Hundreds of thousands march through Berlin every year on Christopher Street Day to demand more rights and equality for all people, especially of course for LGBTQ+ community. Be there and be infected by the lively hustle and bustle. We have compiled the best events for you in our blog. We'll tell you where the party continues after the move and where you can find out more about the LGBTQ+ scene in Berlin.
As part of Pride Month, the queer community organises a mix of cultural events, concerts, readings and parties almost every day. The main aim is to create space for exchange and encounters and to provide long-term impetus for a change of perspective and real development, in line with the motto of this year's CSD: "Together we take a stand – Democracy needs diversity!".
Tip: You can enjoy relaxed and professional service in the hotels of the pink pillow Berlin Collection. These hotels are committed to the queer community. Here you can be who you want to be!
Tip 1: Celebrate Berlin Pride at the 46th Christopher Street Day
"Together we take a stand – Democracy needs diversity!" is the motto of this year's Christopher Street Day (CSD). The march starts at 12 noon from Leipziger Straße/corner of Spittelmarkt through Mitte and past Potsdamer Platz in the direction of Schöneberg and Nollendorfplatz to the Siegessäule (Victory Column). The route continues along Straße des 17. Juni to the Brandenburg Gate, where the grand finale with a colourful programme and lots of music will be celebrated from 3.30 pm until midnight.
From 9 pm, the official Berlin Pride Main Party will take place at Ritter Butzke and Kreuzwerk & Höfe seven indoor and outdoor areas with space for over 3500 guests and music that is as diverse as the community!
When: 27 July from 11.30 am, the parade starts at 12 pm
Start zone: Leipziger Straße/corner of Spittelmarkt | Potsdamer Platz, end: Straße des 17. Juni | from 15.30 h Brandenburg Gate
Christopher Street Day | Berlin Pride
Tip 2: Pride Month - Look forward to a colourful programme
The aim of Pride Month is to give more space to the current topics of the queer community. For a whole month, you can therefore exchange ideas and network in various event and party formats. This year, the topics Queer in old age, Sport / Football, Islam, Strong queer network Germany and TIN – a feminist perspective are particularly in the foreground. In our event calendar you will find an overview and here the entire programme:
When: 28 June - 28 July
Where: different venues
Tip 3: Celebrate queer body diversity at "your body is enough"
The exhibition "your body is enough" is all about the beauty of queer body diversity. It scrutinises media ideals of beauty and social stereotypes. Authentic nude photographs showcase a wide variety of body types and promote a culture of appreciation for real people and their moving body history.
Tip: The opening & closing event on 19 July and 1 August will feature live music and a queer poetry slam, both at 7 pm. And on 21 July from 12 - 2 pm, you are invited to discover a new body image at a safe space workshop with a sharing circle, journaling, mediation and free photoshoot slots.
When: Photo exhibition 19 July - 1 August (21. July 12 - 2 pm
Where: Molkenmarkt 2, Mitte
Tip 4: African Book Festival (Pink Pillow Hotels)
To coincide with Christopher Street Day, the pink pillow Berlin Connection is setting an example of solidarity with the global LGBTQ+ community by cooperating with the African Book Festival 2024. For the Queer Edition of the festival, queer authors will read from their literary works at 7 pm in four pink pillow Berlin Connection hotels.
- Kim Windvogel reads: "Touch"
Location: 25hours Hotel Bikini Berlin, Budapester Straße 40, Charlottenburg - Francesca Ekwuyasi reads: "Butter Honig Schwein Brot"
Location: TSH The Social Hub Berlin, Alexanderstrasse 40, Mitte - Chiké Frankie Edozien reads: "Lives of Great Men: Living and Loving as an African Gay Man"
Location: Hotel Berlin, Berlin, Lützowplatz 17, Kreuzberg - Mecca Jamilah Sullivan reads: "Big Girl"
Location: Park Inn by Radisson Berlin Alexanderplatz 7, Mitte
More about African Book Festival: Pink Pillow Readings
Tip 5: Swing your puschels at the CSD on the Spree
The scene traditionally cruises along the Spree with more than a dozen boats just before the CSD weekend. Good vibes are guaranteed during the sightseeing with moderation and music. If you want to be there, you'd better be quick, because some of the 19 boats that will be at the start this year are already fully booked!
