The Celebration of Freedom
Puerto Vallarta is undoubtedly internationally known as the hub of the Gay Pride movement, a movement that has gained tremendous strength in defending freedom and rejecting gender discrimination. But beyond that, the perfect combination of a natural paradise and the friendly attitude of the people of Puerto Vallarta has been the right formula for the "gay" movement to flourish and spread throughout the city.
We could understand "PRIDE" as the celebration of pride or self-love, but it is necessary to clarify because there are other concepts that encompass this word, such as arrogance or ego. "PRIDE" is the happiness of living freely and choosing the path to follow. It goes beyond a sense of belonging; it is pride in the nature of being oneself.
In Puerto Vallarta, since 2013, the biggest LGBTQ+ pride celebration takes place during the last week of May. It includes dances, performances, movies, beach parties, and vibrant festivities, all with the aim of showcasing the world the incredible diversity that exists for finding happiness regardless of one's chosen gender.
This year, the largest celebration kicked off last Thursday with the traditional "Gay Pride March," known as the "Main Parade." In Puerto Vallarta, it traversed the streets of downtown until reaching Old Vallarta, where a stage was set up on the street in front of the oldest "Gay Bar" in Puerto Vallarta. Between two stages, music, celebrities, actors, dancers, and a joyful crowd ready to celebrate, PRIDE Puerto Vallarta 2023 proved to be another successful festival, reaffirming Puerto Vallarta as the ultimate home for the LGBTQ+ community.