- In its first edition, around 5,000 people took part in the various activities of the program. BBHARRO has since grown to 50,000 attendees.
- An eguzkilore, a symbol of protection made up of rainbow colors, is featured on the 2024 poster. This is a parallel to what BBHARRO represents for LGBTI+ rights.
- This event, which champions affective-sexual freedom and gender identity, brings together alliances of social agents and entities through the HARROamplified program.
- BBHarro 2024 will take place in Derio, Getxo, Santurtzi, Sodupe-Gueñes and Bilbao between June 14 and 23.
- The full program can be found at www.BilbaoBizkaiaHARRO.eus . To participate in the guided tours, the Ur parade, the Zumba flag, and the HARROladies activities, you must purchase your ticket on the website.
Everything is ready for the rainbow to stretch across Bizkaia, from the coast to the interior. Between June 14th and 23rd, Bilbao Bizkaia HARRO will celebrate its tenth anniversary.
New alliances, cultural offerings, and a commitment to emerging artists are the key ingredients of this year’s anniversary program. Ten years later, this initiative continues to champion culture and leisure as tools for raising awareness and fighting for LGBTI+ rights—rights that are still being challenged and attacked around the world by the anti-rights movement.
BBHARRO reaches its tenth edition with a presence in more regions than ever before: Derio (Txorierri), Santurtzi (Ezkerraldea), Sodupe-Gueñes (Enkarterri) and Getxo (Eskuinaldea) will open the program that will culminate in the activities that will take place in Bilbao.
The Bilbao City Council, the Bizkaia Provincial Council, and Basquetour are the organizations that make this celebration of diversity possible, joined by the municipalities of Derio, Getxo, Santurtzi, and Güeñes. One of the highlights is the collaboration of the Institut Français de Bilbao, which has joined Bilbao Bizkaia Pride with a performance by the French group La Sueur.
A decade, more alliances, a cause to take care of
A decade later, it’s impossible not to look back. Throughout these years, Bilbao Bizkaia HARRO has built a network of collaborators that has enabled it to create an awareness and advocacy initiative that has also reached Busturialdea and Lea-Artibai, expanding its reach to other parts of Bizkaia.
During this time, BBHARRO has established itself as the leading LGBTI+ Pride event in the Basque Country and throughout the Atlantic region. This initiative has become an unmissable event on the calendars of thousands of people who feel this cause is their own, and it has led to a significant increase in inquiries about HARRO from neighboring regions and countries. This is reflected in higher attendance and is expected to have an economic impact of 3 million euros. While in 2015 this initiative welcomed 5,000 people, Bilbao Bizkaia HARRO has increased the number of participants tenfold, reaching 50,000 attendees. Furthermore, it is the organization that launched the largest LGBTI+ awareness advertising campaign in the Basque Country. Ultimately, it contributes to the international projection of Bilbao-Bizkaia and the whole of Euskadi, so that locals and visitors see our city, our territory and our country as a welcoming land, respectful of diversity and that promotes democratic values.
Today, BBHARRO reaches its tenth edition, adding new alliances, not only from citizens but also with city councils, different social agents, institutions, companies and businesses that have wanted to support this event in favor of the rights of LGBTI+ people.
That is why our motto, Zu ere HARRO – Your pride , perfectly expresses the spirit of an event made possible by the work and collaboration of citizens, organizations and institutions, businesses… All working together. Thanks to these synergies and this support, BBHARRO has reached 10 years of history.
But be warned: it is the responsibility of all parties, including institutions, to safeguard this project, which is synonymous with culture, leisure, and music, but also with freedoms and human rights. These are turbulent times, and hate speech is gaining strength in many parts of the world. It is urgent to nurture and protect forums for advocacy, for coming together, for defending diversity… We have always said it, from the very beginning: we will never stop dancing, no matter what anyone says. And for the music to keep playing, we need everyone’s support…
An eguzkilore: culture and protection
An eguzkilore (sunflower) whose design incorporates the Bilbao Bizkaia HARRO logo is featured on the poster for this 2024 edition, appealing precisely to that feeling of belonging, of Basque culture, which is projected to the world like a rainbow, a universal symbol. And indeed, our Pride, like the eguzkilore, is an element of protection and visibility to defend the rights of LGBTI+ people.
Our full program
The program will take place in Bizkaia on June 14, 15, and 16: on June 14, the event will be held in Derio, while on June 15, activities will be held in Santurtzi and Sodupe-Güeñes. On June 16, it will be Getxo’s turn. Finally, the rainbow will unfurl over Bilbao from June 20 to 23. Sports and cultural activities will play a prominent role in the 2024 program. The schedule for each location and day is listed at the end of this document.
As usual, the program divides the activities into thematic blocks: HARROkids (children and families), HARROmusic, HARROfun, HARROscience (science outreach), HARROculture, and HARRObasque. We would like to highlight two blocks that were very successful last year: HARROladies and HARROamplified.
