Amsterdam Pride Review: What to Expect for 2026

The moment you arrive at Amsterdam Central Station, you instantly feel the city’s Pride spirit. The departure boards shine in rainbow colors, a massive Pride flag hangs at the station building, and even the official NS train app marks “Amsterdam Centraal” with a tiny rainbow icon, making visitors feel genuinely welcomed. Heading towards the city center, the streets are a sea of rainbow flags being displayed from windows, bridges, and streetlights. 

Street parties kick off early, and we started our evening at the Zeedijk street festival. Taking place between Amsterdam’s typical narrow streets, the party felt wonderfully cosy. Small stages with drag shows, DJs, and performers creating an intimate yet vibrant atmosphere. Between sets you can have a bite at the nearby restaurants before heading back into the street festival.

Later, we made our way to Dam Square, home to the Pride main stage and one of the biggest crowds of the weekend. Rain is always a possibility in Amsterdam, and yes, it did also pour when we arrived at Dam Square, but the organizers were prepared. Volunteers handed out pink rain ponchos to everyone, turning the entire square into a glowing pink poncho sea. Bringing an umbrella is still a smart idea, but the rain rewarded us with something even better: An actual rainbow arching behind the square. Seeing a real rainbow during Pride felt just magical.

Dam Square itself is an impressive setting for a Pride concert, framed by grand historic buildings like De Bijenkorf and Madame Tussauds. The performances are always energizing with top-tier acts, dancers, fire effects, and bursts of confetti. Facilities are well organized, plenty of paid toilets, smooth crowd flow, and quick service. Drinks inside the stage area are on the expensive side and come with a cup deposit, but then again, the cup makes a fun little souvenir.

Pride Day and Canal Parade

We arrived back in central Amsterdam around 11 a.m., and even on the train, the excitement was visible. Older couples chatted with us, sharing that they were heading to see the Canal Parade as well. Pride in Amsterdam draws everyone from locals to tourists, across all ages, and the shared anticipation feels uplifting.

Getting to the canals early is essential if you want a good viewing spot. Unless you get lucky with a friend who has a canal-side apartment or a houseboat, securing your place by the water is the best strategy. Bridges offer iconic photo angles, but fill up fast. We arrived shortly after 11 and still had plenty of space to choose from. Bringing a blanket and drinks is a great idea. Public drinking is normally restricted in Amsterdam, but during Pride it’s widely tolerated along the parade route.

We were situated a little past the halfway point of the route and saw the opening boat, a giant Dutch clog carrying “Antje”, around 1 pm. This was followed by spectacular flyboarders shooting above the canal, flying through incredibly narrow spaces with impressive control. Soon after, the first themed boats began to arrive, each blasting music and packed with dancers in coordinated costumes.

One of the charming details of the Canal Parade is watching every boat prepare to pass under the low bridges. Dancers crouch down, performers duck, giant inflatable figures quickly deflate and pop back up once the bridge is cleared, it’s both impressive and hilarious. The mix of participants is huge: fetish boats, emergency services, queer organizations, government groups, the military, and big-name companies, all contributing to the wildly diverse lineup.

Along the route, cafés and restaurants set up stands selling drinks and snacks, making it easy to keep refreshed without leaving your spot. There are numerous portable toilets, and for just a couple of euros you can purchase a day pass that gives you access to all of them.

After the parade, the whole city transforms into one giant celebration. You can head back to Dam Square for more concerts, explore one of the many neighborhood street parties, or make your way to Reguliers, which becomes its own massive Pride street festival. At peak times, access to Reguliers may be restricted when it gets too crowded, so patience is definitely required, but the atmosphere is absolutely worth it.

Check also out the full Amsterdam Pride Guide.