Szymon Stepniak, Milkshake Festival (2024)26 Images
“I rolled in running a bit low on energy after barely four hours of sleep and an early train, but as soon as I hit the opening event, everything flipped,” says photographer Szymon Stepniak. “Two drag queens welcomed me with open arms and a flood of compliments. I knew right then it was going to be something special.”
It was a fitting welcome to Milkshake Festival, a vibrant queer wonderland in Amsterdam’s Westerpark to kick off the Dutch Pride celebrations. Be it the carousel-crowned Supertoys Stage or the life-sized pink castle where drag queens reign supreme, Milkshake’s wacky and wonderful stage design seems lifted straight out of a queer fairytale. “That’s the beauty of Milkshake: each space carves out its own distinct atmosphere, creating a festival rich with varied, unexpected experiences,” explains Stepniak. “Every moment was a burst of joy and spontaneity.”
These eclectic appearances extended to the attendees, too. From a bunny-themed superhero costume right through to theatrical face paint and even a pink vest depicting Donald Trump salivating over a dildo, Stepniak’s photos capture an audience completely free in their expression. He recounts one instance in which he spotted a late-arrival greeting their friendship group with hugs and kisses. “I asked, ‘Can I get a shot? Loved how you greeted everyone,’” recalls Stepniak. “And he grinned and said, ‘Sure, kissing? Then I’ll have to kiss everyone again!’ Just like that, another round of affection kicked off. Pure gold.”
“What really stood out to me – something that you don’t see at other festivals – was the intergenerational energy,” Stepniak continues. “It’s like a living, breathing timeline, with people who’ve been coming for years, sharing the space with a new wave of festival-goers, all connecting in this wild, unfiltered celebration.” Through this lens, everything from the stage design to the attendees wild looks and unbridled hedonism exists as a powerful symbol of solidarity, connecting across tribe and age to celebrate queerness to the fullest extent.
Amsterdam has historically been praised for its progressiveness but, like many other European countries, it has been swept by a wave of political conservatism in recent years. “This is why spaces like the Milkshake Festival are so vital,” says Stepniak. “They create a safe, inclusive haven for intersectional minorities, where diversity is not just celebrated but fiercely protected, and community recognition thrives.”
In spite of such worrying trends, or rather irrespective of them, Milkshake Festival went off without a hitch, replete with dancing, colourful outfits and kisses (lots of kisses). Perhaps we’d all be better off governed by that surreal pink castle and its drag queen monarchs after all.
Check out the gallery above for Stepniak’s full range of images from the festival.
