Celebrate Pride in Scandinavia

Aarhus, June 1 

For a truly concentrated Pride experience, the Danish city of Aarhus is the perfect solution as it all happens in one day. Here, you first take part in the parade, whose explicit purpose is to celebrate the progress of LGBTQ people in Denmark, and then hang out in the Pride Lounge for music, drinks, and socializing. In the evening, the official Pride party goes on until the early hours of the morning.

Oslo Pride, June 21–29 

Oslo Pride is held in the Norwegian capital between June 21 and 29. The huge festival celebration takes place in Pride Park with everything from culture, debates, and politics to concerts, dance, and art on the agenda—and it’s a real people’s party as it’s free for everyone! 2024 also marks the 50th anniversary of the first Pride celebration in Oslo, something that will be particularly prominent at Pride House.

Malmö Pride, July 3–6 

Malmö, Sweden’s third-largest city, hosts one of Sweden’s most vibrant Pride celebrations in early July when many Swedes are on vacation. Activities range from trance poetry to drag, sexual politics workshops, and artist performances. Best of all, almost everything is free—pretty much only the closing party has an admission fee—making Malmö Pride one of the more inclusive LGBTQ events in Scandinavia.

Stockholm, July 31–August 3

Stockholm Pride is celebrated between July 31 and August 3, and since 1998, it has been the largest Pride festival in the Nordic region. Tickets are available for the festival, which takes place in Pride Park, where people gather for concerts, workshops, and activities. Don’t miss the hugely popular Schlager night! Finish the week by joining the big Pride Parade, which flows through the city on Saturday and is a real crowd-pleaser. 

You can also take part in festive events at other LGBTQ-friendly venues in the city, such as the restaurant Mälarpaviljongen, or Patricia club, to name a few (keep an eye on the organizers’ websites for updates and events!). A popular event is the traditional Underklädesfesten, which is open to everyone.

Copenhagen Pride, August 10–18 

Since 1996 (the year the city hosted EuroPride), Copenhagen Pride has been one of Scandinavia’s biggest pride celebrations. Most of the festivities take place in Rådhusplatsen, where you can enjoy everything from queer cultural activities to panel discussions, the legendary Drag Night, and famous international artists who brighten up the final evening on the main stage. The parade is the obvious conclusion, and it takes place on the last Saturday, with 35,000 people participating and hundreds of thousands lining the streets to catch a glimpse.

Copenhagen has great nightlife, and during Pride week there are of course a whole host of parties. In the spirit of Danish libertarianism, we particularly recommend checking out the various events at the fetish club SLM, such as their evening dedicated to the bear community. 

Tromsø, November 11–17

The annual Arctic Pride LGBTQ festival takes place between November 11 and 17 in the small, coastal Arctic city of Tromsø. The whole city comes together to celebrate acceptance and inclusion through art experiences, talks, parties, and activities for a few days in November, ending with a huge parade through the snow-covered city—a Pride celebration like no other!

Text by Daniel Björk