Bainbridge Pride Waterfront Festival

Pride Parades everywhere honor the Stonewall Uprising of 1969, the scene of a police raid over liquor licensing at The Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in New York City. While raids on gay bars were carried out with some regularity, the Stonewall incident sparked several days of protests in the surrounding neighborhood.

About Stonewall

Although the fight for gay rights was not new, Stonewall became a galvanizing force for LGBT activism. The uprising is regarded as the start of the gay rights movement to reverse the harassment and criminalization of the lesbian and gay community.

In 1999 the U.S. National Park Service placed the Stonewall Inn on the National Register of Historic Places.

In 2016, the site was established as the Stonewall National Park Monument, which included the Stonewall Inn, nearby Christopher Park, and the surrounding streets and sidewalks in Greenwich Village where the protests occurred. Read more about the Stonewall Riots at History.com and Stonewall Riots at Socialist Alternative.

Today, Pride parades and festivals continue to foster public awareness on current issues, as well as provide resources to support diversity, equal rights, and community for all.

Seattle & Tacoma Pride Parades and festivals

Seattle Pride has celebrated the Northwest’s LGBTQ rights movement since its first coming out in the Puget Sound region in 1974. They host and annual festival and parade.

2022 Seattle Pride Festival in Volunteer Park. Saturday, June 4th, noon to 7 p.m. Annual celebration of queer arts, music, performance, and culture on Capitol Hill. It’s a great way to kick off Pride Month! The event is free and all ages. More info: Seattle Pride in the Park | Seattle Pride
2022 Seattle Pride Parade on 4th Avenue. Sunday June 26, 2022, 11:00AM – 3:00PM on 4th Ave in Downtown Seattle, beginning at 4th & Pike and ending at 2nd Ave & Denny Way. More info: Seattle Pride Parade 2022 | Seattle Pride

Tacoma Pride presents events, including their signature Tacoma Pride Festival (TPF) in July. Although June is “Pride Month”, TPF coordinates with other Pride festivals around the South Sound, so people have many options throughout Pride Season.

2022 Tacoma Pride Festival on Pacific Avenue (between 7th and 9th). July 9th, 2022, Noon to 6pm. Join Rainbow Center, Alma, and the City of Tacoma to celebrate the LGBTQ+ Community in the South Sound. There will be a main stage and entertainment throughout the day that includes vendors and community booths.

More Washington State Pride events

Listed below are more Pride organizations around Puget Sound (and beyond) that host annual Pride festivals and other events.

Anacortes Pride hosts its inaugural parade on June 18, 2022, in downtown Anacortes followed by a Pride Picnic at Causland Park.
Bainbridge Pride Festival, July 17, 2022, at Bainbridge Island Waterfront Park. More info: Bainbridge Pride Waterfront Festival 2022 | Facebook
Pride Parade & Festival — Downtown Bellingham. July 17, 2022. The parade starts at noon from the Habitat for Humanity parking lot near the intersection of Cornwall, Halleck, and Ohio in downtown Bellingham. The parade travels down Cornwall to Chestnut and then to the Depot Market Square on Railroad for the Pride Festival.
Burien Pride is back in 2022 with 3 fun filled days June 3-5, 2022. Friday, June 3, 5p to 11p, Burien Pride Street Dance. Saturday, June 4, 10a to 11p, Burien Pride Festival. Sunday, June 5, 10a to 2p, Drag Queen Bingo and a Pancake Breakfast.
Kirkland Urban PRIDE Celebration, June 17, 2022 from 3-6pm. FREE community event on the plaza (425 Urban Plaza).
Kitsap Pride Festival July 23, 2022 at the Fairgrounds.
Olympic Pride (formerly Jefferson County Pride), hosts “Sound of Pride”, June 25, from 10-4 at Pope Marine Park in Port Townsend, WA. Come celebrate with music, food, pride gear, crafts, and FUN.
Wenatchee Pride Festival 2022 returns Saturday, June 18, 2022 from 11:00 AM 7:00 PM at Memorial Park. It is about celebrating as a community of LGBTQ+ families and straight allies with live entertainment, youth activities, food, beer garden, and vendors.

Find another Pride event nationwide: https://www.seattlepride.org/regional/

Calendar of upcoming community festivals

Most Seattle-Tacoma Pride Festival occur in June. Listed below are upcoming Pride events as well as other community festivals around the Puget Sound region.