More than 20,000 party at Cologne's inaugural Rainbow Festival
Good vibes and live music filled the air as 22,000 people attended the inaugural Rainbow Festival in Cologne on Saturday, organizers said, even as the minds of many were on the struggle for LGBTQ+ rights unfolding in Hungary.
The 10-hour party at Fühlinger lake, to the north of the western German city, featured performances by Eurovision winner Loreen, noughties-era German pop group No Angels, and US duo The Weather Girls, famous for the 1982 hit song "It's Raining Men."
"Right now, every festival that celebrates diversity and tolerance and raises awareness is important," Olivia Jones, one of Germany's best-known drag queens, told dpa.
The Hamburg native hosted the event and used the occasion to draw attention to Saturday's Pride parade in Budapest, which defiantly went forward despite a ban by the right-wing government of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.
"Half my heart is in Budapest today. I think it's important that some [members of the European Parliament] from Germany are supporting our friends," said Jones. "If I weren't hosting this festival, I would have gone with them."
The Cologne music festival, a new edition to the city's Pride events, began in the early afternoon under sunny skies and temperatures around 30 degrees Celsius.
German singer Mia Julia, who set the tone with a high-energy early set, told dpa: "For me, it's a bit of a crowning glory because I've been campaigning for free love for years. My sister is married to a woman, I'm bi – so it's particularly important to me to fly the rainbow flag."
Village People performance sparks debate
In the lead-up to the event, controversy surrounded the inclusion of the Village People, who performed at January's inauguration of US President Donald Trump and whose anthem "Y.M.C.A." was used in his election campaign.
Organizers said contracts could not be terminated and tried to downplay the dispute.
"Political issues should take a back seat today. Even though freedom and openness for the community are political issues in the broadest sense, we should celebrate and have fun," said organizer Markus Krampe.
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