Your 2022 Guide to The Best LGBTQ+ Pride Events in U.S.
| 06/03/22
Welcome to Pride 2022
Although Pride is 365, the LGBTQ+ community takes time every year to celebrate our existence and fierceness in the face of ongoing efforts to erase us. While the majority of the celebrations land in the month of June, plenty of destinations across the country choose other dates for Pride festivities. Here'a a updating list of some of the best destinations to celebrate Pride this year.
50 Years of Twin Cities Pride (May 21-July 8)
The Twin Cities of St. Paul and Minneapolis join forces at Pride and this year they’ll be celebrating 50 years together, with the annual Twin Cities Pride Festival held at Loring Park, in Minneapolis. The cities will celebrate the 50th anniversary of queer Pride with other events even before Pride month gets underway. Here are the top ones:
OUT Venture (May 21) A new Pride event in 2022 (and reportedly the first of its kind in the country) OUT Venture will offer “a tapestry of Minnesota outdoor activities” including the Rainbow Run, Slow Roll Bike Ride, Water Activities on the Mississippi River, and more. Noon-6 p.m. at Boom Island Park in Minneapolis.
Come As You Are! A Pride Exhibition (June 3- July 8) At Inez Greenberg Gallery located in the Bloomington Center for the Arts, this visual art exhibition features dozens of LGBTQ+ artists and celebrates the local queer community and 50 years of Pride.
Grand Marshal Celebration & Pride Awards (June 9) A night of music, comedy, community awards and the crowning of the Grand Marshal for Pride 2022. Hosted by Bradley Traynor and Foxy Tann, the evening will feature Minnesota music legends The “R” Factor with special guests Lori Dokken and Erin Schwab — and a special appearance by “The Golden Girls.”
Family Fun Day (June 19) Food and fun games for kids.
50th Annual Twin Cities Pride Festival (June 25-26) As in the past the festival will feature local BIPOC and LGBTQ+ vendors, food courts, a beer garden, and music stages — but there will be no Saturday night concert in the park or fireworks this year.
2022 Twin Cities LGBTQ+ March (June 26) The annual Twin Cities LGBTQ+ Pride March honors Ashley Rukes, the former director of the Twin City Pride Festival. This year the Pride parade will proceed down Hennepin and into Loring Park.
Key West Florida Shouts GAY (June 1-6)
With a theme of “Don’t say gay, SHOUT it!!!” Florida’s queerest city will usher in Pride month on Wednesday, June 1st with parties, performances, and other celebrations. The main Key West Pride events happend that weekend. Here's a lineup of the official events and top parties:
Official Pride 2022 Street Fair (June 4) The Duval Street festival features performances, booths, and the inaugural Disco Block Party.
Key West Pride Parade 2022 (June 5) Carrying part of the 100-foot Sea to Sea Diversity Flag, is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. The 1.25-mile rainbow flag is believed to be the longest rainbow flag in the world.
Her Weekend (June 3-5) Key West’s inaugural exclusive women’s event, taking place at the new boutique hotel, Marrero’s Guest Mansion. A cocktail welcoming party on Friday, followed by a night out on the notoriously fun and bustling 2 Mile stretch of Duval St. Saturday women only pool party at the lavish Marrero’s Guest Mansion pool, featuring celebrity guest DJ Cristy Lawrence. Games, surprises, charcuterie by Graze Craze, a light lunch, one hour of open bar, and more.
Opening Day Parties (June 1)
Key West Pride Pregame at 801 Bourbon Bar. Drink specials all day and night
KWBG Pride Kick-off Luncheon at Marriott Beachside 12 p.m. ($30 entry)
Key West Pride Kick-off Party at Island House until 8 p.m. ($20 entry covers Stoli Cocktails, champagne, and hors-d’ oeuvres. $20.00 entry – donation to the Key West Business Guild.
A Fabulous Evening with Lillian Baxter (June 1-4) created and performed by John Vessels and Jay Schwandt at Fringe Theater, in the show Hollywood’s favorite has-been, Lillian Baxter, brings her one-woman Pride Parade to Key West! She’ll sing show tunes and gay anthems and share her love for the gay community (and the seven who married her).
