The massive Benidorm Pride parade fills the city with color and fun

Several thousand people once again filled the streets and avenues of the Benidorm Pride parade this Saturday, the largest in living memory. From the start on Ametlla de Mar Avenue to the arrival at the Julio Iglesias Auditorium, thousands of people followed the fun, lively, and colourful parade organised for the occasion. It featured 18 floats and hundreds of participants who accompanied the caravan, either in groups or individually, dressed in all kinds of costumes.

It was the central event of Benidorm Pride, a week-long celebration organised by the LGBTIQ+ community that marks the culmination of Europe's most important Pride weeks. Rainbow flags, costumes, floats, trucks, and many people walking and dancing showcased the diverse and welcoming side of Benidorm, a European benchmark for LGBTIQ+ tourism.

In fact, the organisers, the City Council, and Visit Benidorm have estimated that more than 20,000 people have come to the city specifically to experience these days of celebration and protest. The majority of the visitors came from the United Kingdom, as seen along the route and in the days leading up to it, but also from other parts of Spain and Europe.

The parade started from the intersection of Ametlla de Mar and Paseo de Levante and proceeded along the beachfront to Avenida Europa, where it turned onto Avenida del Mediterráneo toward Plaza de la Hispanidad, Avenida de l'Aigüera, and then reached the Julio Iglesias Amphitheatre, where the festivities continued.