Torremolinos Pride 2024

Torremolinos Pride is one of the main events of the town’s calendar. Famous all over Europe and well known across the world, Torremolino’s Pride is one of the reasons that make Torremolinos the most internationally recognizable Costa del Sol town. It is no surprise, considering that here the celebration lasts for days – in 2024, Pride will have 5 main days and 2 weeks in total!

I’ve added a little bit about the gay history and culture of Torremolinos and, for ease of use, the locations of the venues on the program the first time each place appears. 🙂 By the way, if it is your first time in Torremolinos, you should know that Google Maps images of the town are quite outdated; Plaza del Sol and La Nogalera look a lot better now.

You can click on the days in the table of contents to go directly to that date’s program. Have a great Pride!

Torremolinos Gay Culture

You may have heard people asking if Torremolinos is a gay resort or, on another extreme, if the association between Torremolinos and homosexuality is legitimate or just marketing. So let me clarify: it is legit and Torremolinos is more than just a gay resort, it is a tolerance and respect resort (plus spice). The association comes from a part of history that starts tragic but turns magic. Let me tell it!

During Franco dictatorship in Spain (1936-1975), homosexuality was considered a crime. Meanwhile, around the 1950s and 1960s, Torremolinos started to attract international attention due to its climate, beautiful beaches and landscape, which led the then little fishing village to be visited by celebrities of the time, such as Rita Hayworth, Ava Gadner, Greta Garbo and Marlon Brando. With the celebrities came the press, that spread pictures of Torremolinos around the developed world. This contributed to the town’s popularity, further magnifying its touristic appeal.

Franco knew that tourism was good business and that truculent behavior would not look good in pictures. For this reason, local authorities in Torremolinos were instructed to be more tolerant, or to use the word of the time, “liberal”. Behaviours that would result in violent opression in the rest of the country would not meet such a reaction in Torremolinos. Soon the word spread in the Spanish gay communities that there was this place where they would not be persecuted as strongly as elsewhere in those day’s Spain.

Many homosexuals moved to Torremolinos and established businesses there, some of which were oriented to the gay community itself; and so, the appeal and connection between Torremolinos and gays developed. Even though clashes and police oppression still happened, it was safer to live in Torremolinos than almost anywhere else in Spain.

Needless to say, this is just one angle of the story of Torremolinos. Many other groups were attracted simultaneously – people who liked to party also flocked to liberal Torremolinos, as well as families enchanted by the sun-kissed beaches of south Spain. The hotels and airline companies themselves promoted Torremolinos abroad for different groups – after all, they needed to recover the investments being made in the area. The gay culture, that is strong to this day in Torremolinos, has coexisted and found its peace among other cultures and lifestyles that also belong in the area.

Torremolinos Pride 2024 Program

You see why Pride is so strong in Torremolinos. Now let’s check the best part, because there is no time like the present to celebrate! You’ll find below the Torremolinos Pride 2024 programs – both the original, in Spanish, in the images, and my translation to English in the text below. There will be dance, music, films, talks, a beach party and, of course, the big Pride Parade on June 1st, the most anticipated event of the whole Pride. Enjoy, bookmark the post so you can check it every day, and be there!

Friday, May 17

08:00 pm – ‘Maricón’ Contemporary Dance Theater
Pablo Ruiz Picasso Cultural Center – Assembly Hall
For ages 14 and up
Author and choreography: Carlos Novella

Above: Directions to the Pablo Ruiz Picasso Cultural Center, where several Pride events will take place in 2024.

Thursday, May 23

07:00 pm – Hand painting for diversity
At the Municipal Sports Center City of Torremolinos
Organized by: Diversport

Above, Patronato Municipal, the sports center of Torremolinos.

Monday, May 27

10:00 am – 08:00 pm – Test marathon
CASA Torremolinos (Calle María Barrabino 16, 2nd floor)
Organized by: Apoyo Positivo

Above: Directions to CASA Torremolinos, where medical tests will be conducted all day long (10 am – 8 pm) from May 27 to May 31. They don’t inform if tests will be run for free; I’d expect either that or a small fee.

