Pride Day in Prešov (source: Michal Frank)
A simple question — “Why not do something?” — sparked the very first Pride Day in the eastern Slovak town of Prešov. The event, held last Saturday at the Čierny Most (Black Bridge) cultural and philosophy centre, was organised by the grassroots platform Kvír Prešov, Korzár daily reports.
Around 200 people attended the event. While organisers initially considered holding a parade, they ultimately opted for a full-day programme at a single location.
The date — 28 June — coincided with the anniversary of the 1969 Stonewall riots in New York. The same day, tens of thousands gathered at the Budapest Pride march, despite the Hungarian government cancelling the official event.
A year of quiet community-building
Kvír Prešov itself was born just over a year ago, with no official or informal queer community existing in the town before. Locals Eva Čuláková and Roman Šimon began gathering people, hosting small events and slowly building momentum.
“This is the culmination of a year and a month of Kvír Prešov’s activities. I’m glad we showed Prešov’s pride and organised the town’s first Pride Day,” Šimon told Korzár. The group covered the costs out of their own pockets. A fundraiser on the Donio platform is now seeking to reimburse expenses such as venue rental, security, decorations, and artists’ travel.
Pride Day in Prešov (source: Michal Frank)
Despite limited media coverage, word spread organically. “The point isn’t to make a spectacle,” said Čuláková. “The point is to create a space where people can meet.”
When one website published news of the event and enabled hateful comments, negative reactions followed. But the organisers were undeterred.
They are already planning for next year. “Our goal isn’t to host large-scale events, but to build a community. So queer people in Prešov can meet, feel safe, have support, friends, and space to talk about things that matter to us,” Čuláková added.
Pride as a wider concern
“I’m very happy Pride has come to our small town,” said attendee Apolónia Sejková.
She acknowledged the modest scale of the event but hoped future editions would bring together more people from the wider community. “Everyone pays taxes and contributes to the GDP, so it feels totally unfair that not everyone has the same rights.”
A similar event — the first Rainbow Festival of Love and Inclusion for All — was held on 21 June in Malacky, western Slovakia. A Pride festival also took place in Banská Bystrica, central Slovakia, on 28 June.
Sejková expressed frustration over the current political climate in Slovakia, where minority rights are often under threat. In September, parliament is expected to debate a constitutional amendment that would further restrict LGBT+ rights.
“I’m a bit worried,” she admitted. “But I’m also glad Pride Day happened. We need it right now, so even the undecided majority understands—it starts with the rights of minorities, but it eventually affects everyone.”
Upcoming Pride events in Slovakia
19 July - Dúhový Pride in Bratislava
23 August - Pride in Košice
