Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Stockholm Pride

Pride in Stockholm was a whole week long event with lectures, movies, and parties at night. I just love when the buses have flags and in Sweden they have flags for Swedish holidays, EU holidays, the royal family's birthdays, and apparently for Pride too. I was soo excited that the buses were sporting rainbow flags all week. It's the little things in life.
The only event Dale and I went to though, was the parade. The Stockholm Pride Parade is supposedly the largest event in Scandinavia. It was definitely the most people we had ever seen in Stockholm. Just before the parade began people walked the parade route selling coffee from a dispenser on their backs in case you need your coffee fix while watching the parade, you are covered here. They love coffee so much! It is pretty obvious that Scandinavians are the highest consumers of coffee in the world (and after surviving a winter here I know why).
What surprised me the most about the parade was that it was very political. It was mostly made up of different political groups marching to express their beliefs.
And of course they hauled people around in garbage trucks. If there is one thing I've learned in Sweden, it's that they think it's really fun to haul a group of people around in the back of a truck. In May when the high schoolers graduate they ride around in the trucks as a tradition. It's pretty silly I think but they all seem to be having fun so that's good.
Of course, there was some of the more American pride parade festivities like dressing up crazy and having a good time. But in my opinion there wasn't enough of that. Of course, I was first introduced to pride parade's in the Mecca of pride parades - San Francisco.
I don't know if it's really the largest event in Scandinavia but it was a lot of people!
Love Always,
Matilda

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