06:00 pm – Exhibition ‘LGBTI Rights in the World’
Pablo Ruiz Picasso Cultural Center
Organized by: Andalusian Federation Diversity and Colegandalus

06:30 pm – LGTBIQA+ short film exhibition: Undetectables and Debate Table
Pablo Ruiz Picasso Cultural Center – Cinema Room
Organized by: Apoyo Positivo

07:00 pm – Talk ‘LGTBIAQ+ Migrants. A transcultural view without borders’
Pablo Ruiz Picasso Cultural Center – Assembly Hall
Organized by: Diversport

Tuesday, May 28

10:00 am – 08:00 pm – Test marathon
CASA Torremolinos (Calle María Barrabino 16, 2nd floor)
Organized by: Apoyo Positivo

06:00 pm – Book presentation ‘Dead Name’
Pablo Ruiz Picasso Cultural Center – Cinema Room
Organized by: Benjamín Santiago Montiel

07:00 pm – U.M.A ‘Diferente’ student performance
Plaza Costa del Sol
Organized by: University of Málaga

Above: the directions to Plaza Costa del Sol

8:00 pm – LGTBIQ+ Film Tuesday ‘I’m loving you madly’
Pablo Ruiz Picasso Cultural Center – Cinema Room
Organized by: Colega Torremolinos

Wednesday, May 29

10:00 am – 08:00 pm – Test marathon
CASA Torremolinos (Calle María Barrabino 16, 2nd floor)
Organized by: Apoyo Positivo

10:00 am – Screening ‘Unstoppable 2’
Pablo Ruiz Picasso Cultural Center – Assembly Hall
Aimed at Educational Centers
Organized by: Alternative in colors

Noon – Flag display
Plaza de la Nogalera

Above: Plaza de la Nogalera, very easy to reach by train. Leave at Torremolinos Station and you are already there. 😉 La Nogalera square is one of the gay hearts of Torremolinos.

6:00 pm – Talk about LGBT film stories focused on the book ‘Cine Torcido’
Pablo Ruiz Picasso Cultural Center – Assembly Hall
Organized by: ojala

6:30 pm – Book presentation: ‘Confessions of a M4R1C0N seminarian‘
Pablo Ruiz Picasso Cultural Center – Cinema Room
Organized by: P.R. Library Picasso

7:00 pm – Talk ‘How we have changed. The evolution of reality in the community. LGTBIQ+ in Spanish fiction’
Pub El 12 Torremolinos (Calle Casa Blanca 13)
Organized by: Alternative in colors

9:00 pm – Speech and raising of the LGTBIQ+ flag
Pablo Ruiz Picasso Cultural Center
Speaker: Toñi Moreno

9:30 pm – Star performances: Marlena and Sofía Cristo
+Performances by LGTBI Choir Torremolinos, Suhaula, Steve Drag and Apotheosika
Pablo Ruiz Picasso Cultural Center
Presented by: Xenon Spain and Iván Gelibter

Tuesday, May 30

10:00 am – 08:00 pm – Test marathon
CASA Torremolinos (Calle María Barrabino 16, 2nd floor)
Organized by: Apoyo Positivo

6:00 pm – Screening of the short ‘Bizarre stories of the Turdetan gladiators and the emperor Heliogúbalo’
Pablo Ruiz Picasso Cultural Center – Cinema Room
Organized by: Colega Torremolinos

6:00 pm – Presentation of the book and exhibition of illustrations ‘El revolver, el hacha y la faca’
Pablo Ruiz Picasso Cultural Center
Organized by: Colega Torremolinos

6:30 pm – Games for children and families: ‘Yincana for Diversity’
Plaza Costa del Sol
Organized by: Andalusian Diversity Federation and Colegandalus

6:30 pm – ‘Unstoppable 2’ Screening
Pablo Ruiz Picasso Cultural Center – Cinema Room
Organized by: Alternative in Colors

7:00 pm – Beach volleyball tournament ‘Sergio Martín Calderón’
Playamar Promenade Sports Area
Organized by: Diversport

Above: the volley area at Playamar

8:00 pm – Star performances: Mario Jefferson, E’femme and Amatria + Trashi
+Performances by Yeisenblond, Noa Drag, Lorecepump, Peggy World, Tina Turner, Minerva, Drag Jandro, Paca Merino, Talavera and Dafne
Pablo Ruiz Picasso Cultural Center
Presented by: Xenon Spain and Iván Gelibter

Friday, May 31

10:00 am – 08:00 pm – Test marathon
CASA Torremolinos (Calle María Barrabino 16, 2nd floor)
Organized by: Apoyo Positivo

1:00 pm – PrEP Party: Scientific party on pre-exposure prophylaxis as a combined HIV prevention strategy
Pablo Ruiz Picasso Cultural Center – Assembly Hall
Organized by: Interdisciplinary AIDS Society (Seisida) and the HIV, STI, Viral Hepatitis and Tuberculosis Control Division ( Ministry of Health)
Registration: https://forms.gleS7Z3BshUuJsurEpP9
(When I tried, the link above didn’t work. I suppose it will be corrected soon and, for that reason, I added the link.)

