All events in Utrecht
Pride in Utrecht
Utrecht's Canal Pride exists because a boat didn't make it into Amsterdam's. A gay bar owner couldn't get his into the Canal Parade - so he started his own.
Find eventsAsk Mood
Nothing on right now
Pride events cluster in the summer, but every city sets its own dates - Utrecht often runs its march and its parties a month apart from the next city on this list.
LGBTQ+ Friendly in other cities
Pride in Utrecht
The first edition was held in 2017, on the initiative of Robbert Kalff, owner of the gay bar Kalff, after his boat could not take part in Amsterdam's Canal Parade. Rather than wait a year, he organised a parade on his own city's canals. That first time, 25 boats took part and around 20,000 people watched. In more recent editions the boats have passed 50, and the route runs along the Singel and the Oudegracht.
The Oudegracht is what makes Utrecht's parade look unlike any other on the water: it is the only major canal in the Netherlands with wharves at water level, the old merchants' cellars beneath the street now turned into cafés and bars. People stand on the bridges and down beside the boats alike, so the distance between the crowd and the parade is far smaller than in Amsterdam. The city is smaller and full of students, and its queer scene runs year-round in bars around the centre. The list here shows LGBTQ+ friendly events as a whole and not only the day of the parade.
Common questions
How did Utrecht Canal Pride start?+
In 2017, when Robbert Kalff, owner of the gay bar Kalff, could not get his boat into Amsterdam's Canal Parade and organised his own in Utrecht. The first had 25 boats and around 20,000 spectators.
Where does the parade go?+
Along the Singel and the Oudegracht. The Oudegracht has wharves at water level, so the crowd watches from very close - from the bridges and from beside the boats.