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Sitges Pride invites visitors to show their “True Colours” as part of their 13th edition!
#sitgelovesyou will run from – June 5th to 9th
More than 45,000 visitors will attend the event in Sitges, Barcelona, Spain, recently rated as one of the “12 best places to celebrate Pride in Europe” by Lonely Planet.
- Sitges Pride returns this June with its theme #sitgeslovesyou, continuing with the message that Sitges has always been a refuge for the LGBTQIA+ community, a welcoming destination for everyone.
- A program of more than 45 acts will perform for free in the open-air “Pride Village” over five nights, right in the heart of Sitges, just 30 minutes from Barcelona.
- Unique cultural events, exhibitions, networking events and conferences will occur in parallel with festive parties during the day and evening.
- World-class tributes to Tina Turner, Black Eyed Peas, BackStreet Boys, Roxette, Raffaella Carrà, Pink, Madonna, Cher, and Abba will take to the stage each night, further strengthening Sitges position as Europe’s number one pride by the Beach.
- Nineteen floats featuring more than 2,000 participants will participate in the main Parade on Sunday, June 9th, from 5 pm.
- In 2023 Sitges Pride contributed over EUR 17 Million to the local economy with hotels reporting over 92% occupancy over the five-day event.
SITGES (BARCELONA) – Today, AFGAL, the organising body for Sitges Pride, unveiled the official program for the 2024 event, which will see over 60 performers take to the main stage during the 5-day festival.
TRIBUTE STARS – LIVE IN CONCERT
The “Pride Village” on the seafront of Sitges Psg Ribera will be the epicenter of the pride celebrations with some of the world’s top tribute stars playing homage to acts such as Tina Turner, Black Eyed Peas, Back Street Boys, Roxette, Raffaella Carrà, Pink, Madonna, Cher and ABBA.
This year Sitges Pride was expecting a special performance by Catalan drag star Jèssica Pulla, but due to a last minute change, Plataforma per la Lengua will be offering a show by Alex Marteen on Friday night, June 7th at 10 pm.
POST PARADE CELEBRATIONS
On Sunday, June 9th, the post-parade party in the Pride Village will once again showcase Sitges as one of the most unique pride events, featuring world-class DJs and five hours of the best music and dancing under the sun.
The 13th Edition celebrations will close with ABBA. Over the past 12 years, Sitges has had more than ten different ABBA tributes, and the show has consistently ranked as one of the most attended events throughout the five days of performances.
This year’s act, “21st Century ABBA,” winners of The National Tribute Music Awards, will bring their unique sound to the Sitges main stage once again. They will be joined by Tanya Alboni’s world-famous tribute to Cher, closing the 13th edition with a spectacular double bill.
DRAG UP YOUR LIFE
Events open on Wednesday with “Drag Up Your Life”, a five-hour feast of the world’s best drag queens featuring a lineup of stars. Top International drag queens performing include Portia De Fosse, Ember, Karla Bear and Mary Mac.
Other performers include KING G, former winner of Sitges Queerfest and Ava Cardo, presented by Boys Bar Sitges.
Comodin, one of the oldest gay bars in Spain, returns as a “Presenting Sponsor” in 2024. A host of Spanish drag queens will perform each night on the main stage.
HIGH HEEL RACE
Last held in 2014, the Sitges High Heel Race makes a welcome return to the Pride Village on Saturday June 8th from 5 pm.
The fiercely competitive event will see more than 50 participants battle it out for pole position during a series of hilarious tasks.
Prizes include a set of Pride VIP passes for Saturday night, EUR 500 in drinks vouchers and the Title of Queen of the Paseo 2024!
Interested participants can pre-register online and high-heels will be provided, or you can wear your own, but they have to be at least 22 cm in height.
THE PARTIES – DAY AND NIGHT
Local gay businesses will host special parties and events throughout the five days of Pride. With more than 25 different gay bars, Sitges has something to suit all tastes, from Broadway musical nights to legendary drag dinner shows, cruising bars, to dance clubs.
