Israel will host the Middle East’s largest-ever LGBTQ festival in the summer, with organizers planning to build a veritable “Pride City” at the Dead Sea.

The new Pride Land festival will transform a section of the Judean Desert into a party destination with 15 hotels and beach complexes, plus parties and performances running around the clock, the Jerusalem Post reported.

A Festival to celebrate Israel’s LGBTQ community

The festival is slated to start on June 1 and run for four days, serving as the largest such event ever held in the Middle East.

Aaron Cohen, the main producer and initiator of the festival, said Pride Land will be the biggest undertaking for Israel’s LGBTQ community, much larger than the annual parade held in Tel Aviv.

“To take an investment of millions, purchase entire hotels for four days, and build a city from scratch in the middle of the desert.
By-Cohen to JPost.

It’s an experience that lives 24/7, from quiet visits to nights of pride, with a living envelope of music and people, he added.

A fun experience in the midst of war?

While the parties are the biggest draw for the festival, Cohen said there will also be a dedicated space for families and children to enjoy scenic views along with cultural events and workshops.

The ultimate goal of the festival is to create a multigenerational “Pride City” to unite locals and tourists. The festival is also set to highlight the Dead Sea as a key getaway for LGBTQ visitors, organizers said.

The website says the program will include performances, parties, exhibitions, art, and queer culture – along with family-oriented activities and child-friendly areas alongside the broader entertainment lineup.

The event is being promoted against a mixed legal backdrop for LGBTQ rights in Israel. Same-sex marriage is not performed in Israel because marriage is handled through the religious authorities rather than civil law.

Questionable timings

The promotion for the festival comes at a rough time for tourism in Israel, which has suffered due to its ongoing conflict with Iran and its terror proxy, Hezbollah, in neighboring Lebanon.

Both conflicts are currently under a cease-fire, with peace talks being pushed, but it remains to be seen if the wars will end any time soon.

The US State Department continues to advise that Americans avoid travel to Israel due to the heightened risk of terrorism and civil unrest in the region.