Happy pride month my travelers! Unfortunately, there are no parades this year due to the pandemic, but I still want to honor the month and speak about the past pride experiences I have had. I have been to pride in New York, London, and Philadelphia. Here are some of my experiences, tips, and comparisons of each pride parade. I hope you enjoy! Please comment if you want to see anything else.
New York City
New York, New York. What a great place to be. This actually was the first place I have ever seen a pride parade. I was only 11 years old, visiting my grandmother for the summer. She took me to the parade and I was mesmerized. The floats and costumes captured my attention. Additionally, the pure joy from celebrating our sexuality was euphoric. Thus, beginning my own journey in accepting my own sexual orientation. Thankfully, I was able to visit the parade again recently (in 2019) and it was exactly the same. New York City parade is one of the biggest parades. The streets are so full that people were participating from their balcony.
TIP: Know where to rest. With all of the commotion of the parade, it's hard to keep up. I would definitely pick a park along the route of the parade where you can take a little breather.
London
The pride parade in London of 2019 happened to fall on the hottest day of the year. But the heat made the costumes THAT much sexier. The parade in London was about the same size as the New York parade, as the streets were filled to the maxim capacity. Every building and store that supported the LGBTQ community had special rainbow decorations. Throughout the parade route, there were free concerts to entertain everybody and the energy was fantastic.
TIP: DRESS UP. My biggest regret going to the Pride was not taking advantage of wearing a fun outfit. Most people at this parade have some sort of costume. Anything from rainbow bikinis and tutus to gold pants and wings. Express your pride through a fun outfit.
Philadelphia
As a resident of Philadelphia, I had to include this in my list, even though it is not one of the biggest parades. However, it still was a great experience. In downtown Philadelphia, right by Penns Landing is where most of the action took place. You would see some people dressed up, but not a lot. There are concerts and bar events you can go to, but most of them have an entry price. Right across from Penns Landing, there was a small carnival-type gathering. There was rollerblading, mini-golf, and Ferris wheel amongst other games directed towards children. In the Third picture above you can get a glimpse of the Ferris wheel and the rollerblading rink. I love that in Philadelphia some building will show their pride colors (picture above).
TIP: Even as a resident of Philadelphia, I was unaware they were putting on a Pride event. They do not do a lot of advertising. So make sure you do your research to find out when and where it will be.
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