ZOOM OUT
Amsterdam: The Most Global Gay Pride in the World
Wed. June 1, 2005 12:00 AM
by Bryan Herb
Tired of seeing the same people at gay prides across the country? There's one place you can go where you will meet gay people from all over the planet: Amsterdam!
Amsterdam Gay Pride 2005's four night celebration begins with small parties on Thursday, August 4th, which will prepare you for a wild weekend you will never forget! Specific information on these parties will be revealed as we get closer to the date, and the streets will be full of people handing our fliers for all events.
Amsterdam gay pride officially stars on Friday, with huge street parties at the Reguliersdwarsstraat (the main gay street), a new massive outdoor party at the Rembrandtplein (Rainbow Square) and the Warmoesstraat (leather and fetish). The main dance party on Friday is usually Salvation Gold at club Escape, which is packed every year.
Most would agree that the highlight of the Amsterdam Pride weekend is the Canal Parade on Saturday afternoon.
"Everyone comes out to see that parade in Amsterdam," said Tom Peterson, of Woodbridge, NJ, who traveled to Amsterdam for gay pride with Zoom Vacations in 2004. "Gay straight, old, young, you name it. The whole town is totally gay that weekend, and everyone is so gay-friendly."
The parade traverses through the Prinsengracht and Amstel river from 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM and features over 100 decorated barges and boats (floats), many of them also decorated with some of the most beautiful people on earth. Whether it's the creative floats or the hotties aboard them, the parade attracts an average of 350,000 spectators from around the world to watch and participate in the festivities.
Later in the afternoon the street parties start again, with DJ's and performances. You can continue to party late into the night at big parties such as Joystick at Kingdom and the White Party at the Powerzone. Joystick is thought by many to be the best party of the weekend, and lasts from 10 PM until late (or early... the next morning, that is).
"It's like Europe's gay pride," said Peterson, "and you'll also meet Russians, Australians, Brazilians and more. It is more like a Global Gay Pride celebration. Even the floats are representative of the entire world."
On Sunday, the world's most cosmopolitan gay pride comes to a close, but it does so with a bang! There is a colossal closing party starting at 3:00 PM outside at the Stopera (Town hall and Muziektheater), with DJ's and performances by many Dutch artists. This a great place to meet up for one last hurrah with people you've met over the weekend. And if the party bug hasn't left you by that night, you can continue on with closing parties at several clubs.
In addition to mingling, parading, and dancing the night away, make sure you leave time for some of Amsterdam's best attractions and points of interest. This is a city whose history and culture have always been wed to diversity, liberation, and thinking outside the box. Artistic expression has always been celebrated, and Amsterdam's museums such as the Rijks and Van Gogh have incredible collections by Dutch and International artists. The city is itself a sensational canvas, boasting beautiful Dutch architecture, and serene, charming canals throughout the city.
Now, you've taken a break from partying to enjoy the culture, history, and art of Amsterdam. Make sure you take a break from all this culture, with a trip to the Heineken Brewery. You'll learn the history of Heineken and how the beer is made, but most importantly, you'll get free glasses of Heineken in the Beer Hall! When you tire of all this beer, take a trip to one of Amsterdam's many "coffee" shops where coffee is just one of the many legal stimulants you can buy from a menu, and order by name!
So how did Amsterdam evolve in this most liberal of cities anyway?
Uniquely, Amsterdam started as a mass of shifting lakes, swamps and soggy peat. It's earliest settlers were 12th-century farmers who transformed the area into working farmland, using dams, ditches and dikes. A guided city tour can take you to see these original constructions!
This old city grew and flourished in the 1300s as it developed its naval trading empire, and by 1600 Amsterdam's ships dominated seaborne trade and fishing in Europe. This continued through the 1800s until banking became the city's main industry.
Religious wars and monarchical power struggles had always plague Amsterdam, but these were nothing compared to the effects of World War II. Only one in 16 of Amsterdam's Jews survived the War, which is the highest proportion of Jewish people murdered anywhere in Western Europe. One of the most interesting places to visit in Amsterdam is Anne Frank's house, where you will see first-hand,
Amsterdam was liberated in May, 1945 and by the 1960s, street protests and demonstrations were almost contagious, and the city became the radical heart of Europe. By the early 1980s, with it progressive planning and social policies like a tolerant approach to drugs, and legal recognition of gay and lesbian couples, Amsterdam became well-known as the world's most liberal city. As a result Gay Pride in Amsterdam is certainly cause for celebration.
Zoom Vacations organizes an incredible trip to Amsterdam for Gay Pride, including a 5 star hotel stay, exclusive events, and advance party ticket options. Travelers will even watch the parade from the exclusive comfort of our own private barge, compete with cocktails and nibblies! For more information, go to http://www.zoomvacations.com or call 866 966-6822.
ChicagoPride.com Note: Watch for Bryan Herb on the Travel Channel's new show, "Vacation Challenge" at 12:30 PM EST. Bryan's next episodes air June 6, 8, 9, 16, 22, 23, 24, and 28.