Wow, we really know a lot of different Prides but Amsterdam is always something special. It is one of the hot spots where not only the gay community but also the whole city is celebrating diversity.

The ambience is incredible. In the city centre you have many small streets with canals and the outstanding characteristic of Amsterdam Pride is that there isn’t any Pride March. It is a Canal Pride and all the participating groups of the parade are on boats running through the canals. The whole city is wearing rainbow flags or pink t-shirts, even families and old heterosexual people are up to have fun.

Never trust a gay flag

If you’re for the first time at Amsterdam Pride you could think, that every bar, every restaurant, every shop is a gay location. It is the way the open people of Amsterdam is showing solidarity and acceptance. It is a city everyone feels welcome. Let’s talk with our Pup7 who was visiting Amsterdam Pride for the second time:

MasterMarc: Hi Pup7. You still look a little tired. It seems that you’ve had a great time in Amsterdam. How was Amsterdam Pride this year?

Pup Seven: Haha yeah, I am tired, but also very happy. Amsterdam was amazing. Their pride is like no other. Everyone takes part in it somehow. You see something gay in almost every store window when you walk in the streets. The whole city is covered in rainbow colours. It’s just a basic happy mood wherever you go. And there are lots of places you can go. There seems to have been a street or bar party and festivals at every corner in the inner city. The people are wearing the craziest outfits and all wear smiles on their faces. And they welcome new people with open arms. And there’s of course the boats and the parade.

MasterMarc: What makes it so different if the parade is on boats and not on trucks? Does it change the ambience?

Pup Seven: In my view, it makes a huge difference. At normal street prides you often have some centres where the majority of the people gather and party. And when you go to the parade you are pressed in the crowd and look up at the high and unreachable trucks, who often a bit painted in some way, but often not much more decorated, as they slowly pass by. And then just often look at the people who march and hold some banners that, while they carry an important message, often sadly are quickly forgotten. Of course, that’s not the case for every pride, and I in no way want to diminish the wonderfulness I have at the normal prides too. They’re still amazing events.

But the canal parade just has something special. As the city has a lot of smaller passages and roads, the people disperse over a much larger area, which gives you room to breathe. And the canals give off a wonderful atmosphere kind of like when you are in a theme park. Just as the boats do. The decoration of some of them is simply astonishing. Some of them have blow up rainbows or Huge wedding-cake like stages on them. One even had a stripping pole! A stripping pole!! On a boat! Think of that. Its not something you easily forget.

MasterMarc: What would you say have been your personal highlights of the Pride Amsterdam?

Pup Seven: The parade had a lot of highlights for me in it. Of course there were also the meet ups with some of the kinky guys I ‘ve gotten to know from twitter and other social media over the years, all of who I’ve found out to be very nice and wonderful people. The concerts in front of the royal palace were amazing as well, and the evening street festivals too. I really enjoyed the visit to the gay shops and bars too, though the hangover from them the next morning diminished that great feeling a bit ^^ Honestly, the entire trip was a highlight in itself, I would say, and I can’t wait for next year to go there again.

Other Kinky Voices about Amsterdam Pride

Pup Bentley, Mr. Puppy NL

Amsterdam 2017… In one word: wow… how different it is to experience pride as a titleholder… My pride weekend started on Thursday with a puppy get together at The Web, a monthly but new staple in Amsterdam. On Friday all the titleholders, past and present, that were in Amsterdam gathered for a dinner, great food, great people and snide comments! Yes, it was amazing! Saturday, the big Parade day! After little sleep, rushing to get dressed, my mohawk fixed, i got to the meeting point on time! We got on the boat and then: my god, i still cant believe how amazing it was! What a party! And how different from a boat! Mister B did amazing with their boat this year, great music, great people! After getting of the boat, I rushed to meet some friends across town, met them had some food, and went to the first street party. Many followed! At the end of the night we decided to check out Funhouse for a bit before heading to Bear Necessity. Both have a very different crowd and are very fun parties to attend! I’ve seen many prides, but none have the intimate atmosphere Amsterdam seems to have. Theres one million people in the city, yet it never feels overcrowded, every one is friendly and having fun. Maybe its something in the water, maybe we’re just friendly. In any case, it rocked!