Unken Pride 2023 is just around the corner. The Pride Parade in the countryside will take place in Unken on 15 July. Where else do you have the chance to experience a Pride with rural charm?

After a year’s break, a continuation of Unken Pride is in the starting blocks. This time bigger, more colourful and always with traditional costume. After the enormous success of the first Unken Pride in 2021, the rainbow flags are flying again this year in the idyllic little village at the tip of the Pinzgau. From Salzburg, Unken can easily be reached by bus or car.

Small village with Pride – why?

Unken Pride originated as a response by the local queer community to an act of vandalism to a Pride flag. For Pride Month in June 2021, a rainbow flag was hoisted on the steeple of the village church with the support of the local priest. This was supposed to fly the whole month and every year for Pride Month in the future. However, it suddenly disappeared after a few days. Looking at the remains, it was clear that it had been cut down. In response, local activists, supported by the Salzburg Pride team, organised a parade in Unken. From the success of the first Unken Pride, the rural-focused queer initiative ‘Heublumen’ has also been founded, which is now organising the upcoming parade together with the regional association ‘Queer am Berg’.

Queer in lederhosen and traditional skirts

Unken Pride is the Pride Parade, where regional traditional culture from Salzburg mixes with queer culture. Because traditional costume is for everyone! said Miss LaThoya at Gigi’s Rosa Stadl on 30 April at the Tanz in den Mai. For many it seems as if two completely different worlds meet here, although that is not the case. Queer people grow up everywhere. In cities and in the countryside. It can only be a good thing that you can’t live out your sexuality and or gender identity everywhere without problems. Especially in the countryside, it is usually harder to be open about your LGBT+ identity. That’s why Unken Pride offers a safe space where you can openly immerse yourself in the regional culture with full celebratory spirit and without worries.

The warm-up starts at 2 pm at Schloss Oberrain. Here you can exchange ideas with other participants over drinks and refreshments and decorate yourself even further in rainbows. At 3 pm, the colourful parade begins its route across Unken. At around 3.20 p.m., the rallies will take place in front of the Unken municipal office. And that’s just the beginning: when the parade arrives at its final point at around 4pm, the Loud & Proud finale awaits all participants at Oberrain Castle. Here you can enjoy the rest of the evening in the midst of the queer community with drag performances, snacks and refreshing drinks. The closing out lasts until 8pm, but local bars will also tempt you with tasty cocktails for the late night. Let yourself be enchanted by the rousing atmosphere and celebrate an unforgettable Pride Parade – in the mountain world of the Pinzgau.

So – time to unpack the traditional costume, take the rainbow flag with you and head to the Pinzgau. Happy Unken Pride 2023!

How do you get to Unken?

A convenient bus connection from Salzburg is bus 260. Departure 12:26 pm, Salzburg main station. Arrival 1.32 pm, Unken Ortsmitte. The last bus from Unken to Salzburg leaves Unken Ortsmitte at 5:54 pm, arriving Salzburg main station at 6.53 pm. If you miss the last bus connection, taxis are also an option, or there are later buses to Saalfelden and Zell am See, from where you can still get to Salzburg by train at a late hour. Further detailed information on current bus and train times can be found here. (fn)

Unken Pride, Saturday 15.07.2023 2 pm