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The first Gay Pride Parade a person attends can be a mixed bag of emotions. You find yourself being excited and sometimes even a little scared as you aren't really sure what to expect. Relax! Preparing for your first pride parade isn't that unlike getting ready for any other parade except there are a few little twists to make everything run a little smoother. By having a good advance plan and a ton of knowledge you can make your first Pride parade something you remember forever for all the right reasons.

As basic as it seems the first step is to determine if you will be going to a local Pride or one out of town. Not every city hosts a Pride parade, so those unfortunate enough to be in such locales have to do a little traveling. Some are going to be fairly small and others such as in major cities are huge closing down entire areas of the city. You need to decide which is right for you, many people enjoy something a bit low key and less crowded their first time out just to get a feel for what actually goes on.

Once that is determined you have to decide if you are going alone or with others. This effects many other decisions you will make concerning your planning. It is usually best to go with a small group. This not only gives you someone to spend time with, but it can also be very comforting to know that in the midst of something wholly new to you there is someone at your side. This is especially true if you are out of town or your first Pride is taking place just after you have recently come out. Plus as they always say there is safety in numbers, not that Pride parades are known for many problems. Still it isn't that uncommon to find protesters at Pride events, most are very docile and remain at the outskirts of the parade, on occasion however some do get a bit out of hand.

Have a solid transportation plan. You not only want to be sure you have good directions if you are going by car, but even if by train or some other mode. The odds are you will have to park or will arrive a fair distance away from your target destination and need to approach by foot. In a city that is new to you, this can be tricky, just ask tourists that wander aimlessly through new York City every day who assumed that navigating would pose no problem. If you drive be sure you have an idea in advance of at least three places to park so you don't waste time circling around looking for a spot. If you arrive by another method determine if you can reach the parade route by foot or need a cab/public

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