Revelers gather in the city’s streets to cheer as decorated boats glide through canals and the Amstel River. Amsterdam Pride’s highlight is the much-celebrated Canal Parade. The city’s gay pride festival usually happens on the first weekend of August, with cultural and sports events as well as street parties. In fact, it was the first to legalize same-sex marriage, which took place between two men in Amsterdam. This is probably because the Netherlands is one of the most LGBT-friendly countries on the planet. Unlike many other pride events, Amsterdam Pride didn’t start out as a call for equal rights for LGBT people.
