Amsterdam gay pride to be organized by Gay Business Association

The Gay Business Association can start organizing the yearly Canal Pride boat tour, after withdrawal of the second applicant for a licence.

The Canal Pride is one of the largest events in Amsterdam, normally taking placing in the first weekend of August.
The most important part is the traditional boat tour, with enormous floats with dance and music, through the Prinsengracht canal (the outer canal of the ring of canals in the centre of Amsterdam).

This year, two organizations had applied for the licence to organize Canal Pride, one of them the Gay Business Association. The authorities then said that, although the Gay Business Organization traditionally organizes the event, the GBA will not automatically get the licence.

A public row in the media followed, with several accusations between the authorizations and the GBA going back and forth.

It has now become clear that the second party applying for a licence was only afraid that the Pride wouldn't take place, after rumours that the GBA would not organize it. This party (whose identity remains unknown) has withdrawn its application.