The first demonstration in the open minded Cathedral city of Cologne for the rights of lesbians, gay and transgenders was in 1972, organised by the "Gay Liberation Front".
Since 1991, the Kölner Lesben- und Schwulentag (KLuST) has organised the CSD Parade on the first Sunday in July each year. On the one side in memory of the events of Christopher Street in 1969, on the other side with a vision to the future in order to demonstrate for the equal rights and acceptance of gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgenders.
During the first Gay Pride in the historic old city, 3,000 lesbians and gays attended. In more recent years, between 750,000 and one million guests came to Cologne, so that the CSD Parade as the conclusion to Cologne Pride is valid today as one of Europe's biggest queer events: Up to 120 floats and numerous pedestrian groups have taken part in the parade in previous years.