I had the gayest night of my life at Sao Paulo Pride – the biggest queer party in the world

I stand atop a parade float, gazing out over the busiest intersection in the city. Below me, a sea of pride flags stretches to the horizon.

The thumping pulse of carnival music drives the crowd forward, thousands of rainbow fans clacking in perfect unison. It’s without a doubt the largest gathering I’ve ever witnessed.

Best estimates place the annual turnout at anywhere up to five million people in the space of a single day – one of the top three largest annual events in the world.

On my mission to visit Pride events all over the world, I thought I was prepared for Sao Paulo’s celebrations. The opening party, however, quickly makes me realise that Brazil is on a whole other level.

Typically taking place a few days before the parade, the celebrations begin with Micareta, a carnival-style LGBT+ music festival.

Huge outdoor stages are rigged with enormous sound systems as thousands of queer people descend upon the party. It doesn’t start until midnight and doesn’t finish until 8am. There’s rainbow streamers and confetti firing in all directions as someone takes my hand and I’m guided forward into the gayest night of my life.

What follows is night after night of never-ending celebration. By the time the parade finally arrives on Sunday, the fatigue is fully taking hold.

It may just be sleep deprivation, but as I come down from my perch atop the pride float, I join the swelling crowds of the parade and am suddenly hit by an unexpected wave of emotion.

But I also love breaking off into the side streets to catch the quieter moments.

I find same-sex couples slow dancing outside a convenience store, families throwing impromptu barbecues in the middle of the street, and groups of friends cheering as they watch the parade from their balconies.

The day before the parade I join an LGBT+ 5km run, where thousands of participants wake up at sunrise to seize their morning hit of endorphins. There’s also a queer Comic-Con-style event, an LGBT+ fair, and a range of marches and protests ensuring every letter of the community is seen and heard.  

At Sao Paulo Pride, there’s truly something for everyone, and this year’s theme celebrates LGBT+ people aged 60 and above.

Acknowledging their foundational role in building visibility and rights within the community, it also highlights crucially important issues like social abandonment and queer elders being lost in a world that so often prioritises youth.

As part of the festival, the local LGBT+ museum features an exhibition that explores the enormous percentage of older queer people who were lost to the HIV/AIDS epidemic. It spotlights the knowledge, insight and culture that disappeared along with them.

‘A good social life is so important for people my age, and here in Sao Paulo, we have so many places where LGBT+ people aged 60+ can be exactly who we are in a very positive and welcoming environment,’ says Clovis Casemiro.

The beautiful thing about Sao Paulo Pride is that it’s so many things at once.

It’s celebration and it’s protest. It’s glitter and it’s grit. It’s kissing strangers and sending hope to those who aren’t yet free to do the same.

It’s remembering those who came before us and paving the way for those who come next.