Your first Pride: what to wear, what to bring, how to stay safe

Going to your first Pride ever? Great decision. To enjoy it without stress, you need three things: clothes that make you feel like yourself, a small bag with the essentials, and a plan with your friends. Here you’ll find what to wear, what to bring, and how to stay safe, especially if the Thessaloniki Pride parade on June 20 is your first one.

For the dates, the route, and the full picture of the event, see the full guide to Thessaloniki Pride.

What to wear to your first Pride

The answer is simple: whatever you want. At Pride there is no dress code and no one will be checking you. Some people come with glitter, feathers, and rainbow from head to toe. Others with a t-shirt and jeans. Both are fine.

A few practical tips, since the parade starts at 18:30 in the June sun and goes on until late:

• Comfortable shoes. You’ll walk, stand, and dance. This is not the day for brand-new shoes you haven’t broken in.
• Light, cool fabrics and something a little warmer for later, if you plan to stay out all night.
• Hat and sunglasses for the first hours.
• Colors and symbols, if you like: a flag over your shoulders, a pin, a bracelet in the colors of your identity.

If you want more outfit ideas that work from the afternoon into the club, see what to wear for a night out in Thessaloniki.

What to bring with you

Keep your bag small and light. Ideally, it should be a little pouch that closes well and that you keep in front of you. Inside:

• Water. The most important thing of all.
• Sunscreen.
• Charged phone and powerbank. For maps, photos, and to find your friends.
• ID. If the night continues at a club, you’ll need it. At Enola, entry is 18+ with ID.
• Card and a little cash.
• Something small to eat, so you don’t lose your energy halfway through.
• Earplugs, if loud sound near the speakers tires you out.

How to stay safe at your first Pride

Pride is one of the happiest places you’ll ever be. But it’s also a lot of people, heat, and intensity, so a little preparation helps.

1. Go with friends or arrange to meet someone there. If you’re going alone, tell someone you trust where you’ll be.
2. Set a meeting point. In a crowd, your phone doesn’t always work, and a fixed spot saves the day.
3. Drink water often and take a break in the shade when you need to. If you drink alcohol, take it easy.
4. Watch your belongings, as you would in any crowded place.
5. If something bothers you, move away, go toward the organizers, or stay close to people you trust. In an emergency, call 112.

And don’t forget to look out for the people around you too. If you see a trans or non-binary person getting stares or comments, stand beside them. Our guide on how to support a trans friend has useful ideas.

If you’re not out yet

You don’t need to be out to go to Pride. Pride is also for people who are still on their way. If you’re worried that someone you know might see you or that you’ll appear in photos:

• Ask your friends not to post you on social media without asking first.
• Sunglasses and a hat help, and they’re useful in the sun anyway.
• You can watch from the edge of the route instead of the center of the march.

And one thing that applies to everyone: before you take a close-up photo or post faces, ask first. What is a nice memory for you may have a real cost for someone else.

After the parade

The Thessaloniki Pride parade is on Saturday, June 20, 18:30–21:00, on the waterfront, and ends with a concert at the White Tower. For where to stand, see the parade route.

Before you head out, check the event website, thessalonikipride.com, for the meeting point and the latest announcements. And one last thing no one tells you about your first Pride: it’s very likely you’ll get emotional. Seeing so many people walking freely in your city does something to you. Let it happen.

After that, the night continues in Ladadika and Valaoritou. Enola, at Valaoritou 19, 2nd floor, is open every day from 23:30, with any changes during Pride week announced in our schedule. There is no dress code, a safer space policy applies, and our team is there if you need anything. To get back safely at the end, see how to end the night properly.