BERLIN FINDS: Christopher Street Day
I’ve always wanted to check out the Christopher Street Day (CSD) Parade. When we arrived last year we weren’t able to attend because we were busy trying to lock down and move into a flat. We made sure to go last weekend and I’m so happy that I can now check it off my Berlin bucket list. It was so much fun!
On Christopher Street Day, hundreds of thousands of people demonstrate for the rights of LGBT people with a great parade, colourful floats, and music…. Up to 500,000 people celebrate the CSD in Berlin, which is also known as the biggest gay-lesbian “holiday”.
The Christopher Street Day is held in memory of the first big uprising of homosexuals against police assaults in Greenwich Village (New York, USA) on June 27, 1969. The so-called Stonewall Riots took place in a bar called Stonewall Inn on Christopher Street. In Germany, Christopher Street Day was celebrated in 1979 in Bremen and Berlin for the first time.
I’m only posting a few photos below, and you can find a link to the album with the rest of the photos at the end of this post. Nudity is not such a big deal here in Berlin, however I only posted the tame photos so as not to shock anyone. But I wouldn’t recommend this post to any one who is super conservative or closed-minded.
The parade started in Kurfürstendamm and anyone can dressed up (or not) and joined the parade. The floats each had their own amazing music blasting and their own chillers full of drinks.
The Seattle Men’s Chorus was in town to support the CSD cause and sing at the concert at the end of the parade.
There were many major sponsors like easy jet, daimler and BVG. The BVG bus is yellow of course.
The great thing about Berlin is that despite massive crowds it still feels pretty safe. The police was all over the place and everything was well coordinated. They closed the sections of road just in time for the parade. Ambulances and other medical staff are scattered at intervals ready with stretchers just incase anyone needed it. How cool is that?
When the parade ended the concert began.
I love how they always make sure that all people, even those with special needs, are able to enjoy the different activities in Berlin. When the hosts spoke there was a guy doing sign language for the deaf and also there was a special platform where those in wheel chairs can enjoy the festivities safely and with a nice view.
We were impressed by the many people taking initiative to collect bottles and earn money. This kid even had a shopping cart ready.
See other photographs I took of the event here. Again don’t worry I removed the more extreme pictures.
Expectedly the music was amaze-balls and made everyone want to dance so I wanted to post videos so you could hear it and see the party moving. Unfortunately I am having problems upload videos on youtube so I’ll try to do that on a follow up post. Stay tuned.
Have you ever been to a CSD parade or party? Did you find it shocking or just a bit of good fun?
source: Berlin.de