Scandal, Sitges late night LGBTQIA+ club will host a series of theme nights running from Wednesday to Sunday, from 1.3 am until 6 am. Friday’s White Night features international DJ Rafa Madrid. Saturday’s Massive Main party INFERNO pays host to queen of the International Circuit Scene, Sharon O’Love.
The Official Sitges Pride App allows visitors to plan their entire night out, showcasing the best events each night. With more than 64,000 downloads, the app is available on both Apple and Google’s App Store.
SHOW YOUR #SITGESTRUECOLOURS
Visitors and locals planning to attend Sitges Pride are invited to showcase their “True Colours” by tagging their favourite Pride themed photo with #sitgestruecolours on Instagram. The most original and unique photos will be shortlisted for a public vote.
The top 10 photos, chosen in a public vote, will win a Pride Superpass for two, giving guests access to all 5 parties in Scandal Nightclub. The winning photo will win a Pride VIP pass for two worth EUR 500. Photos will be displayed on the main stage LED screens throughout the festivities.
THE PARADE – AN ATTRACTION FOR EVERYONE, YOUNG AND OLD, FAMILIES & FRIENDS
The highlight of Sitges Pride is the Parade. The route will make its way across the Sitges Seafront on Sunday, June 9th, at 5 pm. More than 2,000 participants and 19 floats will celebrate “Pride on the Paseo”.
CULTURE, ACTIVISM AND FUNDRAISING AT THE HEART OF SITGES PRIDE
Colors Sitges Link (CSL), a non-profit advocating for the LGTBIQ+ community in Sitges since 2011, announces an exciting lineup of cultural and health activities for Sitges Pride 2024, running from June 3 to 15. Highlights include a week-long marathon of rapid tests for HIV, syphilis, hepatitis C, chlamydia, and gonorrhea, a photographic exhibition titled “Itinerantas: I Live with HIV and…” at the Santiago Rusiñol Library, and various workshops and talks addressing topics like andropause, sexual fantasies, and transgender realities.
Key events also feature talks such as “¿LGTBCé?” by Emilio López and Lluís Rodríguez i Lago, “Trans Realities” with Candy Brightman, and “And you… how do you know you weren’t TRANS?” with Valentina Berr and Gemma Polo. Additionally, CSL will host a Queer poetic vermuteo and a book presentation by Lluís Rodríguez i Lago.
Colors Sitges Link will aslo participate in the Sitges Pride Parade with special guests, Markatú Batucada. Most activities are free, though registration is recommended due to limited spaces. Follow CSL’s social media for updates and possible changes to the schedule.
SPONSOR ACTIVATIONS
Sponsors hosting specific events in the Pride Village this year include Stoli Vodka, Legendario and fashion megabrands ES Collection and ADDICTED.
ADDICTED will host “Love Loud” on Saturday night at 10.30. The event, hosted by International Drag Act Mary Mac, will showcase the best of the brand’s Summer collection in a fun and interactive way! Expect over 20 of the hottest models from Barcelona and beyond, plus some surprises, giveaways and great music.
Stoli Vodka is proud to announce its participation at Sitges Pride, reaffirming its commitment to diversity and inclusion. This year, Stoli will host a tent in the Village where attendees can enjoy makeup sessions and participate in an exciting contest. The winners of the contest will have the opportunity to join a spectacular themed Stoli float, accompanied by their friends. Stoli Vodka celebrates the spirit of PRIDE and is excited to be a part of this vibrant and love-filled event.
