Torgau Pride 2027

Torgau is the administrative seat of the district of Nordsachsen in Saxony, Germany. The town sits on the river Elbe in the north-west of the state, roughly halfway between Leipzig and Dresden, and has about twenty thousand residents. Like many small towns in eastern Germany, it has no commercial gay scene; queer life here is shaped by local initiatives that create their own spaces.

Torgau does have its own Pride event. In Germany these marches are called Christopher Street Day, after the street in New York where the Stonewall riots took place. Torgau's Christopher Street Day is first of all a political demonstration for visibility, equal rights and protection from hostility. Away from the big cities, such events matter because they show that lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, intersex and non-binary people live here too.

A key part of queer activism in town is the collective Lips & Bats, a queer-feminist group of FLINTA* people (women, lesbians, intersex, non-binary, trans and agender people) from Torgau. The collective creates spaces for exchange and empowerment, runs workshops and protests, and speaks out against discrimination. Anyone who wants to support or help shape the local Pride will find the easiest way in through groups like this.

Dates, meeting point and programme can change, so it is worth checking the local press or the organisers before travelling.

The nearest large Pride is in Leipzig. It is organised by the Leipzig Pride association in July and consists of a programme week that ends with a demonstration and a street festival in the city centre. For many queer people from northern Saxony, Leipzig is where they find a scene, counselling services and community.