views of the historic old town (Altstadt). The cruise is the perfect opportunity to let loose, celebrate, and connect with other members of the LGBTQIA+ community, not just from Cologne but from all over Germany and beyond.
Cologne's Pride Boat Party is just one of the many exciting events that make up the city's Pride celebrations. The two-week festival includes street festivals, parades, cultural events, concerts, and parties, all advocating for the rights and acceptance of the LGBTQIA+ community.
So, get ready to set sail and join the festivities at the Cologne Pride Boat Party for an unforgettable afternoon of fun, freedom, and pride!
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Frequently asked questions
Cologne Pride, also known as Christopher Street Day, takes place from 21 June to 6 July 2025.
The event runs for roughly two weeks, with the street festivals taking place from Friday to Sunday on the final weekend.
The Cologne Pride Parade takes place on Sunday, 6 July 2025, starting from Deutzer Brücke and working its way through the old town to Komödienstraße.
Cologne Gay Pride first started as a relatively small demonstration in 1991, organised by the Cologne Association for Gays and Lesbians. Today, it is one of the biggest LGBTQ demonstrations in Germany and Europe, attracting hundreds of thousands of pride enthusiasts each year.
