Whilst nearby municipalities “say” they will support the LGTBIQ+ community, whilst actually “doing” nothing at all other than putting a flag up occasionally, Santa Pola is going all out rainbow-coloured with the celebration of International LGTBIQ+ Pride Day on 28 June, with Santa Pola Pride.

Under the banner “All Colours. All Loves.”, the event promises to be an inclusive and festive celebration honouring diversity and equality.

The Department of Equality, Diversity and Citizen Participation has organised a series of activities for July 1, the official Santa Pola Pride day, beginning with a mural workshop on diversity and gender identity in the Glorieta at 6:00 p.m. At 7:00 p.m., there will be a concentration in the Glorieta with different workshops and activities for all ages.

The highlight of the Santa Pola Pride will be the protest parade, which will start at 8:00 p.m. from the Glorieta and will go through the streets until it reaches the El Palmeral. In the El Palmeral Auditorium, starting at 9:00 p.m., the Pride Party will take place, where a manifesto will be read at 9:30 p.m. During the party, there will be a performance by Nancy & The Blue Stars, DJ’s Laura Veyker and Lucía Ponce B2B Victoria Vegas, as well as a rainbow point, information, performance and entertainment stands.

In addition to the programming for July 1, previous activities have been organised to promote the inclusion and visibility of LGTBIQ+ people. On Sunday, June 18, a day of inclusive sports will take place at Levante Beach, in charge of the DIMOVE Association. On Tuesday, June 27, the Edisex association will offer the workshop “Diversities Project. POP-ART: T-shirts with pride” at the Racó Jove, with limited places and prior registration.

On Wednesday, June 28, at the Casa de Cultura, the film “Our children” by María de Medeiros will be screened, followed by a colloquium talk. On Thursday, June 29, the Diversitat association will give a colloquium talk on LGTBIphobia at the Civic Centre, and on Friday, June 30, the Plaza Constitución will host a live radio program by the Alicante Entiende association, with interviews and related content with the celebration of LGTBI Pride.

Santa Pola is filled with colours, joy and pride to celebrate diversity and promote the inclusion of all people. The Santa Pola Pride is an opportunity to show support and respect for the LGTBIQ+ community, as well as to remember the importance of equality and freedom of expression in our society, according to the town hall.