Gay Pride Reykjavik Iceland

Gay Pride in Reykjavik takes place 4-7 August this year. It is an amazing festival enjoyed by hundreds of gay and 50.000 non-gay people. 

The Gay Parade in Reykjavik takes place on Saturday and starts from the BSI long distance bus station for the first time. The reason why the parade does not start at the top of Laugavegur, Reykjavik's main shopping street, is because the procession has become too big and floats have become too many and too large for the small street.

Participants in the Gay Parade spend days, even weeks and months, preparing for the event. Dressed in colourful and often shiny and glittering outfits they dance to the music rhythm played on a mobile music system carried on several floats.

Gay Prime minister Johanna Sigurdardottir, Prime minister in Iceland since May 2009 and the first openly gay Prime minister in the world, proposed a bill for same sex marriages in Iceland. The law took effect in 2010.

Reykjavik Bike Tours

Gay Iceland

Iceland is an incredibly gay-friendly destination. The locals are relaxed and friendly and gay visitors are always given a warm welcome.

Reykjavik Gay Pride takes place 4-7 August 2011. If you are too late to book a flight to this chilled out capital, visitors can still enjoy a lavender-tinged ambience at Trúnó, the only gay café in the capital. Trúnó is a friendly, laid-back café with tiny library of queer literature, easy listening background music and lilac walls. The charming Norwegian waitress told me that the word ‘trúnó’ translates as ‘when you sit down and have a heart to heart with somebody and tell your deepest secrets...’

The fabulous nightclub, Barbara, is next door, and you can’t miss it with its bright pink walls and rainbow flags everywhere. Start the evening with a cocktail at Trúnó then party late into the next morning with Barbara.

Original article by Lucy Mallows - Gay Iceland

Gay pride Reykjavik Iceland 5-8 August 2010

Gay Pride in Reykjavik Iceland is getting closer. Páll Óskar Hjálmtýsson - Paul Oscar - and Haffi Haff made a warm up with a joint performance over the week-end. This fabulous event that takes place once a year is expected to draw a crowd of about 80.000 this year.

Gay Pride Reykjavik Iceland starts 5 August and lasts until 8 August 2010.

Here is a sample of what goes on during the parade.

Gay Pride Reykjavik Iceland – same sex marriage

Same-sex marriage is legal in Iceland. The bill was accepted by the Alþingi (Icelandic Parliament) 11 June 2010 and came into effect 27 June 2010. Iceland is the ninth country in the world to publicly allow same-sex marriages.

Iceland's Prime Minister, Ms Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir who is the world's first openly gay PM in the world, got married to her long time companion 27 June.

In August the greatest party in Reykjavik takes place. Some 80.000 people are expected at the Gay Pride Parade on Laugavegur street.

The popularity of the event has grown tremendously since its inception – from 1.500 to 80.000 expected in 2010.

The party starts Thursday 5 August and lasts until Sunday 8 August.

Elding Whale Watching offers a Queer Cruise Friday 6 August at 21:30. Admission is ISK 1.500. Look for the Elding Whale Watching ticket booth next to Reykjavik Bike Tours, down by the Old Harbour.