Parada do Orgulho LGBT+ de Brasília

The Parada do Orgulho LGBT de Brasília, the capital's annual Pride march, kicks off in front of the National Congress and makes its way down the Esplanada dos Ministérios, trailed by a trio elétrico, the sound truck that's a staple of Brazilian street carnival. It's been going strong since 1998, says coordinator Welton Trindade, and it's unapologetically political, targeting the lawmakers in the buildings it passes.

The march is free, usually starting mid-afternoon on a Sunday in July. For the past few years, it's been the grand finale of the week-long Brasília Orgulho festival, which brings talks, a market, and smaller events to various spots around the city. Don't forget to pack water - the Esplanada's got almost no shade, so it's best to arrive after the sun's peak if you can.

Crowd numbers are all over the place, depending on who's counting. Jornal de Brasília reported around 80,000 people at the 2023 parade, while the Military Police estimated a significantly lower 15,000 in 2016. The 2026 edition, which took place on Sunday, July 26, ran with the slogan "LGBT+, Levante e Vote!", a push to get people to the polls ahead of Brazil's October elections. Tents were set up to offer health checks, help with reporting LGBTphobia to the Polícia Civil, and assistance with name changes on documents from the Defensoria Pública. As of now, the 2027 date hasn't been announced.