- HARROladies aims to expand entertainment options for LGBTQ+ women within a male-dominated nightlife scene, creating spaces for participants to meet and raise awareness of their experiences. This year’s program at Bilbao Bizkaia HARRO includes a monologue, HARROladyfestas (women’s parties), guided tours, and musical pub crawls. Additionally, a colloquium on “Attachment and Relationships” will be held on June 27th at the La Bolsa Building in Bilbao. Furthermore, on June 15th in Santurtzi, for example, there will be a guided tour of the maritime museum exclusively for LGBTQ+ women. Registration is required for all these activities and can be done through our website ( www.BilbaoBizkaiaHARRO.eus ) to ensure a safe and welcoming environment.
- HARROamplified , Different cultural agents have organized activities around LGBTI+ realities and wanted to integrate them into the BBHARRO program, thus supporting LGBTI+ Pride and its objectives:
- The Txakolingune of Bakio has organized guided tours entitled “Enjoy the Three Colors of Bizkaia Txakoli.” These will take place on June 14, 15, 16, 21, 22, and 23. Registration has a symbolic fee of €5.00.
- Bidebarrieta Kultur Gunea in Bilbao will screen the film Te estoy amando locamente for free on June 26th.
- The library of the Provincial Council of Bizkaia , in Bilbao, will display a selection of publications addressing LGBTI+ issues at its entrance.
Bizkaia HARRO. Before the rainbow spreads over Bilbao, the celebration of diversity and activism will take place on June 14th in Derio, while on the 15th, activities will be held in Santurtzi and Sodupe-Güeñes. The 16th will be Getxo’s turn. Among the events planned in each town, Derio will focus on culture with actor Mitxel Santamarina, a well-known and frequent performer on Basque stages, while Santurtzi will host the 4th annual Batel Regatta for Diversity, organized by the City Council in collaboration with the Sotera rowing club. In Sodupe-Güeñes, local businesses will be involved and supporting the cause, decorating the town’s streets with the colors of the rainbow flag. In Getxo, children and families can enjoy a play area accompanied by live music.
Bilbao HARRO. Bilbao will host its usual events, such as the Zumba session on Gran Vía on the 23rd, and the Ur Parade, which will sail along the river on June 22nd and has changed its start time to midday, departing at 1:00 PM from Pio Baroja. Registration for both events is open on the BBHARRO website. In addition, sequins, extravagance, boldness, and social commentary will come together at another established BBHARRO event: the Drag Gala on Friday, June 21st. Seven young artists have registered for this competition, which aims to be a platform for future stars of the entertainment world.
Among the cultural offerings is the free film series, now in its third year at the San Nikolas metro station, thanks to Eusko Trenbide Sarea (Basque Railway Network). Another offering will be guided tours exploring key moments in the history of the LGBTI+ movement in Bizkaia, as well as the community’s current meeting places. Santamaría Street will host the 4th Herri Kirolak (Basque rural sports) Olympics in high heels, which aims not only to provide a fun activity but also to break down gender stereotypes in rural sports.
A commitment to emerging artists. In the music section, the Arenal stage in Bilbao will once again be the epicenter of the performances. This year, BBHARRO has opted to support emerging artists working to make their mark on the stage. Experience and veteran status will be brought by Asier Bilbao and Tolín, two prominent names in the Biscayan drag scene, who will offer their fun, daring shows with a message of diversity. From Barcelona, and making their way in the spotlight, comes the drag-punk group Ruinas and Rahola’s strippers . Turista Sueca, with her electro-fantasy style, will arrive in Bilbao from Madrid, as will Milo. María Galán, who has opened for Ana Mena on several occasions, will be another of the young voices. Nawi, from Bilbao, will be another musical offering. Finally, on the international front, we will have the French group La Sueur thanks to the collaboration of the Institut Français.
The music lineup wouldn’t be complete without DJs. Ibai Sánchez, a true classic throughout Bizkaia, will know how to get the dance floor shaking, as will Estrella Eléctrica DJ with HARROladies. Lolito Malibú will be another DJ performing, while Dennis Moore will bring his new DJ show, The Moore Experience , to BBHARRO.
Many thanks. And Bilbao Bizkaia HARRO would not be possible without all our collaborators. The City Council of Bilbao, the Provincial Council of Bizkaia, Basquetour, the town councils of Derio, Getxo, Santurtzi and Güeñes, Metro Bilbao, Berdindu-Gobierno Vasco, Euskotren, BBK Fundazioa, BilbaoPort, Eusko Trenbide Sarea, Euskalduna Jauregia, Consorcio de Aguas Bilbao-Bizkaia, Institut Français, Aguas Alzola, Ertzaintza, Txakolingunea, the association of merchants of Güeñes, Biblioteca Foral de Bizkaia, Euskaltzaindia, EITB, La Biblioteca de Bidebarrieta, Telebilbao, Puerto deportivo de Getxo and the hotel THE ARTIST also join one more year in celebrating diversity within Bilbao Bizkaia HARRO, the LGBTI+ Pride of Bilbao-Bizkaia.
