Source: AFP, Economic Times, Advocate, UK Gay News
Play balls!
photo: UK Gay News 
Rainbow flags on a Zurich bus
photo: Jason RichThe event’s organizer estimates that around 50,000 people turned out for the colorful parade on Saturday that helped close out the month-long EuroPride festival, an annual event that started May 2 this year in the Swiss city of Zurich.
The festival, which was held for the first time in London in 1993, takes place in a different European city every year, attracting participants from all over the continent, AFP reports.
Today’s parade featured the by-now traditional assortment of imaginative costumes, drag queens, and organizational banners, judging by the assortment of photos posted by UK Gay News.
"Up to now, there are about 50,000 people participating in the parade, but there will be some more people coming for the festivities later today," event organizer Michael Rueegg told AFP. He was optimistic that a heavy downpour in the late afternoon would not dampen the festive spirit.
About 50,000 cheer EuroPride finale parade [contd.]
According to India’s Economic Times, Zürich has a thriving gay scene with bars – including oldest gay bar in Europe, the Barfüsser Bar, clubs, and cultural happenings such as Warmer Mai (Warm May), the film festival ‘Pink Apple’, and parties like the Follies au Lac. In April 2009, voters there elected a lesbian, Corine Mauch, to the mayor’s office.
In preparation for EuroPride, she helped get the city festooned with the LGBTQ movement's traditional rainbow colors, AFP reports.
“And even the local trams were flying the Rainbow Flag, and of course the local police were friendly,” reports UK Gay News.
This year's EuroPride coincides with the 40th anniversary of the first gay rights movements in the United States.
Rueegg, the event organizer, told AFP that a "mixed crowd" turned up at the parade.
“I saw a few straight couples and I went to ask them why they were here, and they found my questions very absurd. They said: ‘why shouldn't we be here, it’s where the party is,’” Rueegg told AFP.
This year’s ‘Mr. Switzerland’, André Reithebuch, has been ordered to stay away from Europride by pageant organizers who point out that the 22-year-old carpenter has a girlfriend.
Nikolai Alekseev of GayRussia helps with a EuroPride ribbon cutting
photo: UK Gay News One straight guy who wasn’t among the crowds was, reportedly, “Mr. Switzerland” – the winner of the country’s premier male pageant. Pageant organizers were quick to point out that this year’s title-holder – André Reithebuch, a 22-year-old carpenter – has a girlfriend. Although Reithebuch initially accepted an invitation to attend the festival, the pageant organizers ordered him to stay away from Zurich, expressing fears that his attendance could lead to speculation about his sexual orientation, a Swiss tabloid has reported.
EuroPride organizers encouraged Reighebuch to show up anyway and to bring his girlfriend with him to Zurich. “In such matters, we are very tolerant,” said the spokesman, according to the Advocate.
In addition to the parade, the massive annual festival features cultural, political, and sporting events. For example, the Kunsthaus, Zürich’s Museum of Fine Art, this year offered guided tours of the museum that focused on understanding roles and sexuality in art.
Source: Around 50,000 turn up at gay festival Europride in Zurich | AFP
Mr. Switzerland Recalled From Europride | Advocate
EuroPride in Zurich this summer | Economic Times
Zürich EuroPride 2009 in Pictures | UK Gay News