22 Takeover Drag Pool Party & Brunch (June 2) at Kimpton Winslow Bungalows the party is hosted by 22 & Co., and Poke in the Rear and features drag performances.
Key West Local Bartender Competition (June 2) at Bourbon Street Pub
June 2 Parties
Mixer in The Rear (June 2) at Poke In The Rear – AquaPlex
Shiny Disco Balls 70’s Dance Party (June 2) at 801 Bourbon Bar
Naked Pool Party (June 3) at Island House (men only event)
Are You Wet Yet Pool Party (June 3) at Alexander’s Guest House
Glow Party (June 3) at SideBar – AquaPlex. Guests are encouraged to wear fluorescent clothing and glow-in-the-dark accessories. Glow sticks and body paint provided.
Somewhere Over The Rain-Glow Party Boys Edition (June 3) at Saloon 1 Neon boys, dance music, and the world-famous Cock Shock Contest at midnight.
Street Fair Drag Show (June 4) at Aqua Nightclub – AquaPlex – The official Bar of Key West Pride features Beatrix & Epiphany of the Aquanettes
Official Women-Only After-Party for Key West Pride 2022 (June 4) at Mary Ellen’s . The party kicks off with the famous Vibrator Races hosted by DJ Sanaris, to help raise money for a local non-profit, followed by the ultimate dance party
Totally Rad 80’s Party(June 4) at 801 Bourbon Bar Like, totally tease up those bangs, grab your Walkman, and dance to ’80s music!
Check Out Cody And Kevin’s Gear Night(June 4) at Saloon 1. Break out the leather and gear. Wet Jockstrap contest at midnight.
Pride Service (June 5) MCC Church and Unity of the Keys both offer Pride religious services
Sunday Funday: Pride Edition (June 5) at 801 Bourbon Bar Brunch, karaoke, and a parade viewing party.
Pride Drag Brunch (June 5) at Mangoes Brunch, unlimited mimosas, a drag show, and official Pride Parade viewing party.
Pre-Parade Pride Sunday (June 5) at Mary Ellen’s
Famous Tea Dance (June 5) at La te da
Love Wins Concert (June 6) at Unity of the Keys Spiritual Center
Boston LGBTQ+ Pride (May 21-July 1)
Boston Pride, the organizer of past parades, dissolved last year amid controversy over a lack of gender and racial inclusion (and complaints of excessive commercialization). The parade, which drew thousands of marchers and hundreds of thousands of spectators, hasn’t been held in person since 2019 and it won’t return this year.
But the celebration will still go on, as the city, LGBTQ+ organizations, queer businesses, and the rest of the community sponsor their own block parties, marches, and festivals.
It all starts Saturday, May 21st with Massachusetts Youth Pride at Boston’s Greenway, the annual event first launched in 1995.
Here are some of the other highlights:
Boston Pride Kick-Off (June 1) The City of Boston lights up the city hall in rainbow colors for the month of June. The theme this year is “PRIDE: Past, Present, and Future!” At the rainbow lighting ceremony, there will be speeches from the Mayor and LGBTQ+ community members, and then live performances from local LGBTQ+ artists.
Boston Dyke March (June 10) The intersectional march is a grassroots Pride event that is ASL interpreted, wheelchair, stroller, and scooter accessible.
Road of Rainbows 5K Run/Walk (June 11) The 2nd annual running of Boston Theater Company's LGBTQ+ Road of Rainbows.
Sing We Our Tomorrow (June 12)Boston Choral Ensemble’s Pride concert.
Trans Resistance March & Festival (June 25) The 3rd annual march is followed by performances by trans, nonbinary, and allied artists.
Boston Urban Pride Weekend (June 30- July 1) A weekend of events for the Black, Brown, and Latinx LGBTQ+ community of Boston.
P-town’s Big Queer Summer (June 2-13)
This year Provincetown celebrates Pride with its theme of “Big Queer Summer.”
