The countdown has already begun. Benidorm is preparing to experience one of the most colorful and protesting weeks on its calendar: the 15th anniversary of Benidorm Pride, which will be celebrated from September 1 to 7 under the motto “More pride than ever!”.
The arrival of more than 20,000 people is expected, mostly LGTBIQ+ tourists from different corners of Spain and abroad, for an event that will officially close the European pride season. The city of Alicante, which for decades has positioned itself as a key destination for diverse tourism, once again places emphasis on the mix of leisure, culture and activism.
Pride, demand and economic engine
The official announcement was made at City Hall, with the participation of the councilors of Equality and Events, Ángela Zaragozí and Jesús Carrobles, along with Santos Torres, organizer of Pride.
Torres recalled that Benidorm Pride is not just a party: it is also a space for visibility and struggle. “This year we will have more activities, more culture and more meeting spaces,” he noted. In addition, he highlighted that the event is part of an annual calendar that consolidates the city as a reference in LGTBIQ+ tourism.
The Councilor for Events, for his part, focused on the economic impact of this week. “It competes with celebrations in cities with million-dollar budgets, but Benidorm achieves a greater impact,” he stressed. How does a coastal city manage to compete with large capitals? Maybe that’s where the magic of Pride lies: the sum of authenticity, closeness and a privileged setting.
Festive program: from the “Pink Party” to the great Parade
The agenda starts in local bars and clubs the days before, but the main course begins on Wednesday, September 3 with the first official party, the Pink Party in Ku Playa.
On Thursday the 4th there will be a double event: the Pool Party at Marina Resort and the first edition of the Ñ. Divas Party, in the Julio Iglesias auditorium, with 26 artists from the region.
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On Friday the 5th the classic White Party will arrive, also in the auditorium. And the most anticipated moment will be on Saturday, September 6: the great Parade, which will depart at 4:30 p.m. from Rincón de Loix and will travel along Levante beach, Avenida del Mediterráneo and Pont street, until ending at Plaza de SS.MM. the Kings of Spain.
More than 20 floats, costumes, music and guest artists will fill the streets. Among them, Kuve and Kingdom, participants in Benidorm Fest 2025. The day will culminate in the auditorium with the free show Main Stage, with 16 performances starting at 7:30 p.m.
LGTBIQ+ culture and memory
Pride is not limited to parties. The Department of Equality has designed a cultural agenda that seeks to reinforce the message of diversity and inclusion.
Among the proposals stand out:
- Exhibition “An Other History. Valencian Referents of LGTBIQ+ Resistance” (Plaza de SS.MM. los Reyes de España). Three large format cubes with references such as Joan Monleón, Manuela Trasobares or Rampova. Available until September 8.
- Painting exhibition “Visible bodies, art and desire” (Espai d’Art of the City Council, from August 25 to September 12). With works by Alfredo Furiati and Oleksandr Blbyshev, among others.
- Presentation of the book “Ángel meu foteu-me” (September 2, Municipal Library), with a colloquium that includes the historian Ernest Gómez Andujar.
- Screening and debate of the film “Who wants to marry an astronaut?” (September 4).
- Lecture by Manolita Chen (September 5, Casa del Fester). A meeting with the trans artist and businesswoman who marked a before and after in adoption rights in Spain.
A Pride that looks to the future
The 15th Benidorm Pride is not just a party. It is also a reminder of how much progress has been made and how much remains to be done. How to continue reinforcing LGTBIQ+ visibility at a time when hate speech still exists? Perhaps the answer lies in quotes like this one, which combine joy, culture and vindication.
Benidorm reopens its streets to say, loud and clear: diversity is a reason for pride and celebration.