The Happy Boarding starts from different moorings between 3.30 pm and 5.30 pm, depending on the boat. With lots of music and great entertainment, you can then sail along the Spree for a good two to three hours.
The ticket price for the boat party includes your Puschel for the Puschelalarm - and of course free entry to the big harbour party.
The official afterparty for CSD on the Spree starts at 9 pm in the Osthafen harbour. In addition to two floors, you can expect a food court and plenty of outdoor bars in the garden. Party tickets for landlubbers are available online at Canalpride - also as a combination ticket for the big harbour party plus Chantal's House of Shame.
When: 25 July
Where: various locations on the Spree
Tip 6: Ensure more visibility at the Dyke* March Berlin
Traditionally, the scene meets on the evening before Christopher Street Day for the Dyke* March, in 2024 even for the eleventh time! The aim is to increase lesbian visibility, but the community also speaks out against hate and for more support for trans*people. Everyone who is part of the lesbian community or wants to support it is welcome. After the circular march through the city, it goes back to the official closing party from 8 pm in the Ritter Butzke.
When: 26. July, 6pm
Where: Start at Karl-Marx-Platz Neukölln
Tip 7: Dance the night away at Girls Town - The official Flinta* Pride Party
In addition to the official Berlin Pride Main Party, the FLINTA Community invites you to dance the night away on Christopher Street Day. Pop, house, hip hop, Afropop and RnB will be played. AMARI (Ministry of Sound), Caren Callas (paracou), the Lockereasy DJ team, Ployceebell, Mev from Vienna and Mala will be on the turntables on three floors. You can cool off in the Haubentaucher pool. So bring your bathing suite!
Also on 27 July. July, the Lesbian & Flinta Pride Party will be celebrated at Festsaal Kreuzberg.
When: 27. July Saturday, 8 - 5 pm
Where: Haubentaucher, Revalerstraße 99, Friedrichshain
Tip 8: Head to the park for the LesBiSchwulen Parkfest
Pack up your dog, friends and picnic blankets and enjoy a day in the park. Since 1998, the organisers of the LesBiSchwule Parkfest have been inviting the community to celebrate and chill out together in the Volkspark Friedrichshain. Here you can find out about lesbian and gay life in Berlin at numerous stands, exchange ideas with others or simply enjoy the colourful programme.
When: 10 August
Where: Volkspark Friedrichshain (grounds of the open-air cinema), Friedrichshain
Tip 9: Lesbian-gay city festival
Many of you will also know the city festival under the name Motzstraßenfest. For the 30th time, Nollendorfplatz will be transformed into a colourful festival world, where lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender projects, associations and organisations present themselves and invite you to exchange ideas and celebrate together under the patronage of the Rainbow Fund. Under the motto Equal rights for unequal people - worldwide! , you can expect shows and talks on six main stages, such as "The Wild Sofa", various themed worlds on film, radio, sport, politics, wellness and health, as well as the Positive World. As always, admission is free.
When: Saturday, 20 July 11am - midnight & Sunday, 21. July 11am - 10pm
Where: Around the Nollendorfplatz, Schöneberg
Lesbisch-Schwules Stadtfest
Tip 10: Boylesque Drag Festival
At what is probably Germany's most colourful burlesque festival, the spotlight is on playing with gender roles. Over 35 drag artists, cabaret icons, acrobats and performance artists from all over the world present their skills over three evenings - and the glittering runway looks that go with them. Look forward to drag kings, queens and non-binary superstars in glittering runway looks who winkingly cross gender boundaries in their performances. The Boylesque Drag Festival is presented by Berlin's only part-time rockabella and burlesque fashionista Sheila Wolf.
When: 26 & 27. July from 8 pm
Where: Potsdamer Straße 96, Tiergarten
Tip 11: SchwuZ - Berlins oldest queer club
Make sure to pay a visit to the oldest queer club in Germany. At SchwuZ in Neukölln, up to 1,400 guests celebrate the rainbow side of Berlin, themselves and, above all, the lust for life. The club is open almost every night and also hosts some special events during Pride Month:
When: 11 July, 7 pm Pepsi Boston Bar, 17 July, 7 pm Dykes gone wild. July, 7 pm Dykes gone wild
Where: Schwuz, Rollbergstr. 26, Neukölln
