Pride Pop-Up returns with continental collaboration

The 20th edition of Pride Pop-Up takes place this Saturday, 6 September, marking the first Pride event of 2025 in Namibia.

Hosted at Etc Cetera (formerly Chopsis) from 15h00, the event highlights both celebration and entrepreneurship, offering a platform for LGBTQIA+ individuals to showcase their products and businesses.

There will also be opportunities for networking and live performances by local artists, including Custommade Angela, DJ Roxy and Earthtonami.
This year carries added significance as Pride Pop-Up Namibia joins forces with Soweto Pride, Zimbabwe Pride and Kenya Pride.

The collaboration underscores a growing spirit of continental solidarity, building on recent partnerships such as shared space at the Lesbian Festival, according to activist and media liaison Rosalia Hipondoka.

“[We] recognize that entrepreneurship is a cornerstone of liberation, resilience and economic independence within the LGBTQIA+ movement. By combining celebration with entrepreneurship, we hope to create platforms that showcase talent and promote sustainability to inspire future leaders,” Hipondoka says.

Beyond visibility and celebration, the event aims to amplify queer voices in business, creating opportunities to access markets. The partnership with other Pride movements also reinforces the idea that Pride can serve as more than a symbolic gesture, as it can become a practical tool for empowerment and sustainability.

While the Namibian conversation on LGBTQIA+ rights remains complex, Pride Pop-Up reflects a quiet but powerful optimism. The organisers acknowledge that while the loudest voices often express resistance, Namibians at large are tolerant.

“We believe Namibians are, at their core, peace-loving citizens,” says Hipondoka.

While Namibia often ranks among more tolerant African countries, public attitudes remain mixed. Surveys by Afrobarometer indicate that 64% of Namibians would be “tolerant” of having homosexual neighbours, placing the country third on the continent for tolerance, well above the African average of 21%. Despite this, conservative religious values and lingering cultural attitudes continue to shape a challenging landscape where discrimination, and even violence, continue in certain areas.

Against this backdrop, events like Pride Pop-Up demonstrate that inclusivity is not just aspirational, but something already partially shaping the cultural landscape.

The programme promises a fusion of enterprise and entertainment, with exhibition stalls, food, drinks and entertainment all geared towards amplifying queer voices. But beyond the vibrancy of the music and the colour of the stalls, Pride Pop-Up Vol. 20 seeks to reimagine Pride itself, as a movement where advocacy, creativity and commerce converge to create lasting opportunities for the community.
Tickets are available at N$50 in advance and N$80 at the gate.

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