One of summer’s most highly anticipated events among locals has a name that is more than a little misleading for outsiders. Yes, “De Parade” translates into “the parade,” but this is much more of a carnival with a theater theme than anything resembling the kinds of marching parades that Americans are used to on national holidays. De Parade actually visits the cities of Rotterdam, The Hague, and Utrecht for about 6 total weeks starting in mid June before culminating with 17 consecutive days of celebration as one of the highlights of August in Amsterdam.
The 2008 dates for Amsterdam are August 1 through 17
So what is De Parade?
It’s basically a theater festival, with an unusual mix of traditional performances that you might expect to find at a Renaissance Fair combined with modern twists that give it a unique and artsy flavor. They do their best to schedule something for everyone, with performances starting in the mid afternoon and then going on past midnight. There are multiple stages set up throughout Martin Luther Kingpark, and usually several different things going on at any given moment. There are a few carnival rides mixed in, but it’s mainly about shows and performers.
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One of the many highlights of August in Amsterdam, and also the biggest week in the gay Amsterdam calendar, Amsterdam’s Pride week takes over parts of the city early in the month and by far the biggest event is the famous Canal Parade. In a city known for its tolerance of nearly everything, it’s no surprise that the parade is not only accepted, but embraced by the whole community.
For an excellent route map of the Amsterdam Gay Pride Canal Parade click here for the one on the official site.
Since it first started in 1995, the Canal Parade has been the highlight of Pride Week in Amsterdam, which always stretches over the first weekend in August. The Pride Week itself fills clubs and other venues for 3 official days plus several warm-up parties on the Thursday night before, and plenty of information is available on the official Amsterdam Gay Pride site. But the Canal Parade itself is popular with most city residents, so even those not interested in the Pride Week festivities should plan on checking out this unusual flotilla.
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