Lisbon Gay Pride

Lisbon Gay Pride, officially known as Arraial Lisboa Pride, is a colorful, fun-filled celebration that takes place annually in June. Lisbon Pride first began in 1997, and it has since evolved into Portugal's largest LGBTQ event, attracting roughly 70,000 pride enthusiasts each year. Lisbon Gay Pride is unique in the sense that it takes place over two weekends, with one comprising an incredible Pride Parade, and the other an equally epic Pride Village. What makes things particularly unique, however, is the fact that unlike most gay pride events across the globe, the gay parade in Lisbon actually happens first.  

Organized by the ILGA Portugal Association in partnership with different councils of the city including the Lisbon City Council, Lisbon Pride is the city’s largest genuflection to the local LGBTQ community - even if the gay scene is already very robust throughout the entire year! The Lisbon Gay Pride Parade (Marcha do Orgulho LGBTQ) is a colorful procession that travels through the city streets, and usually welcomes plenty of pride enthusiasts. As with any pride celebration, the aim of Lisbon Pride is to bring visibility for local gay, lesbian, bi, trans, queer, and intersex people, and raise pertinent issues that continue to affect the community. 

A week later, Gay Pride Lisbon hosts Pride Village, an incredible open-air party with stands, bars, stage, DJs and dancefloor. And the good news is that entry is free! This takes place in one of Lisbon's main squares, Praça do Comércio, with the pride revelry running throughout the entire day. So if you like the idea of experiencing your pride in Portugal's charming city on the sea, get yourself to Lisbon Pride this season, and enjoy a whole lot of alfresco fun!  

For full details on Lisbon Pride 2023, be sure to check out the official event program. Happy Pride!