Buenos Aires City’s Plaza de Mayo will be flush with people celebrating pride the Argentine way on Saturday: with a party that is also a protest. The event starts at 10 a.m. and demonstrators will march to Argentina’s Congress building at 4 p.m.

Over one million people attended last year’s march, which anybody can join. The flow of attendees is not limited to the floats moving slowly from Plaza de Mayo to Congreso, each with its own thumping music and aesthetic vibe. 

“There’s no freedom without rights or policies. There’s no freedom with austerity and repression. We want a comprehensive trans law and an anti-discrimination law, now!” said a press release from Argentina’s Pride March Organizing Committee, made up of more than 60 LGBTQIA+ organizations. 

“In this difficult context for diversity, this 33rd Pride March will be an opportunity to show the unity of society in favor of equality, demand our rights, and call for effective public policies on inclusion,” the organizations wrote.

The event will conclude with a show at Congress starting at 6 p.m. headlined by the fabulous Argentine singer, Valeria Lynch.

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Argentina’s inaugural pride march took place in 1992, near the height of the HIV epidemic, and was the first of its kind in Latin America. That first demonstration was held on July 2 to commemorate the 1969 Stonewall uprising, when queer patrons of the inn in Greenwich Village, New York, rose up against the city’s police department following a raid. 

However, the event was subsequently moved to November 4 to honor Argentina’s first LGBTQIA+ organization, Nuestro Mundo, which was established in November 1967. An estimated 1.3 million people attended the march in 2022.

The November 2 march isn’t the only pride parade of the year. The biggest marches, such as Rosario Pride, have already come and gone, but cities like Bariloche, Cafayate and Mendoza will be holding their own later in November and well into December.  

You may also be interested in: Argentina celebrates Pride: why the march isn’t on June 28

Planning for Buenos Aires Pride

The weather is currently forecast to be rainy until around 2 p.m., so dress accordingly to avoid harm to meticulously-applied glitter. The temperature is expected to be around 24°C (75°F).

The pride parade is often so massive that phone signal is patchy — and even if you can get through, it’s difficult to find your friends in the sea of people. So, consider setting a meeting point a few blocks from the route of the main march.

Pickpockets have been known to operate at the march, so take special care of your phone, wallet, and other small accessories. Consider bringing a bag with a zip.

Pride afterparties

There’s no shortage of afterparties, either. The KONEX cultural center (Sarmiento 3131) has a pride after party from 00.30 a.m. featuring music, games, food and a fair. Book online in advance for cheaper tickets — otherwise it’s AR$15,000 (US$14.29 at the official rate, US$13,20 at the MEP rate) on the door.

If your vocal cords aren’t exhausted, La Paz Arriba (Callao 1082) has karaoke, cachengue and electropop from 9 p.m. until late. Again, tickets are cheaper in advance.

For more Pride-related plans, keep your eyes peeled for this week’s Get Out! column.