11 Oct

13:00

Bullekerk/De Bull

Westzijde 75, Zaandam

Join a special bike ride through the queer history of the Zaanstreek. This collective Pride Bike Ride celebrates the release of the first Zaan Rainbow Bike Route, starting from the Bullekerk in Zaandam.

Coming Out Day - Bike Tour Through Zaan's Queer History

More info & tickets

Pride Bike Ride Zaanstad Rainbow City

The queer history of the Zaanstreek has often remained invisible. The Zaanse Regenboog Foundation aims to change that with a new cycling route along special places in Zaanstad, featuring stories about queer people who have lived, loved, fought, and existed here.

Following the successful Rainbow Walk through the center of Zaanstad, there is now also a Rainbow Bike Route. It passes through the various urban cores of Zaanstad and is divided into two stages. Along the way, participants will encounter distinctive buildings and places, each telling its own story. The route is approximately 30 kilometers long and the tour takes about 2 to 3 hours.

From Hidden History to Visible Stories

With the information in the bike route, De Zaanse Regenboog wants to give a face to the queer history of Zaanstad. Many stories have long remained unknown or have been poorly documented. The route makes this history visible and accessible to a wide audience.

At various locations, participants can use a QR code to read more about the history behind the place. The stories are written by historian and writer Erik Schaap. The booklet is designed by Melle. The first participants on this day will receive a free copy of the booklet. The tour ends at Verskade, where participants can chat over a snack and a drink.

Some of the locations on the bike route were previously featured in the LEGO Pride exhibition at the Zaanstad city hall, which De Zaanse Regenboog organized in 2025 in collaboration with the Zaanstad Municipal Archives. There too, visitors could discover the underlying stories via QR codes.

Cycling Together on Coming Out Day

The collective Pride Bike Ride takes place on Coming Out Day. On this international day, attention is drawn to the moment when LGBTQI+ individuals openly come out about their sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression.

Route Booklets Available

From Monday, October 12th, the booklets for both the Rainbow Bike Tour and the previously released Rainbow Walk will be available at the Zaanstore/Zaans.nl, Stadhuisplein 96 in Zaandam.