Pride Aargau 2026: solidarity as a statement — after the death of co-founder Noa
5 September 2026 is the date of the third Pride Aargau. The march sets off from Bahnhofplatz in Aarau and passes through the old town; afterwards, Maienzugplatz becomes a festival with queer acts, speeches and stalls from organisations including Seges, Rainbowsheep, Queer Mittelland and Queeramnesty. Free entry, motto: «Zämehalt: Mitenand und Förenand!» — in English: togetherness: with each other and for each other.
Pride Aargau already held this motto in 2025. The decision to keep it in 2026 is deliberate: in December 2025, Noa Theo Oehninger — co-founder of Pride Aargau and co-president of the association — died unexpectedly. The 24-year-old trans man had been instrumental in establishing queer visibility in the canton of Aargau. The community mourned publicly, and memorial donations totalled 4,130 Swiss francs — the money will be held as a reserve fund for events affected by bad weather.
Jenny Nussbaum and Sonja Geisseler now lead the association as co-presidents. Their goal: not just to proclaim «Zämehalt», but to embody it. Pride Aargau remains advertisement-free, free of charge and without party-political affiliation. Everyone is invited — queer or not — to march, celebrate and support.
Pride Aargau is part of a growing trend in Switzerland: regional prides that emerge outside the major cities and fill specific gaps in queer visibility. While the Zurich Pride Festival 2026 was cancelled due to funding difficulties, the grassroots is growing in the cantons — Khur Pride in Chur, BernPride, Pride Zentralschweiz, and now the third Pride Aargau.
The programme for Pride Aargau 2026 is available at prideaargau.ch. For those who want to honour Noa Theo Oehninger, this day offers the opportunity: through presence, visibility — and Zämehalt.