Legendario joins the Sitges Pride party with enthusiasm, celebrating diversity and inclusion. Supporting this event is their way of renewing the commitment they maintain with the LGBTIQ+ community, promoting an environment of joy, respect and equality for all. They are proud to be part of an event that inspires people to live authentically and celebrate life in all its diversity. Let the party begin! 🌈
DINE WITH PRIDE – RAINBOW RESTAURANT ROUTE
This year, Sitges Pride together with Gremi d’Hostaleria de Sitges have come together to create a unique new “Rainbow Restaurant Route”, showcasing restaurants that support the event and the collective
Enjoy a delicious lunch or dinner at some of the best restaurants in the Sitges and know that you are supporting local businesses that in turn, support our community and the event.
Inaugural members include Mare Nostrum, La Cantina de Sitges, Mediterranium Sitges, L’Angle D’Adrianna, Parrots Restaurant and Le Patio. Check the official pride website for more details on the route and look out for the official “Supporter Seal” in the windows of participating establishments. It is hoped that more restaurants will join the route as part of a year long promotional event.
DRAG BRUNCH
On Saturday Afternoon, Le Patio Restaurant on Calle Bonaire opens its terrace for an afternoon of bottomless mimosas, live drag shows, sexy strippers and delicious bits as Pride presents its inaugural Sitges Drag Brunch from 1 pm to 4.30 pm. Tickets are limited and are expected to sell out in advance.
ECONOMIC IMPACT
Pride is essential for promoting Sitges’ gay credentials to a world where more and more destinations are competing for LGBTQIA+ tourists.
Sitges Pride is also economically impactful for the town. During Sitges Pride 2023, hotels had a 92% occupancy rate, with 14,038 rooms filled, while apartments saw an 87% occupancy rate with 1,512 rentals.
The average nightly rate was €204 for hotels and €306 for apartments. This generated nightly revenues of about €2.87 million for hotels and €463,000 for apartments. Over the five-day event, the total revenue from accommodation reached approximately €16.65 million.
Based on a 2023 user survey*, visitors spent an average of €98 per day (excluding accommodation). With 40,000 visitors over five days, non-accommodation spending reached approximately €3.93 million.
Combining accommodation and additional spending, Sitges Pride 2023 contributed around €17.25 million to the local economy.
*prepared by GaySitgesGuide/AFGAL/GayTrave4u.
ABOUT SITGES PRIDE
Now in its 13th year, Sitges Pride is ranked as one of the top 5 gay pride events in the world by reports from CNN, Passport Magazine, GayCities, and National Geographic.
Sitges hotels and apartments report an almost 100% occupancy for the event, an especially welcome development after two years of pandemic restrictions.
The top 10 Nationalities of people visiting the Pride in 2023 were: Spain, the United Kingdom, France, Holland, Germany, Switzerland, Ireland, the United States, Italy and Sweden.
SPONSORS
Sitges Pride relies 100% on sponsorship. Its key sponsors include San Miguel, ES Collection, Addicted, Stoli Vodka, Ron Negrita, Coca-Cola, Legendario, Stay Sitges, Parrots Group, GayTravel4u and Gay Sitges Guide.
The event is organised in collaboration with Sitges Tourism via their #sitgesanytime program and Sitges Council.
ABOUT AFGAL
Founded in 2009, AFGAL is a not-for-profit organisation charged with promoting Sitges Pride to the community both in Spain and Internationally.
ABOUT SITGES
Sitges is a reference town for the LGBTQIA+ community, one of its main tourist destinations and one of the most highly regarded for its charm, people, beaches, and its activism. Sitges is a refuge and an example in the fight for the freedoms of the entire community.
Sitges is just 30 minutes from Barcelona and a 15-minute train ride from the International Airport. It is one of the world’s leading international LGBTQIA+ Destinations, and it’s historic charm and unique location have earned it the title “The Jewel of the Mediterranean.”
Visit http://www.gaysitgesguide.com for comprehensive information on the town.
For more information, press only:
ENG – Keith O’Reilly, +34 684 098 417, [email protected]
ES – Nuria Golanó, +34 610 650 721, [email protected]
For more information on Sitges Pride:
Follow our official hashtag #sitgeslovesyou
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