Benidorm, ready for a Pride that will attract 20,000 people and that complements its leisure offer with cultural activities

Benidorm Pride is preparing for a new edition that will attract around 20,000 people to the city from 2 to 9 September and, as a novelty, will complete its recreational and protest aspect with cultural activities. This was announced today by the Councillor for Equality, Ángela Zaragozí; the Councillor for Events, Jesús Carrobles; and Santos Torres, from the Benidorm LGBT Tourism Association, in a press conference in which they presented the programme for this edition in which “synergies with local businesses” have been generated. Thus, a large part of the planned parties will take place in leisure venues, nightclubs and hotels in the city.

The Councillor for Events has pointed out that after last year's experience, the Benidorm Fest will once again be present at the Pride with a float in the Parade and also with performances by some of the artists who have participated in the event such as Jorge González, the first of the confirmed names and to whom more will be added in the coming days.

Carrobles has highlighted that the presence of more Spanish artists is expected to favour the increase in the national public, in a Pride that in previous editions has had a clear predominance of international attendees, mainly from the United Kingdom. He also stressed that the Benidorm Pride "is in the league" of the Pride festivals in Spain "at a first level", closing the European calendar and gaining "in quality" year after year.

Regarding the Parade, the parade scheduled for the afternoon of Saturday 7th, Carrobles and Torres have advanced that "there will be more than 20 floats and a variety of vehicles, increasing the participation of previous years". A parade that will follow the route of previous editions, leaving at 5:00 p.m. from Rincón de Loix and going along Paseo de Levante and the Mediterráneo and l’Aigüera avenues until reaching the Julio Iglesias auditorium. After the Parade, and in the same auditorium, it will be the turn of the ‘Main Stage’ party.

The secretary of the LGBT Tourism Association has explained that these two parties will be joined in the previous days by the ‘White Party’, also in the Julio Iglesias auditorium; the ‘Pool Party’, in the Marina Resort Hotel; and the ‘Queen of the palace’ in Ku Lounge Café. On the same Saturday, after the ‘Main Stage’, it will be the turn of the ‘Kluster Afterparty’ at Penélope Benidorm; while the ‘Closing Party’ will move to the Óscar Esplá amphitheatre in the Parque de l’Aigüera. In addition, and as usual, there will be daily parties in the LGBT venues in the Old Town.

Regarding the cultural agenda for Pride, Torres said that this “enriches us a lot” and is “the finishing touch, what was missing” for this celebration. The cultural agenda has been designed by the Department of Equality and includes an exhibition and a film series.

Thus, on Monday 2nd at noon the exhibition ‘Voices’ by ‘El chico llama’, the artistic name of the illustrator Javier Navarrete, will be inaugurated. The Councillor for Equality has detailed that this exhibition is “very interesting” since in it “you can find characters from the world of culture, sport or politics” recognised for their “professional career and their contribution to the LGBT community”.

Zaragozí has ​​detailed that ‘Voices’ presents “a non-traditional format”, since the illustrations are printed on ‘roll-ups’, and has informed that the exhibition can be visited during the whole week of Pride in the afternoon in the exhibition hall of the Casa del Fester.

As for the ‘Cine con Orgullo’ cycle, it will take place on Wednesday 4th at 8:00 pm in the Town Hall’s Assembly Hall, where the documentary film ‘Pride’ and the short film ‘Muerta en la Bañera’ by Juan Dresán will be screened. Precisely Dresán, a regular attendee of Benidorm Pride, will be awarded the ‘LGBT Tolerance Award’ in this edition.

Regarding the organisation and development of Pride, the representative of the Benidorm LGBT Tourism Association has stressed that “it is wonderful to see how Benidorm accepts the collective”, which in the city is “integrated, positioned and, also, supported by the authorities”.
In addition to the Town Hall and the Benidorm LGBT Tourism Association, the Generalitat Valenciana – through its brand Orgull-, Visit Benidorm and the Benidorm Fest are collaborating with this edition of Benidorm Pride. “We believe that the involvement and work of all parties will be reflected in all the events”, Carrobles added.

Program of events

Monday, September 2nd.
Parties are organised by the bars and clubs in the Old Town
Tuesday, September 3rd.
Parties are organised by the bars and clubs in the Old Town
Wednesday, September 4th
‘Queen of the Palace’ Party. Ku Lounge Café. (Tickets are available on Benidorm Pride Festival APP and at the entrance gate).
Parties organised by the bars and clubs in the Old Town
Thursday, September 5th
Pool Party at Primavera Park Hotel (Tickets available on the Benidorm Pride Festival APP and at the entrance gate).
Parties are organised by the bars and clubs in the Old Town.

Friday, September 6th
- 10th Anniversary White Party at the Julio Iglesias Auditorium in Parque de l’Aigüera. (Tickets are available on the Benidorm Pride Festival APP and at the entrance gate)
‘After Party’. Ku Lounge Café.
Parties are organised by the bars and clubs in the Old Town.

Saturday, 7th September
5.00 pm - THE PARADE parade - starts at Rincón de Loix and ends at the Julio Iglesias auditorium.

7.00pm - MAIN STAGE - Julio Iglesias Auditorium in Parque de l’Aigüera.

- ‘Kluster After Party’. Penélope Benidorm.

Parties are organised by the bars and clubs in the Old Town.

Sunday, 10th September
Closing Party’. Óscar Esplá Amphitheatre in Parque de l’Aigüera.
Parties are organised by the bars and clubs in the Old Town.