2026 LGBTQ Pride Guide

Pride Journeys is proud to present the 2026 LGBTQ Pride Guide, a comprehensive and ongoing list of events celebrating the LGBTQ community. This list contains not only Pride events, but also fundraisers, circuit parties and other large-scale events targeting LGBTQ individuals. To submit content for consideration, please email joey@pridejourneys.com

2026

February 5 - March 1: Cape Town, South Africa - Cape Town Pride 2026, taking place from February 5 to March 1, bursts with color, music, and celebration, honoring love, culture, and identity across the city. Standout experiences include the iconic Pride Parade, the lively Mardi Gras, themed parties, literary gatherings, and community outreach events, making this one of Africa’s most dynamic LGBTQ+ festivals. Amid this joyful energy, Ellerman House, situated on the residential side of Cape Town, offers an intimate, luxurious retreat where guests can continue to celebrate and cherish love and culture at a slower, restorative pace.

February 17 – New Orleans, Louisiana: Bourbon Street Awards: Held annually on Mardi Gras Day, it’s the biggest costume competition of the year! Head to the French Quarter to watch as drag queens delight in elaborate attire. Free to attend, you just need to arrive early for a good spot. The contest kicks off around noon on the corner of St. Ann and Dauphine streets. 

February 21 - Tucson Pride – Arizona’s oldest pride event, Tucson Pride, is hosting its 48th pride event this fall. The 2025 event will fall later in the year than the usual September dates in the hopes of skipping out on the Arizona heat. This three-day event features a parade and festival complete with concerts, performances, pageants, food trucks, and more. 

March 27-29 – New Orleans, Louisiana: Saints & Sinners LGBTQ+ Literary Festival: A program of the Tennessee Williams & New Orleans Literary Festival, SASFest has grown into an internationally-recognized event that brings together a who’s who of LGBTQ+ publishers, writers, and readers from throughout the United States and beyond. The festival, held over three days each spring at the Hotel Monteleone in the New Orleans French Quarter, features panel discussions and masterclasses around literary topics that provide a forum for authors, editors, and publishers to talk about their work for the benefit of emerging writers and the enjoyment of fans of LGBTQ+ literature.