Madrid claims to have put on the largest gay pride
celebration in Europe.
“I came because I was told it is the biggest Gay Pride parade, and that’s true,” said Christophe Probst, 47, a Frenchman who came from Paris for the party. “It’s fantastic. The whole city gets involved. There is nothing else like it.” The festival kicked off on Wednesday night with an open air appearance by Conchita Wurst, the bearded Austrian transvestite who won the Eurovision song contest in May. That was followed on Thursday by an annual highlight of the festival: men in high heels and dresses raced on foot through Madrid’s gay district, Chueca, cheered on by crowds. Wurst sang on Friday evening alongside various Spanish stars at a concert in the Vicente Calderon stadium, home to Atletico Madrid football club. Organisers call it the biggest pride party in Europe.
In the second clip below, Conchita Wurst performs with Ruth Lorenzo, Spain's 2014 Eurovision contestant.
Labels: Europe, gay Pride, Madrid, Spain
