Celebrate Seattle’s 50th Pride anniversary!

June is Pride Month and Seattle’s 50th Pride! This month, locals can find numerous events to celebrate throughout the city.

Pride kicked off with Seattle Pride in the Park, a free LGBTQIA+ festival, on June 1. LIVt headlined the mainstage, along with performances from Sera Cahoone, La Fonda, Day Soul Exquisite and more. Families could also participate in Drag Queen Storytime and fairy-wing decorating. GenPride also hosted an area designated for LGBTQIA+ seniors.

According to Why For Good, a marketing agency that partners with nonprofits, around 12,000 people came to celebrate throughout the day.

Seattle Pride in the Park at Volunteer Park on June 1, 2024. (Photo courtesy of Why For Good)

But Pride in the Park isn’t the only event happening this month. Seattle Pride Art Walk is happening in Pioneer Square at the RailSpur Building on June 5 from 5 to 10 p.m. The event is free and all ages.

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On June 7, the Seattle Symphony is playing Pride anthems at Benaroya Hall at 8 p.m. Tickets are $35.

Also happening this month is the Studio 54 Ball.

“Strike A Pose and Seattle Pride are joining forces to bring the community a PRIDE ball like never before. By celebrating 50 years of PRIDE, Strike a Pose and Seattle Pride welcomes the community to celebrate lived experiences, access community resources, and opportunity to uplift the SeaTac Ballroom community,” stated Seattle Pride’s website.

The ball is June 8 at the River Event Space with doors opening at 8 p.m. Ages allowed are 16 and up with ID. Ticket prices are $18 to $35 with proceeds going to support ballroom education and activities in the community.

Then to end the month, locals can watch the Seattle Pride Parade on June 30 in Westlake Park along 4th Avenue. The preshow starts at 10 a.m. to the parade steps off at 11 a.m.

However, new this year is the Official Seattle Pride Parade Drag Brunch and Viewing Party. The brunch will take place on the rooftop patio of Seattle’s Frolik Kitchen above the parade line from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. There will be performances by Amora Namor, Brandi Marx and more. Tickets start at $80.

Elysian Brewing in Capitol Hill will also be hosting an event from June 29 to June 30. Those 21 and up can grab a drink at the Pride Beer Garden Oasis. The celebration will also offer free permanent tattoos and music from local DJs from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Local sports teams are also recognizing Pride. The Seattle Mariners are celebrating on June 1 and 13. The Seattle Reign FC is celebrating on June 23 and the Seattle Storm on June 29.

This year’s Seattle Pride theme reflects the city’s first Pride in 1974

As 2024 marks the 50th anniversary since people gathered publicly in Seattle “as an act of collective resistance” the theme of the parade is “Now!” according to Seattle Pride’s website.

“Their purpose was clear: to expel shame and to stand in defiance of those who wished to keep us hidden and disempowered. They were no longer willing to wait, no longer willing to hide, no longer willing to be denied the right to exist,” the website states.

“This anniversary is a powerful opportunity to reflect on the unwavering resilience of our community, both living and ancestral. Our theme for 2024 is an embodiment of our 1974’s community echoing cry: NOW! This word transcends time, encompassing our past, grounding us in the present, and propelling us into the future,” it continues.

Last year: Seattle Pride says 2023 theme celebrates community as ‘one big, beautiful, extravagant galaxy’

Mayor Bruce Harrell talked about his excitement in a letter published in Seattle Pride’s magazine. He also noted the “enduring struggle for justice, freedom and equal rights.”

“The hateful rhetoric and legislation that we’ve seen too often in too many parts of the country stands in direct opposition to this vision. My administration will continue to stand in solidarity with the LGBTQI+ community,” Harrell stated.

The Pride Parade, Pride in the Park and other pride events are produced by the Seattle Out and Proud Foundation (Seattle Pride) nonprofit.

“We are excited to have you join us in a year dedicated to exploring, celebrating, and remembering our cultural history and stewarding the legacy of the trailblazers who demanded our rights, then and now,” wrote Seattle Pride on its website.

Pride events in other Washington cities

However, Pride is also being celebrated in other Washington cities.

Events include: Burien Pride from June 7 to 9, the Spokane Pride Parade and Festival on June 8, the Yakima Pride Festival and Parade on June 8, Chelan Pride on June 8, the Carnation Pride Picnic on June 9, the Mercer Island Family Pride in the Park on June 15, Wenatchee Pride Festival on June 22 and the Tacoma Pride Festival on July 13.

Visit Seattle Pride’s website to learn more about Pride and find more events going on this month.

Julia Dallas is a content editor at MyNorthwest. You can read her stories here. Follow Julia on X, formerly known as Twitter, here and email her here.