Pride in Gloucestershire has been announced as potential host of EuroPride 2027, joining Torino Pride, Baltic Pride Vilnius and Torremolinos Pride.
EuroPride, which began in London in 1992, gives special focus to one Pride event each year and can attract hundreds of thousands of visitors to the parade, concert, human rights debates and social activities. This year’s EuroPride is taking place in Thessaloniki, Greece, from 21-29 June, and next year Lisbon will host. In 2026 Amsterdam will host WorldPride, and is also designated EuroPride the same year.
Lenny Emson, President of the European Pride Organisers Association which licences EuroPride, said: “With the increase in right-wing and far-right governments and politicians across Europe, Pride events are becoming ever more important as an opportunity for the LGBTQ+ community to come together and show their strength in numbers and togetherness. EuroPride continues to grow in importance and as a stand against the weaponisation of LGBTQ+ rights in politics wherever it takes place.
“The variety and diversity in the organisations bidding for EuroPride 2027 is a wonderful expression of the variations of the Pride movement in Europe. We have a very rural Pride, a Pride in a very touristic city, a Pride in a famously historic city, and a Pride in a former Soviet-occupied country: we have a lot to consider and a lot to choose from!”
Richard Stevens, Chairperson of Pride in Gloucestershire, said: “2027 will mark 15 years since EuroPride was last held in the UK. The UK, once known for its strong LGBTQ+ credentials has seen a continuous decline in not only its international standing but also community confidence and fear from a rise in hate crime and creeping influence of extremists.
“With Gloucestershire’s reputation for hosting world-class events coupled with our reputation for being inclusive and community-focused, across a whole region, we feel that we will be able to deliver a EuroPride with impact that empowers the LGBTQ+ community not just in the UK but across the whole of Europe”.
Candidate organisations now have around five months to complete their bids before submitting them to the European Pride Organisers Association. They will be published on Friday, 6 September with the voting and announcement of the winner due to take place on Saturday, 2 November in Porto, Portugal.
