The European Pride Organisers' Association (EPOA) holds its 13th annual conference in Madrid this weekend. One of its aims is to prepare for next year's Europride, which will take place precisely in Madrid. Madrid's Orgullo Gay is always one of the year's greatest festive events, and next year's looks set to be the mother of all parties. Read on, or visit Gay Madrid.

This year's Gay Pride celebration (July 2) in Madrid was particularly jubilant, coming immediately after the Spanish Congress approval of the Ley de Matrimonio Homosexual on Thursday. The law comes into effect this Tuesday, July 5, and gives homosexuals equal rights with heterosexuals in all aspects of marriage, including inheritance and, more controversially, adoption. Gay Pride (or el Orgullo, as Spanish gays cryptically call it) is always one of the year's biggest party events, but Saturday was frankly euphoric. Read on, or see the Gay Pride 2005 photogallery.

The traditional, official Gay Pride demonstration-cum-parade held yesterday, July 3, was a little more chaotic than usual, but was generally considered a great success. The parade was led by victims of the Franco regime's persecution of homosexuals, and the day's slogan was "¡Ahora sí!" (this time!), in reference to the new socialist government's commitment to improve the civil rights of gays and lesbians.

Orgullo Gay, Gay Pride, 2004 is already getting under way and will culminate in the official marches held in major Spanish cities on Saturday, July 3. In Madrid, in spite of the banner-toting political groups and associations which head the march, and notwithstanding the speeches given in the Puerta del Sol, it is traditionally as much a parade as a demonstration, and as Madrileños hate to miss a party, well over a quarter of a million of them turned out last year.