It's not long until Pride season begins in earnest, which means that queers all over the world are polishing their whistles, perfecting their moves and fixing their outfits in readiness for the gayest day of the year. But Pride has not always been a global phenomenon, nor has it always been called by that name, and the annual get-together has often been marred by in-fighting and strife. Do you want to know more? Read on…

When was the first Pride event?
The first mass gathering of gay people was the march to commemorate the Stonewall riots. It took place in New York City in June 1970, around 2000 people took part, and there were sister events in four other cities including Los Angeles.

What about the UK?
The Gay Liberation Front organised the first marches in London. By November 1970 the capital had witnessed its first event - a torchlight procession consisting of around 80 out and proud participants. The first event described as a Gay Pride march happened when 2000 walked down Oxford Street to Hyde Park two years later.

What does this have to do with Mardi Gras?
March, parade, procession, Mardi Gras, they're all more or less names for the same thing. However, some are regional variations, some are believed to be about making more of a political statement than others, and others are more about having a really big party. Pick your favourite.

Isn't Pride all about in-fighting between the organisers?
Yep! Many are organised by committees of volunteers, or inexperienced companies, and it's safe to say that there's usually one hissy fit thrown. The name of the event, the route, whether or not it should be free, personality clashes, the inclusion or not of lesbians, bisexual people, transgendered people and other identity groups, political differences, how corporate the event is to be, money management, these are all staple subjects that are regularly argued over.

Didn't lesbians stage their own Pride at one point?
The late 1970s and early 1980s saw the rise of Lesbian Strength marches. It was at the height of separatism and a lot of lesbians were fed up with what they believed to be second class treatment from their gay male peers.

How many Prides are there now?
Almost too many to keep count of, from Croatia Pride, to Soho Pride to SM Pride by way of EuroPride (this year in London!), Bear Pride, Jerusalem Pride and Venezuela Pride. Every place with a sizeable gay population has its own pride. There are also Pride-like events such as Summer Rites, which took place in London in the 1990s, and Dyke Marches, an event for women that's currently gaining in popularity across the US.

Which is the biggest?
Sao Paulo in Brazil which in 5005 had an attendance of 2.5 million people! However, Sydney's Mardi Gras is probably the most famous.

And what about this year?
EuroPride takes place in London from 16 June to 1 July 2006 welcoming lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered people from all over the world! Around 80 floats in the EuroPride Parade will head down of Oxford Street and Regent Street on Saturday 1 July 2006, followed by the EuroPride Rally in Trafalgar Square, EuroPride Cabaret in Leicester Square, and community village throughout Soho.

Don't forget EuroPride 2006: The Show, on 2 July 2006, which is Sponsored by GaydarRadio and features a host of star names! Tickets for the EuroPride Show are available from the box office on 020 7589 8212 or online from www.royalalberthall.com.

Plus, there are at least 12 more Prides between now and September, including Birmingham, Canterbury, Glasgow, Leicester, Derby, Bournemouth, Oxford, Lincolnshire, Belfast, Soho, Brighton, Hull and Manchester. Meet you by the beer tent?

Not feeling proud enough yet? Buy Ultimate Gay Anthems on CD and sashay, swish, sashay dahling!