Madrid Pride peaked Saturday with a
giant parade which organizers claim is Europe's largest with an
estimated 1.2 million paradegoers.
Eurovision Song Contest winner and drag
queen Conchita Wurst was on hand Wednesday to open the festival.
Wurst and Ruth Lorenzo, Spain's
Eurovision entrant, performed for the thousands of people who crammed
into Madrid's downtown Chueca square.
Wurst returned for an encore Friday
evening, performing besides various Spanish celebrities in Vicente
Calderon stadium.
Saturday's parade wound through the
Spanish capital's main arteries.
“I'm having a great time,” a lanky
man in a blond wig told
the AFP. “This is an opportunity for me to offer myself to the
world of showbiz. It's also a chance to defend my rights on the
subject of homophobia and all that. And also to have a bit of fun, a
bit of personal satisfaction.”
Spain, which legalized marriage for gay
couples in 2005, leads in the acceptance of gay men and lesbians.
(Related: Spain
leads in acceptance of gays; Less tolerance in more religious
countries.)