Arnhem's Coming In Week runs from Sunday 11 to Sunday 18 October 2026. The organisers' agenda lists about thirty events across the city, from a film night and a classical concert to a pub quiz, a drag workshop and a party that runs until 03:00.
This year the week carries more weight than usual. Arnhem hosts Roze Zaterdag, the oldest LGBTQ+ event in the Netherlands, on 19 June 2027, for the first time since 1999. The city has turned the months before it into a Roze Jaar, and the municipality lets that year begin during this week.
The Pride Walk and the opening
The walk is on the first day. People gather at Focus Filmtheater from 16:00, speeches start at 16:30 and the walk sets off at 17:00. It ends at around 18:00 at the Eusebiuskerk, the large church in the old centre, with food and drinks. At 18:30 the official opening of the Roze Jaar follows inside the church. Entry to the opening is free, but the organisers ask people to register on the agenda page because places are limited. Anyone who needs support or adjustments to take part in the walk can contact the organisers in advance.
The same evening, at 20:00, Musis & Stadstheater Arnhem puts on a Pride concert with the music collective LUDWIG and Boys Won't Be Boys: classical music, cabaret, dance and spoken word about masculinity, sexuality and identity. Tickets are sold separately.
The rest of the week
- Saturday 10 October, the evening before: Go Short shows a programme of queer short films at Focus Filmtheater, 19:30 to 21:30.
- Tuesday 13 October: a talk evening on porn at Willemeen from 20:00, and a theatre performance at Theater aan de Rijn.
- Wednesday 14 October: a dance workshop at the Introdans studios at 19:00 and a drag lip sync show at Café de Kurk at 20:00.
- Thursday 15 October: a pub quiz at Café Queers from 20:00, a Transistor café evening at Café de Kurk and a lesbian reading club at Theater aan de Rijn.
- Friday 16 October: Queertoberfest at Café de Kurk.
- Saturday 17 October: a drag workshop at Musis at 13:00, a drag show in the evening, and a queer party at Luxor Live from 22:00 to 03:00.
- Sunday 18 October: a rainbow service at the Waalse Kerk at 10:00 closes the week.
Some events are free, some are ticketed, and a few have no time on the agenda yet. Check the individual listing before you go.
Arnhem for a visitor
Two of the week's main hosts are bars we list. De Kurk runs something nearly every night of the week and keeps an embroidery table open throughout, and Café Queers has the Thursday quiz. Arnhem has direct trains from Utrecht and Amsterdam.
The Netherlands
The Netherlands opened civil marriage to same-sex couples in 2001, the first country in the world to do so, and scores 63.82 out of 100 on ILGA-Europe's Rainbow Index. Our country page covers the legal situation in more detail.
What else is on nearby
- Pride Enschede, 72 km away, runs until 11 October.
- Pride Almere, 64 km away, starts on 7 October.
- Breda Pride, 89 km away, is on 10 October.
- Leather & Fetish Pride Netherlands in Amsterdam, 82 km away, starts on 15 October, in the same week.