A new pre-Pride event kicks things off June 2: Provincetown Brewing Co.’s Taproom Talks series at the Fine Arts Work Center. Right on Q: Identity & Understanding Around the Word ‘Queer’ will explore the use of the word queer, its history, and its meaning to different facets of the LGBTQ+ community.
June 3, the Provincetown Business Guild will host a “Pride Proclamation” at the town hall, led by veteran LGBTQ+ journalist and activist, Jay Blotcher
Queer AF Drag Bingo (June 3) at Crown & Anchor celebrity-duo, drag queen Mackenzie and co-host Austin
Pride Rally at Town Hall and Shashy to Tea (June 4) a short rally in the spirit of Stonewall followed by a short “Sashay” to a tea dance at the Boatslip
Pride Queer Comedy Showcase (June 4) will feature Franqi French (reigning champ of Stand-Up NBC), Jaye McBride (first out transgender comedian to perform at Madison Square Garden), Sam Morrison (best new talent at New York Comedy Festival), Kristen Becker (P-town local and host of Fruit Basket Comedy), and Anddy Egan-Thorpe (creator of Fruit Basket Comedy).
Official Pride Dance Party (June 4) at A-House (Atlantic House)
Feet Over Front Street Pride 5K Run/Walk (June 5) a fundraiser walk/run
The first-ever LGBTQ+ History Trolley Tour of Provincetown
Full Spectrum Beach BBQ (June 5) on the shore just off the pool deck at the Crown & Anchor
Womxn of Color Weekend (June 3-6) founded in 2007 as a four-day event designed to elevate, strengthen, educate, and celebrate LGBTQ+ women of color, trans, nonbinary, and gender fluid people of color, “and our accomplices,” as the site puts it. Through workshops, parties, and more, WoCW hopes to change the culture in Provincetown, which has long had one of the highest populations of same-sex couples in the nation, but still suffers from a lack of diversity.
Dyke Dock Girl Party at the Provincetown Brewing Co. (June 5) hosts include local comic Kristen Becker
Ptown Pride Retreat, June 6-13, a gay male retreat that fosters wellness through yoga, fitness, and healing activities in the natural beauty of the Cape.
To help make Provincetown more accessible, the PBG has worked with the Bay State Cruise Company to offer half-price ferry tickets during Pride Weekend (June 3 - June 5) to anyone age 25 and under with a valid ID. To book these discounted tickets, call Bay State Cruise Lines at (617) 748-1428 and request this rate.
Los Angeles Loves Pride (June 3-12)
Christopher Street West in West Hollywood held the first permitted gay parade in the world in 1970 and 52-years later it is still going strong, once again producing Los Angeles’s LGBTQ+ Pride parade, which this year has the theme of #LoveYourPride. Unlike in many cities, in LA the festival happens first, and the following day marchers take to the streets. Here are the not-to-miss events:
LGBTQ+ Night At Dodger Stadium (June 3) The 9th annual LGBTQ+ night of Dodgers baseball starts with a pregame party featuring DJ Bowie J, and end with a spectacular post-game Friday Night Fireworks. The National Anthem will be sung by queer artist Wils. The Dodgers will be taking on the NY Mets. Special Pride night package includes an exclusive commemorative Dodger LGBTQ+ game jersey.
LAPride In The Park (June 11) Christina Aguilera headlines LA Pride in the Park, the music event with two stages, exhibitors, and plenty of food and drink on Saturday, June 11 at Los Angeles State Historic Park. Gates open at 1PM, and the party goes until 11PM. In addition to Xtina, entertainment will include Anitta, Syd, Chika, and Michaela Jaé.
LA Pride Parade(June 12) The iconic LGBTQ+ procession returns to Hollywood Blvd, with over 130 contingents of marchers, performers, nonprofits, celebrities, and businesses in the 52nd Annual LA Pride Parade.
Colorado Small Town Prides (June 4-26)
Colorado’s epicenter of summer Pride festivities is Denver (June 25-26), but smaller towns around the Centennial State get in on the rainbow action, too.
