Köln – Gay Cologne Travel Guide

News, Parties & Events in Cologne RSS feed Cologne Gay Travel News

|  11  –  17 February 2010
Cologne Street Carnival: The mad days in Cologne last for 6 days and start on ›Weiberfastnacht‹ – the Thursday before Carnival Monday. Streets, trains, trams and pubs are crowded with people – many of them with costumes – drinking, flirting, singing, swinging & swaying. Sunday afternoon sees the school group and borough parades, but the highlight of the Cologne Carnival is the kilometre-long procession on ›Rosenmontag‹ (Rose Monday). The Carnival ends in the night from Tuesday to Ash Wednesday when at midnight dolls called ›Nubbel‹ are burned all over the city – the Nubbel symbolizes the scapegoat responsible for all the sins commited during the Carnival days...
|  13 February 2010
Nightcontrol: gay House party with DJ Nicolas Nucci (Paris), Mike J and Jon Doe (Cologne, Brussels). From 22:00, 7–10 € @ Neuschwanstein (Mittelstraße 12) [ Map - Nightcontrol ]
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|  13 February 2010
Cock-Pit – Carnival Edition 2010: large party for Bears and Wolf packs.
From 22:00, 15 € (12 € before 24:00) @ Alter Wartesaal (Central Station)
[ Map - Cock-Pit – Carnival Edition 2010 ]

Video: Impressions from previous Cock-Pit parties [open video][close video]

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|  13 February 2010
8 years Kings & Queens: birthday & carnival party. Young & stylish gay crowd.
22:00 – 06:00, 8–10 € @ Gloria (Apostelnstraße 11)
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|  14 February 2010
Greenkomm: Cologne’s top After Hour on Carnival Sunday. Mixed clientele.
From 06:00 @ Nachtflug (Hohenzollernring 89-93)
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|  14 February 2010
Carneball Bizarre: Mixed fetish party for dancing & playing. 10–20% gay crowd.
Strict dresscode: Fetish, Bizarre, Fantasy. (Military and Sportskit are considered street wear and aren’t accepted.) Most of the party crowd is dressed quite classy, and the atmosphere is very relaxed and party-like. To avoid men outnumbering women door policy often rejects single men – better come early and as a couple.
From 21:00 @ Alter Wartesaal (right side wing of the Central Station, access from the street Johannisstraße 11)
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|  15 February 2010
Flugbereitschaft & Panic Room: House party on Rose Monday with high musclemania and shirt-off rate. From 14:00 @ Blumengold (Mittelstraße 12) [ Map - Flugbereitschaft & Panic Room ]
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|  2  –  4 July 2010
CSD Köln – Cologne Gay Pride 2010: parade on Sunday, street festival from Friday till Sunday in the Old Town of Cologne [ Map - CSD Köln – Cologne Gay Pride 2010 ]
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|  31 July  –  7 August 2010
VIII Gay Games Cologne 2010: the largest sports and cultural event world-wide for gays, lesbians and their friends, with some 12000 participants from more than 70 countries. Registration open!

Gay Games Cologne 2010 promotion video [open video][close video]

News Archive

About Cologne and its gay life

Although situated in Germany's northern part, Cologne is often called the ›most southern city of Germany‹. That is partly because the people in Cologne tend to be more easy-going and approachable than in other German cities. And they love to imitate the Southern European lifestyle – as soon as two sun-rays hit the city you will see some tables outside in front of many cafes and bars.

Cologne had been extensively destroyed during World War II. And the paradigm of the first after-war and ›Wirtschaftswunder‹ decades to replace everything old by something new unfortunately did the rest to prevent Cologne from becoming one of the most interesting and beautiful cities in Germany. For the sight-seeing traveller it hasn't much to offer besides the Cathedral, an UNESCO World Heritage site, a wide range of high quality art galleries and museums, and a few other attractions.

But Cologne covers this downside gracefully with its more friendly and easy-going atmosphere. As one result Cologne became the gay capital of the western part of Germany. Its big rival in the East, Berlin, is bigger, more dynamic and vibrant, which makes the Cologne gay scene look more provincial – but also more familiar and warmer.

Gay Cologne Maps: Overview, Rudolfplatz and Old Town. The maps show two major gay areas in Cologne. Many of the cafes, bars and clubs around Rudolfplatz have started during the last 15 years and have a rather modern style. Traditional pubs and bars for mixed ages are located mainly in the Old Town at and around Old Market (Alter Markt).

Cologne has probably the gay scene with the highest musclemania infection rate in Germany. Our gay clubs page tells you where all those hard won muscles can be seen and shown.

If you like your travel destinations crowded and with a million people partying on the streets and in the pubs then the Carnival in winter and the Cologne Gay Pride (CSD Köln) in summer are made for you. More information on these events on our Tips page.

Other popular annual gay highlights in Cologne are the Leather Pride week in May and the Bear Pride weekend in November. In summer 2010, Cologne will host the VIII. Gay Games, the largest gay sports event in the world.