- The Lambda collective calls the demonstration for Saturday, June 20, officially distancing itself from the Gay Games.
- Under the slogan “Pels teus dret: Act!”, the loss of rights due to the policies of PP and Vox is denounced.
- The organization cancels the subsequent celebration due to the lack of signing of the municipal agreement by the City Council.
Lambda, the leading group for sexual diversity in the city, has announced today, May 7, 2026, that the LGTBIAQ+ Pride demonstration in València will be held on June 20. The call seeks to mobilize citizens against the threat of setbacks in social rights and fundamental freedoms.
An LGTBIAQ+ València Pride marked by the break with the Gay Games
The decision to set the date of LGTBIAQ+ Pride València for June 20 is not coincidental. Lambda has clearly expressed its intention to completely separate itself from the Gay Games. The city’s groups have shown a frontal rejection of this sporting event since the modification of the Valencian Trans Law, considering that the current political context is not compatible with a celebration of such magnitude.
Fran Fernandez, general coordinator of Lambda, has stressed that this year’s motto, «Pels teus dret: Act!», is a direct call to resistance. According to Fernández, it is imperative to take action against the management of the Popular Party and Vox, formations that, in the opinion of the group, have expressed in various ways their willingness to undermine the achievements achieved by the LGTBIAQ+ community after decades of struggle.
The mobilization of June 20 is thus emerging as an act of political protest rather than a festive celebration. Social entities and allied individuals are called to occupy the streets in a context of growing reactionary pressure, remembering that legislative advances are not irreversible and require constant vigilance on the part of civil society.
The official holiday canceled due to lack of municipal agreement
One of the most shocking news of this call is the cancellation of the party after the demonstration. Lambda has made this drastic decision because the Valencia City Council, led by María José Catalá, has not signed the necessary collaboration agreement. This agreement not only affects Pride, but is vital for the care of vulnerable people throughout the year.
Although the group has been requesting a meeting with Councilor Rocío Gil since last February, the meeting has not resulted in a real solution. Although a favorable technical communication was received in April, the signature remains blocked. According to Fernández, the councilor even stated in a tense meeting that “it cannot be that you come to ask for money and then criticize us”, mixing institutional management with legitimate political criticism.
This unjustified delay in the signing of the Social Emergency agreement means, according to Lambda, leaving dozens of families helpless for half a year. The group refuses to allow the City Council to use the Pride festival as a “whitewashing” tool while basic assistance resources for dissidents remain blocked.
Resistance in LGTBIAQ+ premises and details of the march
In the absence of a municipal festival infrastructure, Lambda has announced that, after the June 20 demonstration, participants will take refuge in the city’s LGTBIAQ+ venues, as was traditionally done. This return to origins seeks to strengthen the community fabric in the face of what they consider to be institutional abandonment by the Valencian council.
The organization has confirmed that during the coming weeks of June all the technical details of the day will be announced. This includes the final route through the streets of the center of València, the start time and the list of social entities that have adhered to this year’s manifesto. The expectation of attendance is high, given the current political tension.
LGTBIAQ+ Pride València will once again be a central event to make gender, sexual and family dissidence visible. The message is clear: collective mobilization is the only tool capable of stopping any attempt to return to the past. In a Valencia that claims to be diverse and proud, the June 20 event becomes a test for the democratic health of the city.