Boulder County Pride, June 6–12 In Colorado’s other big and beautiful northern university town, The Longmont Pride Festival is slated for June 11 and Boulder Pride June 12.
Avon, June 18 Mountain Pride hosts its third year of Pride in the Park at Avon’s Nottingham Park, located in the stunning Rocky Mountains just west of Vail. “We doubled in size last year and fingers crossed we double again,” says Pride in the Park organizer Madison Partridge. “We...hope to bring all surrounding communities from the mountains and beyond to celebrate for 2022.” The event begins with morning yoga, followed by youth fashion shows, dog fashion shows, drag shows, music, food trucks, dance parties, and a parade around the park.
Fort Collins Pride, July 15-16 About an hour’s drive north of Denver this college town features breweries, culture, live music, and open-minded appeal no matter when you visit, but the place especially knows how to get down for Pride. “Pride is not an event but rather a season around northern Colorado,” says NoCo Safespace founder Kimberly Chambers, who also oversees SPLASH Youth, Northern Colorado Equality, and helps coordinate NoCoPride. Festivities run throughout the summer in the form of Pride bike rides, concerts, drag brunches, and glitter shows, Monday Mingle Pride sober meetings, and a SPLASH Youth Pride week for children and families July10-16. The NoCo Pride March is July15 and Pride in the Park at City Park is on July 16.
According to One Colorado, here are other Pride events occuring in Colorado in 2022
- Rockies Pride Night | June 3, 2022 | 6:40pm | Coors Field, Denver, CO | Tickets
- Apex Park & Rec Pride Night | June 3, 2022 | Secrest Recreation Center | Learn more
- Arkvalley Pride | June 3-June 5, 2022 | Riverside Park, Downtown Salida, CO | Learn more
- B-Pride, Broomfield’s Pride Party in the Park | June 4, 2020 | 12-4pm | Midway Park, Broomfield, CO | Learn more + PDF
- Youth Pride by Inside Out Youth Services | June 4, 2022 | 10am-5pm | Colorado Springs, CO | Learn more
- Youth Queer Prom by Inside Out Youth Services (ages 13-24) | June 4, 2022 | 7-10pm | Colorado Springs, CO | Tickets
- Erie Pride | June 5, 2022 | 2-7pm | Old Town, Erie, CO
- Pride @ the Plaza | June 9, 2022 | 12-3pm | Festival Plaza, Lafayette, CO
- Teen Pride Party by Jeffco Public Library | June 10, 2022 | 6-8pm | Evergreen Library, Evergreen, CO
- Longmont Pride | June 11, 2022 | 2-6pm | 4th Ave, Longmont, CO
- Boulder Pride | June 12, 2022 | 11am-6pm | Boulder Central Park, Boulder, CO | Learn more
- Queer Space Pride | June 12, 2022 | 4-7pm | Buckley Park, Durango, CO
- Black Pride Colorado’s Happy Hour Partnership with MCA | June 15, 2022 | 4:30-7pm | Museum of Contemporary Art, Denver CO | Tickets
- Black Pride Colorado’s Evening with Nic Stone | June 16, 2022 | 6-9pm | Rocky Mountain PBS, Denver, CO | Tickets
- Black Pride Colorado’s The Strange Fruit of Black Excellence Gala: Celebrating the Harlem Renaissance | June 17, 2022 | 6-9:30pm | Denver Botanical Gardens | Tickets
- Black Pride Colorado’s The Rent Party: Collaboration with OutFront Magazine | June 17, 2022 | 9:30pm-2am | The Loft at Temple Denver | Tickets
- Adams County Pride | June 18, 2022 | 11am-4pm + Concert @ 6pm | Riverdale Regional Park, Brighton, CO | Pride Concert Tickets
- Juneteenth Music Festival | June 18-19, 2022 | Historic Five Points, Denver, CO
- Felony Misdemeanor & Black Pride Colorado presents: Black Diamonds | June 18, 2022 | 8:30pm Meet & Greet, 10:30pm Show | X Bar, Denver, CO | Tickets >> feat. Yvie Oddly & Angeria Paris Van Michaels
- Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado Pride Project | June 18, 2022 | 8am-4pm | Golden Gate Canyon State Park | Learn more
- Pride Picnic in the Park | June 18, 2022 | 2-6pm | Memorial Park, Woodland Park, CO
- Pride in the Park by Mountain Pride | June 18, 2022 | 12-7pm | Nottingham Park, Avon, CO | Learn more
- Black Pride Colorado’s Queer Cookout: A Family Celebration | June 19, 2022 | 2-6pm | Tracks Denver | Learn more
- Yampa Valley Pride | June 25, 2022 | 12-3pm | Steamboat Springs, CO | Learn more
- Queer-ilderness by History Colorado Center (ages 13+) | June 25, 2022 | 6-11pm | History Colorado Center, Denver, CO | Tickets
- One Colorado’s Pink Party | June 25, 2022 | 6-10pm | The Tracks Yard, Denver, CO | Tickets
- Denver Pride | June 25-26, 2022 | Daily events | Denver, CO | denverpride.org >> Catch the OneCO Team as co-Grand Marshal in the Denver Pride Parade on June 26th!
