2025 LGBTQ Pride Guide

Pride Journeys is proud to present the 2025 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

August 5-10- Reykjavik, Iceland: Iceland is an excellent choice of destination for LGBTQ+ travellers! Reykjavik holds a week-long pride festival every August (5th - 10th August 2025), now one of the most popular events held in the capital city. The festivities attract over 100,000 visitors each year and 30% of the Icelandic population, making it a huge draw to Iceland in the summer months. Like any pride, it's a joyous celebration full of music, drag queens, and families. As a part of this celebration, Skólavörðustígur Street was painted in rainbow colours, but only recently, in 2019, this rainbow street became permanent.

August 16-17 – Charlotte, North Carolina: Charlotte Pride, one of the largest Pride celebrations in the Southeast, The Queen City saw more than 260,000 visitors last year for Charlotte Pride. The celebration features five event stages, a drag pageant, the city’s largest annual parade and a festival zone. Last year LGBTQ+ Comedian and Actress Fortune Feimster (who hails from Charlotte) and her mom rode in the parade.

August 17 – Madison, Wisconsin: The Outreach Magic Pride Festival - The seventh annual event include a stage show with local LGBTQ+ identified performers, a large vendor area, games and activities for youth and families, food and beverages and more!

August 23: Not Your Gayla: Resistance Renaissance 2025 - A vibrant, speakeasy-style celebration presented by the Virginia Anti-Violence Project honoring the legacy of artistic and activist movements like the Harlem Renaissance and ACT UP. Featuring live music, performances, food, and a silent art auction showcasing local works themed around resistance and liberation, the event uplifts the resilience of Black LGBTQIA+ communities while raising funds and awareness for ongoing justice and healthcare access efforts. 

August 23: Pride Parade and Festival - Kick off Pride Month in Austin by celebrating alongside thousands of other visitors and Austinites at the annual parade and festival. Get to your viewing spot downtown early and experience the excitement as colorful floats with celebrities and live performances fill the streets. The parade travels through Austin from the Texas State Capitol building, down iconic Congress Avenue and concludes in the Warehouse District. From there you’ll want to check out several of the welcoming LGBTQ+-friendly bars in the area.

August 29-31 - Whidbey and Camano Islands - Oak Harbor Music Festival: The festival is dedicated to hosting a world-class, three-day event that contributes to the vibrancy of the community, brings island neighbors together, and establishes long-lasting connections with visitors. The festival creates musical opportunities for local students by offering scholarships and sponsoring instrument programs designed to provide equal access to everyone.

August 29-September 1: Duluth, Minnesota - Celebrate pride in the Twin Ports during Labor Day Weekend. Duluth-Superior Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender. Allied, Queer, Intersex (GLBTAQI) Pride serves the Duluth-Superior area's GLBTAQI community by celebrating diversity, promoting understanding, education, acceptance, respect, healthy living, self-esteem, and equality. We seek to promote a positive image of the GLBTAQI community and end discrimination based upon sexual identity.

August 29 – September 1 – New Orleans, Louisiana: Southern Decadence: Celebrating the city’s LGBTQ+ community, Southern Decadence is an annual Labor Day Weekend tradition. The event began in 1972 as a small gathering of friends and has since evolved into a multi-day celebration featuring parades, parties, and live performances.

September 2025 - Whidbey and Camano Islands - Eat Local Month: Whidbey Island is celebrating local in a big way throughout the month of September, highlighting food, farming, community and the bounty of their local food system. There will be self-guided farm stand tours, farmer’s markets, u-pick farm experiences, events, and more. whidbeyeatlocalmonth.com

Sept 6 – Reno, Nevada: Northern Nevada Pride: Join the urban basecamp’s largest celebration of love, diversity, and community at the annual Northern Nevada Pride. The one-day event starts with a spirited parade through downtown, passing under the iconic Reno Arch, and continues with a festival featuring local LGBTQ+ vendors, drag entertainers, music, food, and more.

Sept. 7: Burlington, Vermont - The Pride Center of Vermont’s Pride Festival and Parade joyously lights up Vermont’s biggest city. The parade wraps up at Waterfront Park, where rainbow flags reflect on Lake Champlain and live music and food trucks celebrate the LGBTQ+ community. Vermont’s longstanding history of embracing LGBTQ+ rights includes being the first state to legislatively legalize same-sex marriage and the first to elect an out transgender lawmaker.

September 13: Dallas, Texas - Texas Latino Pride Festival brings vibrant music, dance, and cultural storytelling—showcasing the rich heritage of the Latino LGBTQ+ community in a way that’s as audacious and inclusive as Dallas itself.

