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Events elsewhere in Amsterdam
Besides the big events in Reguliersdwarsstraat, there are also a range of other annual events elsewhere in Amsterdam which are especially aimed at gay, LGBT or openminded people. The most important ones are:
Spring:
- Pink Film Days
- KING'S DAY
- Gay Monument Celebrations
- Amsterdam Sportswear Weekend
Autumn:
- Streetheart festival
- Amsterdam Dance Event
- Amsterdam Leather Pride
- Pink Film Days
- KING'S DAY
- Gay Monument Celebrations
- Amsterdam Sportswear Weekend
Autumn:
- Streetheart festival
- Amsterdam Dance Event
- Amsterdam Leather Pride
updated: 20-07-2023
Spring
Pink Film Days
March 22 - April 2, 2023
Het Ketelhuis @ Westergasfabriek
(since 1996)
The Pink Film Days (Dutch: Roze Filmdagen) are one of the biggest LGBTQ film festivals in the world. With over 100 films, short films and documentaries from about 40 countries and in all genres. There are also talk shows and opportunities to meet directors and actors.
- Homepage: www.rozefilmdagen.nl
- Social media: Facebook - Twitter - Instagram
KING'S DAY
April 26 & 27, 2023
City center
(since 1948/2014)
On April 27, the birthday of the king (Dutch: Koningsdag) will be celebrated with flea markets and street parties all around the city center, and almost everyone will be dressed in orange. On the night before, King's Night, there are already somewhat smaller street parties for locals.
> More about King's Day in Reguliersdwarsstraat
- Gay events: www.kingsdayamsterdam.eu
Flea market during Queen's Day (2012)
Gay Monument Celebrations
May 4 & 5, 2023
Westermarkt
(since 1988)
On May 4, there's a Remembrance of the Dead at the Gay Monument (Dutch: Homomonument), in which gay victims are honoured with a wreath-laying ceremony. May 5 is Liberation Day, which is celebrated here with an open air LGBTQ party.
- Homepage: www.homomonument.nl
- Social media: Facebook
Remembrance of the Dead at the Gay Monument (2009)
Amsterdam Sportswear Weekend
May 25 - 28, 2023
Various locations
(since 2018)
During the Amsterdam Sportswear Weekend (ASW) there are activities at various locations which all center around the sportswear fetish. There's also the annual election of Mr Sportswear NL.
- Homepage: amsterdamsportswearweekend.com
- Social media: Facebook - Instagram
Participants of the Amsterdam Sportswear Weekend (2022)
(photo: Facebook/ASW - click to enlarge)
Summer
Amsterdam Bear Pride
June 7 - 11, 2023
Various locations
(since 2014/2023)
Formerly known as the Amsterdam Bear Weekend, it is now four days of diverse activities for all bears and their admirers, culminating in the election of Mister Bear Netherlands in Akhnaton.
- Homepage: www.amsterdambearpride.com
- Social media: Facebook - Instagram
Amsterdam Bear Pride
Tropikali Festival
June 11, 2023
NDSM-werf
(since 2018)
Tropikali is an open-minded festival which combines the Rosario, Kalinichta and I Will Survive parties in the garden of the Noorderlicht Café at the former NDSM wharf. They turn this industrial location into a tropical paradise, with a bold twist and a musical journey from Berlin to Rio, with a layover in Beirut.
- Homepage: www.tropikali.nl
- Social media: Facebook - Instagram
Tropikali Festival (2018)
(photo: Instagram/Tropikali)
Superball
June 24, 2023
Paradiso
(since 2015)
After various successful editions, some 100 extravagant drag queens will again come together in an hilarious battle for the title of "Amsterdam's Leading Drag House".
- Homepage: www.superball-amsterdam.com
- Social media: Facebook - Instagram
Superball drag queen contest (2015)
(photo: Superball Facebook)
Kwaku Pink Sunday
July 23, 2023
Nelson Mandelapark
(since 2008)
Kwaku is the biggest multicultural festival of Amsterdam, with Pink Sunday being especially dedicated to gay people. With some 20.000 visitors, this is the biggest black LGBT event of Europe and also the unofficial kick-off of Pride Amsterdam.
- Homepage: www.kwakufestival.nl
- Social media: Facebook
Milkshake Festival
July 29 + 30, 2023
Westerpark
(since 2012)
An initiative of Erwin Olaf, Ted Langenbach, Diva Mayday, AIR and Paradiso: a festival where thick, thin, small, large, gay, straight, trans, black and white celebrate diversity. There are stages for various music genres as well as extravagant live performances.
