Hundreds of thousands of spectators lined Amsterdam’s historic canals on the weekend to celebrate Canal Parade, a Pride flotilla of 80 brightly decorated boats packed with people partying, singing, and waving rainbow flags, balloons, and umbrellas.

The boats representing rights groups, bars, clothing brands and even the Dutch military made their way slowly through the waterways in a resumption of the hugely popular LGBTQ Pride event that had been cancelled for two years amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We are looking forward to a special edition where ‘being who you are and loving who you want’ is the norm and the struggle for equal rights is the message,” Amsterdam Pride director Lucien Spee de Castillo Ruiz said prior to the event.

And indeed, the event – one of the world’s best – didn’t disappoint. Spectators were packed several people deep along the Dutch capital’s canals and bridges to watch the 25th version of the parade, which was the highlight of the city’s nine-day Pride event, which concluded Sunday.