September 19–21: Dallas, Texas - Unleashed LGBTQ+ Conference & Expo takes over the city with purposeful buzz—thought-provoking panels, innovation showcases, and networking opportunities that embody our brand’s ambition and welcoming authenticity.

September 21: Dallas, Texas - The iconic Pride in Dallas Parade  floods our streets with unmatched unity and spirit – because in Dallas, we welcome your wildest dreams and wide-open minds.

September 26–28 – Forest Hills: All Things Go Music Festival: All Things Go returns to Forest Hills Stadium for its 2025 NYC edition, expanding to a third day of music and celebration! This year’s lineup features a diverse mix of indie, pop, and R&B artists, including headliners Doechii, Kesha, DJO, Clairo, Lucy Dacus, The Marías, and Remi Wolf. With a single-stage setup, attendees can enjoy uninterrupted performances from artists like Faye Webster, Wallows, Julien Baker, and G Flip. The festival also offers a variety of food options, interactive art installations, and surprise DJ sets at Boomfy’s Bungalow. Tickets start at $98 for single-day passes and $215 for three-day general admission. A portion of the proceeds supports NYC Pride initiatives. ​

September 26-28 – Springfield, Illinois: International Route 66 Mother Road Festival – Save the date!  The cars, the music, the fun and nostalgia that Route 66 has brought to generations will return for a 24th year, rolling into historic downtown Springfield September 26th - 28th. Presented by Recon Techs.

September 27: VA Pridefest 2025, presented by Out RVA - The largest Pride event in Virginia is returning to Midtown Green this year. Pridefest is free and open to everyone and will feature local music, food, and artists celebrating the LGBTQ+ community. The theme for 2025 is "Activism and Social Change." Accessibility Note: ASL interpretation and a wheelchair-accessible area will be available at the main stage.

Oct 9-12– Reno, Nevada: Gay Days Reno: The leading LGBTQ vacation experience is coming to Reno this October! Head to the “Biggest Little City” to celebrate National Coming Out Day on Oct. 11 at the Grand Sierra Resort. The week is packed with activities, including the finals of the International Gay Rodeo Association, Drag Bingo, and beyond. Travelers can also enjoy a variety of interactive activities on-property at Grand Sierra Resort, including axe throwing, bowling, an escape room, and more.

October 11 - Plano, TX: The North Texas Pride “COME AS YOU ARE” Festival is happening this October from 12-5pm. Experience family-friendly fun with great food, live entertainment, sponsor and vendor booths, and a chance to win a grand prize - all while supporting a local non-profit. You can upgrade to VIP access for a $25 donation and enjoy refreshments, beer, wine, and games at the Art Center of Plano from 12-4pm. Enjoy this vibrant celebration of community and pride!

October 24-26 – New Orleans, Louisiana: Halloween New Orleans: Prepare to ascend to the realm of gods and legends as HNO 2025 takes you on an epic odyssey through the myths of ancient times. Celebrating 42 years, this weekend of divine revelry and legendary entertainment is all in support of Project Lazarus, an assisted-living home for those with HIV/AIDS in New Orleans.

October 31-November 4- Eureka Springs, Arkansas: Diversity Weekend is a city-wide celebration where local businesses and organizations host a variety of diversity-themed events. From drag shows and meet-ups to advocacy events, workshops, and headliner performances, there’s something for everyone. Eureka Springs transforms into a hub of activity, embodying the diversity and spirit of Pride Parades but over a weekend-long festival. This event is our vibrant, inclusive celebration of LGBTQ+ Pride, set against the stunning backdrop of the Ozark Mountains during the beautiful autumn season.

November 6-9: Palm Springs, California: This year’s Greater Palm Springs Pride will take place from Nov. 6-9, where thousands of attendees will come together to celebrate. Visitors can explore the Pride Festival marketplace to enjoy live music, food trucks, and goods from over 100 artisan vendors. The festival will culminate with Pride’s largest event, the Pride Parade.

November 21-23: 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. 

2026

February 17, 2026 – 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. 

March 27-29, 2026 – 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. 

Ongoing

Minneapolis - Flipphone Events – Drag Shows and Dance Parties

May 2- October 12- Provincetown: Tea Dance at the Boatslip - The legendary Tea Dance is on weekends, from May to early June and mid-September to October. Held daily from mid-June to mid-September. A historically important and revered institution for almost 50 years, the iconic Tea Dance at The Boatslip is a “must-do” event for first-timers and seasoned visitors alike.