- Ridgeway Pride | July 9, 2022 | 1-5pm | Hartwell Park, Ridgeway, CO | Learn more
- Pikes Peak Pride | July 23-24, 2022 | Daily, 10am-7pm | Acacia Park, Colorado Springs, CO | Learn more
- Aurora Pride | August 6, 2022 | Learn more
- Pueblo Pride | August 21, 2022 | Learn more
- Castle Rock Pride | August 27 | Learn more
- PrideFest by Colorado West Pride | September 6-11, 2022 | Daily events | Grand Junction, CO
New Orleans Parties (June 9-12)
New Orleans Pride Weekend is June 9-12, with the Pride Parade on the evening of Saturday, 11, but you can find LGBTQ+ events all month long. Here are some of the top celebrations:
Faubourg Brewery PrideFest (June 3-5) This family-friendly festival features food, music, and arts & crafts vendors.
Pride Build (June 4 & 18), New Orleans Habitat hosts its first ever Pride Build, to raise awareness about how LGBTQ+ people are systemically discriminated against in homeownership and housing.
The Official New Orleans Pridefest (June 11) Celebrate the queer community outside the Phoenix Bar.
The New Orleans Pride Parade (June 11) Walking groups, dance troupes, miniature floats, and lots of rainbow flags parade from Pridefest and into the French Quarter.
Pride Parade After-Parties (June 11)
GrrlSpot | Pride Queer women party at this event from Grrl Spot and Girl: Crush. Venue is TBA. Fun starts at 8 p.m.
Thots & Prayers at Betty’s Bar Head to Betty’s Bar & Bistro for a dance party designed to uplift the queer community. All are welcome. Starts at 10 p.m.
Pool at Rawhide This gay leather bar hosts games of jock strap pool beginning at 11:30 p.m.
Hangover Brunch(June 12) The day after the Pride parade the party continues at the city’s oldest gay bar, Lafitte’s in Exile on Bourbon Street.
Family Equality Day (June 12) Enjoy a drag queen story time, a community resource fair, culminating with a children’s march at Longue Vue House & Gardens.
Beach Party (June 12) Wear your best beach wear for happy hour at Crossing bar from 2 p.m. to 5
Hoe Down (June 12) A cowboy-themed party on at 7 p.m. at Good Friends Bar.
Pride Returns to NYC (June 17-26)
New York to see its first fully in-person march in three years.
“Our community has been through tremendous hardships over the past few years, beginning with the pandemic, and continuing with a reckoning with social justice, threats to our democracy, and more recently armed conflict overseas,” NYC Pride executive director Sandra Pérezsaid when announcing this year’s theme, “Unapologetically Us,” and 2022 Pride event schedule. Here are some of the highlights:
JUNE 17: Pride Presents This cinematic event celebrates LGBTQ+ films.
JUNE 23: The Conference NYC Pride’s annual symposium featuring queer changemakers.
JUNE 24: The Rally NYC’s gay rights movement started as a riot, and this rally continues that activist tradition.
