Roze Zaterdag (Pink Saturday) is organized at the end of June since 1977. The event offers space for celebration, meeting, and visibility in favor of sexual and gender diversity. Rotterdam Pride usually takes place in September but in honor of Roze Zaterdag the event will be in June with Roze Zaterdag on June 18 at the Coolsingel as the highlight.
Bey Cil, chairman of the Rotterdam Pride Foundation, is very enthusiastic about the new location: “It’s great that we can celebrate here with the queer community. Coolsingel is the place where the people of Rotterdam come together for special events.”
Pink Saturday is always held at the end of June, because of the connection with the events in June 1969 at the Stonewal Inn bar in New York. After the police invaded the bar, riots broke out. These riots are seen as the worldwide start of the struggle for the rights of LGBT people. On 28 June 1970 the first Gay Pride Parade was held in New York. Similar events were also organized in other countries.
On 25 June 1977, the first demonstration comparable to a Gay Pride Parade was held in the Netherlands. This demonstration in Amsterdam was called International Gay Liberation and Solidarity Day.
The Pride March XL X Roze Zaterdag
The name ‘Pink Saturday’ was used for the first time in 1979. The Limburg action group ROZA organized a demonstration in Roermond in response to statements made by a Bishop about homosexuality.
Pink Saturday is therefore the oldest initiative to promote LGBTQIA+ emancipation in Holland. After 21 years, Pink Saturday returns to Rotterdam on 18 June. On a big stage there will be concerts and other shows. The Pride March will also be held on Pink Saturday during Rotterdam Pride. This inner-city walk draws attention to emancipation and acceptance. The Pride March XL is organized by the Rotterdam LGBTQIA+ community. The starting point will be announced later this year.
