Welcome to EuroPride in Oslo June 17-27, 2005

EuroPride Oslo 2005 is a gay and lesbian festival focusing on politics, science, health, sports, culture, and arts. As Norway celebrates her 100^th anniversary as an independent nation, openness and cooperation has become the backbone of her political agenda. EuroPride as a festival takes place in a different city around Europe every summer, and this year´s festival will focus on civil rights in a European Context. More than 50,000 visitors are expected during the ten-day festival.

The EuroPride event was established in 1991 during the Ilga European Regional Conference in Berlin when, for the first time, Pride organisers met for an international workshop. It was decided to establish a new European political, social and cultural event called ?EuroPride.?

The European Pride Organisers Association (EPOA) is the licenser of the EuroPride title. So far, EuroPride events have been held in London (1992), Berlin (1993), Amsterdam (1994), Copenhagen (1996), Paris (1997), Stockholm (1998), Rome (2000), Vienna (2001), Cologne (2002), Manchester (2003), and Hamburg (2004).

The vision of EuroPride is the celebration of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender solidarity throughout Europe. It is for every lesbian, gay man, bisexual and transgender in Europe and aims to promote the variety of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender culture.

The EuroPride Parade

Saturday June 25 at 15:00 hours

Starting point: Pride Village at Rådhusplassen (City Hall Plaza). Line-up starts at 13:00 hours.
Parade ends at Rådhusplassen.
This EuroPride parade will follow this route: Rådhusplassen, Rådhusgata, Skippergata, Toldbodgata, Oslo Central Station, Karl Johansgate, Fredriks gate, Ruseløkkveien, Haakon VIIs gate and back to Rådhusplassen and Pride Village.

Pride Village

The emphasis of the Pride Village will be on cultural events, concerts and building a “Pride Village Spirit” complete with information stands, shops, restaurants, fully licensed bars, and smaller tents in which various events will take place.

Arts and Culture

Artistic expression is one of the backbones of modern civilisation. Art plays a vital role in the process of finding one’s own identity.

Hence EuroPride Oslo wants a programme that stimulates to a multitude of expression. It is the organizer’s ambition to develop various projects in the fields of music, staged performances, film, literature, and art that will most certainly enhance your experience of EuroPride in Oslo.

The EuroPride Film Festival

Oslo welcomes you to the 15^th Oslo Gay and Lesbian Film Festival. This annual festival will take place at Filmens Hus, a cinema complex in downtown Oslo owned and operated by the Norwegian Film Institute. In 2005 the film festival will feature European films. Friday, 17 June through Wednesday, 22 June, 2005

Art Exhbits

Visual art such as traditional paintings, graphics, photography and performances will be an integral part of the EuroPride celebration. Amongst the exhibits will be the fifth successive exhibition by gay and lesbian artists in the capital city.

Gay Guide Oslo

Cafés, pubs and clubs

Bar de Stijl, Nedre Slottsgate 9. Intimate cafè/bar/club, open every day 10-24, Fri-Sat 10-03 Sun 13-22. Gay and lesbian audience, cool jazz bar, weekend DJs and occasional parties.

London Pub, open every day 15-03.30, C.J. Hambros plass 5.
Basement: Disco / pool, mostly men. Mon: salsa party, Tue-Thur, piano bar and disco, Fri-Sat: DJ Hits Music Party, Sun: Party bar; Mexico, Eurovision, etc.

Ground floor: Chairs Bar, open 8pm-3am. Dark, friendly and crowded piano
bar. Occasional youth parties.

Shu Club, Kristian IVs gt. 9, just opposite Det Norske Teater. Wed - Sun 22.00-03.30. Cover charge Fridays and Saturdays after midnight (NOK 50 and NOK 70). Party place, dance and house music. Younger audience.
http://www.shuclub.no

sinPecado, Øvre Vollgate 13. Tue, Wed and Sun 18-01, Thur - Sat 20-03.
Lesbian bar, outdoor serving in the backyard all year. Cover charge Fri and Sat after 23 (NOK50).

Sjokoladekoppen, cosy café on the ground floor of Shu Club in Kristian IVs gt. 9.
Especially packed on Fridays, because of cheap beer, NOK 29 (0,5 Liters)

S&M

If you’re looking for orgies, contact SLM Oslo, Grønlandsleiret 73. Every first and third Fri and Sat of the month, 11pm-4am. Tel. 22 17 40 90. SMIA has meetings the 1^st Wednesday of the month, at the above address.

Bookstore

Tronsmo, Kristian Augusts gate 19, has specialised on subjects like politics, feminism, gay & lesbian, movies and fiction. You’ll find a wide range of English books. Basement focuses on comic strips. Items like funny postcards, T-shirts, pins, stickers and magazines also available. The most radical bookshop in town!

Cruising, bathing and having fun!

Paradisbukta and Huk, Bygdøy, bus no. 30. Excellent for bathing, and of course, showing off. Paradisbukta is a gaybeach.

Langøyene, take the ferry from Vippetangen. Walk straight past the kiosk, continue up to the left over the top and down the cliffs. Nude bathing allowed, boys and girls. Really one of the finest places to sunbathe and swim, if you’re lucky enough to get a spot of your own. Tip: Any glimpse of sun, take the first ferry in the morning!

Frognerparken / The Vigeland Park. One of Oslos tourist spots. Take the tram or metro to Majorstuen. Admire the statues (You’ll never get this size!), drool at the girls or boys playing football or Frisbee in the park, or just as well the ones on rollerblades and flirt with other tourists. When the delicate ones have left, stick around, guy. Behind the park, there is a cruising area. Birdboxes filled with lubricants and condoms! Practice safe sex!!

Sognsvann is a lake, usually a family gathering scene, but in the evening Dorothy’s friends invade the territory. The parking place is a well used cruising area. Up at the lake, you may bring your barbecue, some beer, lots of natives you’ve met and party until sunrise.

Other major events taking place in Norway around EuroPride:

Momentum
May 22 –June 27, Moss (1 hour from Oslo by train)
A Nordic festival of contemporary art. The motivation of Momentum is to expose contemporary characteristics and issues held to be specific to the Nordic countries

The Short Film Festival of Grimstad
June 15-June 20, Grimstad
Established and unknown filmmakers meets here, discussing and showing their latest art. This year approximately 100 new short films are on the list, in addition to a lot of old movies and well-known international short films. Situated on the southern coast of Norway, in an idyllic small town about 4 hours from Oslo by bus.

Hultsfredfestivalen
June 16 – June 18 in Hultsfred, Sweden
The biggest music festival in Sweden with several famous groups performing. Hultsfred is in the countryside, in Småland in southern Sweden, about seven hours with bus from Oslo.

Norwegian Wood
June 16 - 19, Oslo
In the Vigeland Park, situated next to Frognerbadet water park where you can take a bath if the sun gets too hot. This festival centres on roots and rock, making it a kind of adult festival, and usually it’s quite cozy as well. At least if the weather is good, as it usually is at this time of the year.