6:00 pm – VI Edition Proud Mascot Contest
Avenida Palma de Mallorca
Organized by: Andalusian Federation Diversity and Colegandalus.

Above: Avenida Palma de Mallorca, which has a walking part and a car part. I believe the event will happen on the walk-only part. 😉

6:30 pm – Family Diversity Day
Plaza Costa del Sol
Organized by: Positive Support.

7:00 pm – Screening ‘LGTBI Rights’
Pablo Ruiz Picasso Cultural Center – Cinema Room
Organized by: LGTBI Choir Torremolinos

7:30 pm – VII Heel Race
Departure: Avda. Palma de Mallorca
Arrival: Plaza Costa del Sol
Organized by: Colega Torremolinos

8:00 pm – Star performances: Rocío Saiz, Falete and Nebulossa
+Performances by Rainbow, Coral Show, La Cristiano, Coca Boom, Katrina, Angelo Nestore, Jota Carajota, Kelly Roller and Hofmann
Pablo Ruiz Picasso Cultural Center
Presented by: Kelly Roller, Iván Gelibter and Jota Carajota

Saturday, June 1 – The big day

09:00 am to 12:00 pm – Inclusive sports day: Calisthenics
Playa EL Bajondillo
Organized by: Multiplex

Above: El Bajondillo Beach

✨From 5:00 pm – PRIDE 2024 PARADE ✨
Departure: Torremolinos City Council
Arrival: Pablo Ruiz Picasso Cultural Center.
Reading of the Pablo Ruiz Picasso Cultural Center Manifesto by Francesco Sanna de Aquino

My first Pride!

This was the first time I went to a Pride Parade. It was fun, beautiful, peaceful and a lot lighter than I anticipated. It attracted a lot of people, and everybody was having a good time. A few images:

And a video of the warmup, before the Parade started moving:

There were many trucks with people on top, as you can see in the video. These were mostly sponsored by either gay clubs or associations. There were also several other associations present at the parade, such as Axarquía LGBTIQ+, Amnistía Internacional, groups of families of LGBTIQ+ and even the US Democrats!

A bit more of the event:

Kids in the Pride

There were plenty of kids in the Pride; more than I expected, but less than in other parades. I wouldn’t take Kiddo there, but I’m a bit divided on my own opinion about kids being there. On one hand, I think it is great that we can raise the next generations to be free from prejudice from start, and that is what the Pride is about – ending prejudice, making it clear that, as the Amnistía put it, amar no es delito (love is not a crime). Thinking by this lens, I think Pride should be part of the school curriculum!

On the other hand, I think there is a bit too much nudity and references to sex going on in a Pride Parade to be adequate for kids. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not trying to change anything at Pride Parades – I guess nudity and sex are part of gay culture, as is the contrast between expectation and reality. And this is their parade! I only question if taking kids there is indeed a good idea. I can imagine the amount of sex-related questions Kiddo would have after the Pride Parade, and I would prefer to wait a few more years for these questions to come.

8:00 pm – Star performances: Sharonne, Varry Brava and Chanel
+Performances by Satin, Lara Sajem, La Prohibida, Drag Dennyx (Winner of Gala Drag’24), Alma de Soul and Cherilyen Divine
Pablo Ruiz Picasso Cultural Center
Presented by: Sharonne and Iván Gelibter

Sunday, June 2

4:00 pm – BEACH PARTY
Playa El Bajondillo, next to Eden Beach Club

Above: Eden Beach Club

Extra: Torremolinos Gay Map

We mentioned before that Torremolinos’ gay community is big and strong, in great part because gays moved to the area and established businesses, some of which oriented to the community itself. So here is a pdf map – Torremolinos Gay Map – with lots of those business that made – and make to this day – Torremolinos the tolerant, freedom loving and proud place it is. Your support will surely be appreciated.