The Spanish capital’s gay pride celebrations started on Wednesday and conclude today with marches, festivals and more parties
Madrid Pride, dubbed by some as ‘Europe’s biggest party’ draws to a close today.
According to Spanish newspaper El País, two of the country’s leading LGBT rights groups Cogam and the Spanish LGBT Federation (FELGTB) estimated 1.2 million people from Spain, Europe and the world over took to Madrid’s streets in celebration of gay pride.
El País transmitted a live broadcast of the parade on its website, narrating through the throngs of people who came out to celebrate this year’s pride themed Youth Without Closets.
The celebrations started earlier in the week with a launch party Wednesday night at Chueca Plaza with a performance by Grammy award-winning singer Paloma San Basilio.
This year’s pride parade took partygoers down a new route, starting in Atocha, then along the Paseo del Prado and finish at the Puerta de Alcalá, with an estimated 21 floats belonging to gay rights groups, corporate sponsors and local organizations leading the march.
Also know as MADO, Madrid Pride drew political activism from beyond LGBT rights. Several groups protesting budget cuts also joined in on the equality rally.
Madrid’s gay pride has become one of the most popular parties in Europe. Spain was named the most gay-friendly country in Europe by a new Pew Research Center survey, with an 88% acceptance rate.
Pride-goers have more reasons to celebrate in the coming years as Madrid is set to host World Gay Pride in 2017.
by Jean Paul Zapata
Source – Gay Star News
