It was a hot day in Stuttgart on Saturday, July 28, as the colorful parade made its way from the Erwin-Schöttle Platz to the Schiller Platz through the crowded streets lined with partying onlookers.
In contrast to many other parades here in Germany, the interaction between the marchers and the watchers is in no way hindered. If you recognize a friend coming down the street, you can go over and give him or her a kiss and take a selfie. Kids are given candy as on Halloween in the US or Karneval here, and after the two-hour spectacle I had been given various business cards by drag queens, invitations and coupons for visits to a couple of dungeons and stickers saying "Süßer Typ" or "I love vaginas". What a day!
But I wasn't there for that. I wanted to take pictures with my friends Andy and Conny (above), as we had done last year.
The parade opened with Dykes on Bykes and then Dudes on BMWs. Even with the same light, you can process "his and her" bikes differently to give them a different look.
Every year promises a new motto and new costumes, even if many of the paraders are the same. It's great to see how much effort goes into the get-ups.
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| Perfect hair and make-up - and elaborate wings for good measure! |
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| Visiting friends on the sidelines |
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| Retro black-and-white costumes |
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| Every year this drag queen has an elaborate costume. This year the diesel scandal is in focus. |
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| Masks and chains and leashes? Check. |
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| Butterfly eye-candy |
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| The viewer in leather says it all with his facial expression. |
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| Some of the best things in life are free. |
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| I wonder if the bishops ever imagined a parade like this would ever pass by the heavenward spires of St. Maria. |
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| Two for the price of one |
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| Her teenager has grown up. |
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| All in all it is a peaceful - yet very loud - and friendly event. |
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| Should scenes like this cause you concern, this parade is not for you. |
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| The Christopher Street Day Political Parade is an even for posers and photographers. |
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| How can you draw the most attention to yourself? It seems the higher, the better. |
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| Different strokes |
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| Family is...what we make of it!!! |
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| There is a human being behind every mask. (Now that's a notion worthy of a thesis!) |
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| This gentleman is at all the parades and would be deemed under-dressed elsewhere. |
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| Drink up! |
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| The rainbow faction has its day. |
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| The twins from our neighborhood support the message that all people should be treated equally. |
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