Okay my dear gay friends and straight friends. Stockholm’s Pride Festival (Stockholms Pride) is the biggest Pride Festival in Northern Europe. No one really is astonished anymore about Pride in Sweden and that is one of the reasons why Pride has become more of an intercultural festival (and less of sub-culture festival) where people celebrating love, unity and they have lots of fun. (I know… it sounds like a rave party from Berlin). I have never been on the festival myself so I am maybe not the most authentic person to write about this event, but it would be absolutely interesting to go and experience it someday. I saw the parade once when I was on a work trip in Sthlm. The crowd was massive. The festival is open for everyone. I have just realized that they have sign language interpreters as well. (Did you guys know by the way that sign language is one of the official minority languages in Sweden?)

They have a lot of interesting programs and they also have seminars and workshops where they discuss sex and sexuality, new agendas or other “sensitive taboo topics”. (If they are sensitive at all nowadays. It is hard to see for me at least… growing up with my family’s standards). First of all there are plenty of seminars where people discuss sexuality very openly. But do not think it is all about sex and sexuality. As one of the biggest cultural events in Sweden Stockholm’s Pride has a lot of live concerts with both Swedish and international artists at the Pride Park outside of the Maritime Museum in Sthlm and also club events all around the city. You can buy a day-ticket or a card so called festivalpass. It would allow you to visit many clubs, exhibitions and theaters as well in down town. Lots and lots and lots. “It takes a fool to remain sane” as one of Sweden´s own gay glam rock band The Ark sang once.

The Swedish politicians and artists like to back up the festival and you can see famous faces in the crowd or at parties or dancing in the streets each year. It is funny watching them on the evening news from my sofa. Oh I want to see our Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt in drag. Ha-ha that would be awesome! And maybe it wouldn’t surprise anyone at all. As I recall some leading Swedish politicians kissing from last year. I think I saw Mona Sahlin (the leader of the Social Democratic Party) dancing in the caravan on TV last year but I am not sure Or did she kiss RFSL:s Ulrika Westerlund…?

If you want to find out more about the festival visit: http://www.stockholmpride.org/