15,000 attendees in the 9th edition of Benidorm Pride Festival; a whole week of parties

The Councilor for Events and Festivities, Jesús Carrobles, said this morning, in the presentation of the 9th Edition of the Benidorm Pride Festival, “how consolidated it is” and how important it is for Benidorm's tourist activity to host a party these days "Open to all and that is integrated into the tourist calendar with great media impact", thanking the local business for its involvement with this event.

The organizers, Jeff Garland and Santos Torres, have stressed the importance it has for the Old Town of Benidorm, "which starts today with the theme parties, which will continue throughout the week" and that, although in its official programming it takes place between on September 2 and 8, "the British collective, especially, extends their stay in Benidorm until September 20 or 25".

The inaugural party, the Showtime Gala, will take place on Wednesday 4 at the Óscar Esplá Auditorium, a new space where some of the scheduled parties arrive because their usual stages are under construction. Carrobles said that "we have made virtue of a problem and Oscar Espá fully satisfies the organizers, with whom it has been very easy to work." On Thursday 5 the White Party arrives on the same stage and previously, in the Alameda, a ‘heel race’ will be held.

The main part of the Benidorm Pride Festival will take place over the weekend. On Friday 6, the morning Pool Party followed by the Supermatxé Black Editión at the Julio Iglesias Auditorium; on Saturday 7, the expected parade of floats, The Parade, which will departure at five in the afternoon from Rincón de Loix through Levante Beach to Parque de l'Aigüera, with more than 20 floats and entertainment, and the party 'Kluster' in Penelope Disco, closing the program on Sunday 8 the Supermatxé Superman party, again in Oscar Esplá Auditorium.

The organizers have highlighted “the amount of artistic talent that Benidorm hosts in its shows and venues” that add to the Benidorm Pride Festival shows as guest artists, as well as other novelties of this ninth edition such as the Point of Sexual Health, assisted by volunteers from associations and healthcare professionals for rapid HIV consultations and tests, and Benidorm Pride Festival app, for Android and iOS.

Santos Martín and Jeff Garland thanked the involvement of Benidorm City Council and especially Visit Benidorm - "the work with its influencers is great" - and the Department of Events and Equality.

Finally they pointed out the evolution that the Benidorm Pride Festival has had, which began with just over three hundred attendees and already in its ninth edition provides for an attendance of 15,000 people, as well as in terms of nationalities: we have gone from a 90-10 ratio in favor of assistants of other nationalities to a 60-40; “Spaniards come more and more; but in the percentage of visitors from abroad, the British account for 70%. ” The role of social networks and Visit Benidorm has been transcendent in this: "from New York or from Russia there are many people who have never been to Benidorm."