Pride parade returns to Prague after three-year absence

The annual Prague Pride parade will officially return to the Czech capital this year after two years of cancellations, festival organizers have confirmed on their website. This year's parade will take place on Saturday, August 13, as a culmination of the week-long Prague Pride festival.

An annual LGBT+ pride festival, Prague Pride has taken place annually since 2011, with a growing number of visitors taking part in the celebrations every year through 2019. In 2020 and 2021, however, the festival was held in a limited edition without the pride parade due to the pandemic and related restrictions.

This year's festival will take place in full from August 8-14, 2022, with the return of the Saturday parade officially confirmed.

"The Saturday parade will finally be staged," festival director Tom Bílý says. "We are now defining its exact shape."

Bílý added that the organizers are striving to achieve better accessibility during the pride parade and associated events at this year's festival, as well as focusing on sustainability and environmental-friendly approach.

According to information provided by the City of Prague, who have approved this year's event, the pride parade should begin at Wenceslas Square on Saturday, August 13. Participants are expected to start gathering at the central Prague square from 11:30 a.m., and begin a three-kilometer march through the city from 1:00 p.m.

The parade route should see participants march from Wenceslas Square to Old Town Square, down Pařížská street and across the Vltava river, and finally up the hill towards Letná park.

Organizers will provide transportation options for those with mobility issues, as well as parents with strollers. They estimate that around 20,000 people will take part in this year's pride parade.

In addition to the Saturday parade, this year's Prague Pride festival will include more than a hundred supporting events throughout the preceding week, including concerts, debates, and theatrical performances.

"The festival gives people an opportunity to be themselves regardless of their sexual orientation and gender identity, and provides a safe environment for this to them," the organizers add.

"The festival also actively creates space for society at large to learn about LGBT+ people and accept and respect them in their diversity."

The Prague Pride festival drew its biggest attendance in 2018, with the participation of an estimated 92,000 people. In 2019, it saw 75,000 visitors, while about 30,000 people took part in the parade. The festival took place online-only in 2020, while only a limited number of events were staged last year.

More information about this year's Prague Pride can be found at the official festival website.