JUNE 25: Youth Pride A celebration of and for teens.
JUNE 24-26: Pride Island The central programming hub for NYC Pride returns with three days of programming and DJ-hosted dance parties on Governors Island.
JUNE 26: Bliss Days NYC Pride’s annual celebration of LGBTQIA+ Womxn.
JUNE 26: The March For the first time in three years the annual parade returns in-person, including marchers, performers, and floats.
JUNE 26: PrideFestThe annual street fair returns with vendor and organizational booths and a range of entertainment option on multiple stages in Greenwich Village.
For more information visit nycpride.org
Chicago Pride in the Park June 25-26
This year marks the return of Chicago’s legendary Pride parade, back after a pandemic hiatus.
Chicago’s Pride in the Park which debuted in 2019, is a one-of-a-kind LGBTQ+ Pride celebration held annually in Grant Park in the Illinois city’s downtown. Committed to “delivering all-star lineups, iconic performances, and unrivaled partnerships with diverse queer and allied small-businesses,” the 2021 event welcomed more than 30,000 attendees. This year audiences can enjoy performances by The Chainsmokers, Daya, DJ Alesso, and RuPaul'sDrag Race stars like Shea Couleé and Monét X Change. (Find the full lineup here) The event returns to Chicago for another unforgettable two-day celebration June 25-26.
San Francisco Lets Love Keep Us Together June 24-27
Pride returns in-person to the queer mecca of San Francisco June 24-27 for the first time since the pandemic began. The annual event doubles the population of the city, causing it to overflow with rainbows and queer pride.
This year’s theme is #LoveWillKeepUsTogether. San Francisco's parade will once again proceed down Market Street and end in front of San Francisco City Hall, where the festival takes over the Civic Center Plaza — and where Harvey Milk addressed the crowd in 1978 for “Gay Freedom Day.” Although they haven't released details yet, San Francisco's Pride festival features a main stage with music and other performances and more than 20 community-run stages where you can find the Faerie Freedom Village, Leather Alley, a Cheer San Francisco stage (cheerleader stunts), a Country-Western Dance Corral, and more.
The fun doesn’t stop at the festival grounds, as clubs and private venues host an array of parties to celebrate Pride. A few of those with confirmed dates so far are:
Electroluxx Pride party, Friday June 24 at The Midway SF XOXO presents 10 hours of DJ sets at the San Francisco Pride Main Event
Forever Tel Aviv Forbidden Apple, Saturday, June 25 at The Midway SF XOXO presents the 10th anniversary of this circuit party
The 2nd Annual Mr. Queen SF, Saturday, June 25 is a daytime event, held at the 620 Jones rooftop bar
Cecil Russell’s 5th annual HOT TEA, Sunday June 26 tea dance at clubs Audio and Bergerac (two floors combined)
Houston a Texas Sized Pride (June 24-25)
Eden Official Pride Girl+ Party(June 24) Pride Houston's annual, official girl+ party returns
Pride Celebration 2022 (June 25) The 44th annual Houston LGBT+ Pride Celebration will take place downtown at Houston city hall
Rich’s at Rise: The Official Pride Houston After-Party (June 25) Jeff Harmon presents the official Pride Houston After-Party with the iconic DJs Roland Belmares and DJ Joe Ross.
Charlottesville Pride Week (September)
Charlottesville, Virginia celebrates Pride in September. Last year Cville Pride was held September 11-19.
Atlanta Pride (October 7-9)
The Atlanta Pride Festival is always held the weekend prior to National Coming Out Day in October. In 2022 the dates are set for October 7-9. The Festival is The Atlanta Pride Committee's Signature Event and is the Pride event in the U.S. South East Region, with over 300,000 individual attendees over the weekend. As we get closer to the day Atlanta Pride will announce the festival lineup, parade Grand Marshalls and more.
Greater Palm Springs Pride (November)
The 36th annual Greater Palm Springs Pride will celebrate strength, equality and self-determination of the LGBTQ+ community and feature a parade, festival and a vendor marketplace. Details to come here.
