Day trips from Valencia: Discover nature, history and breathtaking landscapes.
Happy Pride Month! Although June is always packed with colourful parades and amazing community events, this year things are taking things to a whole new level. If you’re looking for the best way to celebrate Pride by combining sport, culture, a huge diversity and an unbeatable atmosphere, there’s an international event you need to mark in your diary right now: the 12th Gay Games, Valencia 2026. If you’re ready to celebrate, here’s the full programme, the poster and everything you need to know about the grand opening!
What are the Gay Games, and why are they regarded as the quintessential Pride event?
Forget about traditional, rigid sporting events. The Gay Games are the biggest a sports and cultural festival open to everyone, regardless of their sexual orientation, gender identity, age or sporting ability.
It is the purest expression of Pride: a space where the fundamental principles are the participation, inclusion and personal development. As well as the sporting excitement, Valencia is completely transformed into a global Pride hub with festivals such as music, lectures on human rights and epic parties which make the whole experience unforgettable.
Programme: ceremonies, culture and major events
So you don’t miss a single second of the main cultural events and big festivals, here’s the official programme of the week:
- Saturday, 27 June, 9.00 pm
Opening ceremony and welcome partyPresented by the iconic Choriza May. It will include the parade of delegations, the lighting of the torch and live concerts by Mónica Naranjo, Soraya Arnelas, Fruela, the Washington D.C. Gay Men’s Choir, Cor a Cor from Valencia and Mia Collado. The event will conclude with a spectacular performance by Suri DJ.
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Monday, 29 June
Queer fashion show
A spectacular cultural parade featuring more than 40 exclusive designs by talented Valencian designers, blending fashion and queer identity. -
Tuesday, 30 June
Mini Dance Sport
We’re bringing the atmosphere of the ballrooms straight onto the dance floor! A mini sports-themed vogue dance where you need to show off your best sports outfit and your attitude on the catwalk. There are no strict categories: just music, personal expression and pure energy. -
Wednesday, 1 July
The Gay Games Ball
The biggest dance event of the week. An unforgettable night of voguing, category-based battles and community engagement, presented by the incredible She-La Fletcher. -
Saturday, 4 July, 6.30 pm
Closing ceremony and farewell party
Presented by She-La Fletcher. With the athletes’ final parades, the official handover of the flag to Perth 2030 and live performances by Spanish icons Nebulossa, Rebeca and Mia Collado. The evening will draw to a close with the sessions of Alicia DJ and Suri DJ, accompanied by a spectacular show of fireworks to round it all off!
Sports programme: 39 disciplines
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28 June – 4 July
Water sports
(Swimming, Diving, Water polo, Artistic swimming, Open-water swimming)
Venue: Marxalenes Sports Centre / Parque del Oeste Swimming Pool
Adrenaline-fuelled daily sessions. Fast-paced, time-trial finals.
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29 June – 3 July
Athletics
(Athletics, decathlon, heptathlon)
Venue: Estadi del Túria (former course of the River Turia)
Featuring long-distance runs in the morning, field events and mixed-team relays.
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29 June, 2 July, 4 July
Road races
(5 km, 10 km, half marathon and marathon)
Venue: City tours and the Túria Gardens
Early morning runs to make the most of the running pace as you pass through the city’s most iconic spots.
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1–3 July
Beach volleyball
Venue: Malvarrosa Beach and El Cabañal
The crowd’s favourite beach volleyball tournament! The group stage begins on Sunday and the finals on Friday.
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From 28 June to 3 July
Team sports
(Basketball, volleyball, 7-a-side and 11-a-side football, rugby) Venue: L’Alqueria del Basket / Quatre Carreres Sports Complex.
Full-court tournaments, categories for wheelchair users and group stages with an open format.
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From 28 June to 3 July
Racket sports (Tennis, padel, badminton, table tennis, squash)
Venue: Sporting Tennis València / Benimaclet complexes
Individual, doubles and non-binary inclusive categories throughout the week.
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29 June – 2 July Specialist subjects
(Competitive dance, cheerleading, artistic gymnastics)
Venue: Pavelló Font de Sant Lluís and local theatres
Incredible visual spectacles that combine top-level sporting performance with artistic expression.
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30 June – 2 July
Traditional and local sports
(Valencian pilota, colpbol, petanque)
Venue: Traces of the old course of the River Turia
Non-competitive and very welcoming demonstrations of traditional Valencian sporting culture!
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28 June – 2 July
Power and precision
(Weightlifting, cross-training, fencing, golf, chess, bowling)
Venue: Various special venues (El Saler Golf, Heron City Bowling)
Blocks of specific tournaments scheduled at intervals of one or two days.
Tickets and practical information
For registered participants: Full access to the opening ceremony, the closing ceremony and the sports facilities in general is included in your official Gay Games accreditation package (which also includes a public transport card!). Note: Some selected private gala events, such as the ballroom dancing gala, may require separate bookings.
For spectators and fans: Daytime sporting events are free or very affordable to watch throughout the city. Tickets for the general public for the grand opening ceremony and the closing ceremony (priced at just €10) are available directly via the official website.
Valencia is going to be an unbeatable place over the next two weeks. Don’t wait until the last minute to get your tickets – put on your most eye-catching outfit and See you at the stadium!
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Author Tereza Kamarýtová