Three days, three themes, and tons of activities
A three-day celebration will close out PrideFestival, which has been going strong since 1 May. A whole bunch of activities are planned for 14-16 May in Brussels in honour of Pride.be’s 20th anniversary. The must-see PrideParade will be enhanced with three days of activities, nightlife, workshops, and guided tours celebrating the LGBT community.
14 May 2015, Gender@Pride: variations on gender “norms”
Gender@Pride will be focusing on different approaches to gender(-identities).
Via workshops, talks and even makeovers, groups of women, transvestites and transgender, intersex and queer people will be given the chance to offer their take on gender issues and introduce this world to the general public.
Beursschouwburg will host a queer recital showcasing classical music played by queer musicians from the Antwerp Queer Festival. In addition, Greta, an independent young woman raised as a boy by her father will be on hand to share her story. A voguing workshop to teach participants how to pose and dance like Vogue magazine models is scheduled as well, not to mention a display by the VrouwenOverlegKomitee (Women’s Consultation Committee).
At the Brussels Marriott Hotel the focus will be on well-being and neck, foot, or shoulder massage. This time of relaxation will be accompanied by the telling of stories about women. The hotel will also host a masculinisation/feminisation workshop, using clothing, make-up, body language, and role-play, to deconstruct the stereotypes usually labelled as “masculine” and “feminine”.
Club La Vilaine will feature a Self Defence for Trans Individuals course and a Self Defence Course for Lesbians. After that, the club will welcome Vrouwenraad with the film ‘Language, Gender & Sex’.
15 May 2015, Pride@TheCity: Brussels in all the colours of the rainbow
Pride.be has been taking place in Brussels for 20 years. But this year, the concept takes things one step further: With Follow The Rainbow, Brussels becomes Pride! A rainbow ride is offered throughout the city and landmark buildings will be decorated in the colours of the day. Following suit, lots of the event’s partners throughout the city (Beursschouwburg, Kunstenfestivaldesarts, La Monnaie, shops, The AB, etc.) will be opening their doors and putting on activities in the run-up to the Parade@Pride.
Guided Rainbow Tours
For this year’s event, visit.brussels proposes its virtually one-of-a-kind free guided tours. The sociologist Mariane Lens will sketch a portrait of Brussels through unusual anecdotes and noteworthy events from the city’s LGBT history. From Royal Park to the Royal Galleries and the Mont des Arts, this stroll will shed light on forgotten chapters of the Region’s political, social, and cultural history.
The 20-50-20 Birthday Party
The Rue Orts StreetParty will be filled with gifts, candles, and cake on the evening of 15 May. That’s because Brussels has some important birthdays to celebrate that night: Pride.be and the KunstenFestivalDesArts (Arts Festival) have earned their 20th candle, while Beursschouwburg has reached the half-century mark.
16 May 2015, Parade@Pride: The Grand Finale
The unmissable parade of Pride.be that winds its way through the city centre is without a doubt the highlight of the festival. Associations, political parties, supporters and retailers will join forces to express their enthusiasm for the message of Pride.be, while the festive PrideVillage will fill the area around the Bourse.
From noon to midnight, PrideVillage will occupy the area around the Bourse and along Rue du Midi. The PrideParade steps off at 2:00 PM, when the crowd will follow the rainbow flag and march amid the floats and performing groups. All of this will be followed with festive music courtesy of PridePodium’s DJs who will liven things up from 3:30 PM on.