- Homepage: www.milkshakefestival.nl
- Social media: Facebook - Twitter - Instagram
Milkshake Festival @ Westerpark (2016)
(photo: Milkshake/Naomi van Heck)
PRIDE AMSTERDAM
August 1 - 6, 2023
City center, various locations
(since 1996)
Pride Amsterdam encompasses a wide variety of events and activities for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people. There are street parties and the famous boat parade as highlight on Saturday. On Sunday, there's a big closing party on Dam square.
> More about Pride in Reguliersdwarsstraat
- Homepage: www.pride.amsterdam
- Social media: Facebook - Twitter - Instagram
Gay Pride at Zeedijk (2015)
Hartjesdag
August 21, 2023
Zeedijk
(since 1997)
Instead of three Hartjesdagen ("Days of Hearts"), there's now only the traditional parade in which men dress up like women and women dress up like men on Monday. On the previous Sunday there's a Romantic Night with small-scale performances in various cafes and restaurants.
- Homepage: www.hartjesdagen.nl
- Social media: Facebook - Twitter
Participants of the Hartjesparade (2007)
Superflirt Festival
August 27, 2023
Kaap Amsterdam
(since 2023)
A brand new queer and open-minded festival, presented by MEIJT. and Multifest, with 7 stages hosted by Can You Feel iT, Sweetie Darling, Damage, Superball, RUBBER, the Drag Olympics, Lesbique and BOPS!
- Homepage: www.superflirtfestival.nl
- Social media: Facebook - Instagram
Superflirt Festival
Autumn
Streetheart festival
September 9, 2023
Kerkstraat
(since 2017)
Organized by Jennifer Hopelezz in cooperation with the GALA foundation: a festive and inclusive LHBTQ-event at which visitors can dance, participate in a fashion show and vote for their Genderfluid Streetheart. From 13.00 till 22.00 hrs. in Kerkstraat outside club Church.
- Homepage:
- Social media: Facebook
Streetheart festival in Kerkstraat (2017)
Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE)
October 18 - 22, 2023
City center, various locations
(since 1995)
The ADE is the biggest festival for electronic Dance music in the world: at almost 200 big and small locations all around the Amsterdam city center there are over 1000 performances by Dutch and international DJs.
> More about the ADE in Reguliersdwarsstraat
- Homepage: www.amsterdam-dance-event.nl
- Social media: Facebook - Twitter - Instagram
ADE seat and info stand at Rembrandt square (2016)
Leather & Fetish Pride
November 2 - 5, 2023
City center, various locations
(since 1996)
Besides the general Pride Amsterdam, there's also a special Amsterdam Leather Pride. It consists of a long weekend with events in and around the leather and cruise bars and the election of Mr. Leather Netherlands. Highlight is the Invasion-party, which takes places at Undercurrent.
- Homepage: www.leatherpride.nl
- Social media: Facebook - Twitter
Amsterdam Leather Pride (2018)
(photo via facebook)
Winter
Transformer
November 30, 2019
Paradiso
(since 2018)
In 2018, Transformer succeeded Love Dance, which was an annual party on World Aids Day to raise awareness and funds for combating hiv and aids in the tradition of the first aids benefit parties and the Love Balls in the former RoXY. Transformer celebrates diversity and solidarity with a wide variety of performances.
- Homepage:
- Social media: Facebook
Love Dance party @ Paradiso (2015)
(photo: Jack Aarts/Jack Undercover)
Pink Xmas
December 18, 2018
Keizersgracht 566
(since 2010)
The only remaining event of the former Pink Christmas is a special LGBT Christmas celebration. This year no service anymore, but a festive gathering from 16.00 - 19.00 hrs at Keizersgrachtkerk where everyone is welcome!
- Social media: Facebook
Pink Christmas Service (2015)
(photo: Daan Stringer)
True Colors
January 26, 2020
Paradiso
(since 2013)
As successor of it's New Year's reception, LGBT rights organisation COC now organizes a big party, which also serves as fundraiser for the Bob Angelo Fund. There are various performances, LGBT volunteers are honoured and the annual Bob Angelo Prize will be awarded.
- Homepage: truecolors.coc.nl
- Social media: Facebook - Instagram
True Colors in Paradiso (2013)

