Oh, the weather outside is frightful, but our Pride remains delightful.
From the various gay ski weeks to winter-embracing events around the world, the LGBTQ+ community is not one to hibernate. Perfectly timed as Denmark became the first country in the European Union to remove domestic Covid-19 restrictions this month, Copenhagen Winter Pride will once again welcome the world to the Danish capital from February 21 to 26.
Under the theme of “Sustainability,” this year’s programming will focus on human rights and cultural programs, with a healthy dose of performances and parties. According to Copenhagen Pride’s HeartCore Magazine, the theme is “meant to be a starting point of dialogue, debate and further thought–both on how we can contribute to the fight for a greener planet, but also how we create and support sustainable communities.”
Related: Copenhagen Hosts World Pride
Copenhagen is no stranger to combining festivities with activism. Last August, the city hosted Copenhagen 2021: the joint celebration of World Pride and EuroGames, which expanded from Copenhagen, Denmark to neighboring Malmö, Sweden.
This year’s Winter Pride includes forums and discussions on mental health, the asylum system, chemsex and trans rights. Dedicated to celebrating with our diverse community, the official events also include parties without alcohol, porn-embracing events, a workshop designed to explore “the wonders of our vulva” (open to all genders with a vulva/vagina), drag nights, comedy performances and even a talk on Danish queer history, based on Bøssernes Danmarkshistorie, the recently published book by drag queen/historian Chantal al Arab and Lars Henriksen, the Political Officer of Copenhagen Pride.
Related: Denmark’s Drag Queens Combine Performance with Activism
Visitors can expect a more intimate experience than World Pride. “You will find that Winter Pride is a smaller festival, however it still keeps a clear focus on human rights and LGBTI+ culture. Due to COVID a lot of the events will be produced in a hybrid format that combines a live audience with online streaming. This allows everybody to participate regardless of their comfort level during the pandemic. An added bonus is that events open up for people in other regions as well as a younger audience, who may not yet be ready to be seen in the community,” says Chantal.
You can also expect warm fuzzies and fun, according to the event organizers: “Winter Pride is all about creating light in a dark time… Critical and political dialogue is important but we also need experiences that will warm our hearts in the cold winter.”
And, of course, the week will end with the Official Winter Pride Week Afterparty on Saturday, February 26… so save some energy for a final dance.
