Top 10 Gay Events: 2012

POSTED BY Sophie Needelman — Google+ ON Jul 15th, 2012 IN Event Spotlight, Top 10's, Rates and Reviews | 0 COMMENTS

Now that Pride season is in full-swing, we thought we’d share our picks for the top LGBT soirees around the world.

London Pride strives to provide an annual opportunity to generate celebratory, cultural, artistic and educational events which affirm the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual, transgender, and two-spirited people, and supporters through activities which promote unity, inclusion, and awareness of sexual and gender diversity.A fair amount of planning takes place during the months leading up to Pride, but it’s the month of July when a lot of the physical work begins. Events will begin on July 22 and run through until July 29, 2012.

9. Montreal Pride , August 13-19

The city of Mary knows how to throw a party and gay bride is one of the best! The parade will start on the corner of Guy Street and travel east on René-Lévesque Boulevard, culminating on Sanguinet Street and the Village. The crowd will march to Place Émilie-Gamelin where everyone is invited to continue the celebrations during the MEGA T-DANCE until the closing show.

8. Prague Gay Pride, August 13-18

Prague Pride will consist of a 7 day festival that offers a wide variety of cultural events and parties, that will culminate on Saturday, the 18th of August, in the downtown parade. The parade and subsequent concert on the Strelecky Island will be completely free to attend for all. Many bars, clubs and other venues are organising their own side events, from exhibitions, cinema and theatre performances to circuit parties.

7. WomenFest Key West, September 4-9

In September the Key West Business Guild hosts Womenfest, the southernmost party for lesbians and their friends, from September 4-9. This popular event brings thousands of women together in a weeklong schedule of activities which include time on the water, golfing, dancing, clothing-optional pool parties and great standup comedians. Women from all over the world attend this popular event that was awarded the Golden Kitty Best of 2011 award.

6. Gay Days Las Vegas, September 4-10

This September, Las Vegas, Nevada will host the first Gay Days Las Vegas, September 4-10, 2012. The host hotel is the Tropicana Las Vegas which will be home for the weeklong event. As in Gay Days Orlando, the Las Vegas event will include a Travel-Retail Expo, pool parties, and events all around town with a portion of proceeds benefiting local non-profit organizations.
http://www.gaytravel.com/gay-events/gay-days-las-vegas-2012

5. Tropical Heat Key West, August 16-19

During the heat of summer, the Key West Business Guild presents Tropical Heat for Men, the island’s hottest event for men, August 16-19th. This adult themed extended weekend brings men together from around the county and Europe to celebrate the gay lifestyle and on our beautiful tropical island that exudes tropical heat. Tropical Heat was named one of the top ten end of summer gay events by Gaytraveler.com.

4. Buenos Aires Pride, November 4-10

Steamy days and sultry nights are bound to get your pulse throbbing! Buenos Aires is a smart and sexy city that is full of passion, dance and history. The annual gay pride event celebrates the beginning of the first ever gay group in Buenos Aires in 1969. This flamboyant festival is filled with parties, forums and of course a raucous parade.

3. Black and Blue Festival, October 3- 9

Forget about the Mayan calendar and the prophetic superstitions : 2012 will be a year to celebrate life to its fullest, and the best way to celebrate will be at the 22nd Black & Blue Festival edition in Montreal! The BBCM Foundation will welcome thousands of participants during the Festival taking place from October 3 to 9. The 22nd edition will be dedicated to our participants’ positive energy on the dancefloor ! Our participants value inclusion, respect, open-mindedness, peace, equality, altruism, and even love… and this is what this edition will be all about, especially during the main event at Palais des congrès, on Sunday, October 7, at night. The Black & Blue will feature some of the best local and international DJs, as well as shows and entertainment linked to the theme of the event.

2. Amsterdam Pride, August 4

In 1987, Amsterdam became the first city in the world to dedicate a monument to persecuted gays. More than a decade later, the Netherlands legalized registered partnerships and then same-sex marriage with equal rights and benefits. Oh yeah, the gay scene in Amsterdam is doing just fine. Gay Pride Amsterdam is unlike any pride event in the world. Count on street parties all weekend long, the best club circuit parties and of course the famous Canal Parade on Saturday.

1. Sydney Mardi Gras , February 17-21

Rainbow flags fly year-round but more than a million gays and lesbians converge on the city for Sydney Mardi Gras (one of the only gay pride parades in the world without a specifically gay name but with an entirely gay meaning). The event rocks the city for weeks, draws gays and lesbians from all over the globe and is arguably the largest pride celebration in the world. The city’s famed “gayborhood,” which lines Oxford Street, is abuzz. The drag queens are the greatest in the World. Their almost nightly shows at venues like Stonewall and Arq draw hundreds of revelers who bask in such wonderment as “Going Gaga,” a 30-minute review of the reigning Queen of Pop.