Pride 2022 in Tri-Cities!
Love is love in the Tri-Cities, and while the sentiment is celebrated year-round, June has a little extra flair with festivals and events throughout the community. The month of June, or Pride Month, marks the annual commemoration of the Stonewall Uprising on June 28, 1969, when New York City police raided the Stonewall Inn, a gay club. The raid led to a riot followed by six days of protests, catapulting the gay rights movement in the United States and throughout the world. More than 50 years later, Pride is a celebration of the LGBTIQ+ community, a recognition of social progress and the challenges still facing the community today.
Every June the Tri-Cities celebrates Pride with drag shows, parties, festivals, art shows and more! The Tri-Cities Pride Festival, a volunteer organization empowering the Tri-Cities LGBTIQ+ community, is hosting events beginning June 1, leading up a family-friendly festival. This year’s theme is “V.I.S.I.B.L.E.;” at pride everyone is Valid, Included, Seen, Important, Beautiful, Loved and Empowered.
Moonshot Brewing in Kennewick is hosting a Pride Week Kick-Off Party, Sunday, May 29, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Celebrate with friends and family, enjoy delicious local brews and tasty bites from the Tri-Cities newest food truck, Foodies On the Go! Be sure to get a pint of Moonshot’s specially brewed Pride Beer or Pride T-Shirts as a portion of the proceeds will support the Tri-Cities Pride Festival and Benton Franklin PFLAG.
The Tri-Cities Pride Festival officially kicks off on Wednesday, June 1 at 8 p.m. with an all ages drag show at Out and About in Pasco, featuring the Tri-Cities’ most beloved queens putting on a show filled with acceptance and amazing performances. The drag show is free for attendees 12 and younger, $5 for 13-20, and free for those 21 and older. A Pride Dance Party for attendees 16-20 years old will follow the show.
Explore local expressions of our LBGTIQ+ community at Love Loud, a local Pride art show, on Thursday, June 2 in the White Barn at the Eastside Equestrian Center in Kennewick. The Arts Foundation of the Mid-Columbia has curated two shows with 19 artists, one featuring youth artists and the other adult, that will be held concurrently.
The Rollarena in Richland will be aglow Friday, June 3 with the annual Pride GLOW Skate hosted by the Arts Foundation of the Mid-Columbia. Following the GLOW Skate, the Uptown Theater in Richland will have a drag show featuring local performers and Bitter Betty from The Boulet Brothers Dragula!
The Tri-Cities Pride Festival takes over Volunteer Park in Pasco on June 4 from noon to 4 p.m. This family-friendly community event features live entertainment including the Tri-Cities finest drag performers, spoken word, lawn games, booths, and raffle prizes. Following the festival, grab your best dancing shoes as The Uptown Rainbow Connection is hosting the “Love is Love” Dance at The Uptown Theater. This is a 21 years and older event.
Spoken word fans rejoice as the Gays n’ Berets Poetry Slam returns to the Caterpillar Café in Richland’s Adventures Underground on Sunday, June 12 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. All are welcome to perform or enjoy our local creative community.
Pacific Northwest drag icon Ceasar Hart will be sharing his stories as they relate to Drag Culture and Beyond on Thursday, June 16 at 7 p.m. at Mid-Columbia Libraries—Keewaydin Park Branch in Kennewick. Join Hart to explore the history of drag culture and its importance to the LGBTIQ+ community. Hosted by the Columbia Basin College Arts Center.
Tri-IDEAs is a program exploring and celebrating Inclusivity, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility through tourism in the Tri-Cities.
At Visit Tri-Cities, we believe travel is transformative on multiple levels. Exploring new destinations exposes us to different ideas, cultures, history, heritages and people. Through Tri-IDEAs, Visit Tri-Cities will connect with local business owners, community leaders, event organizers, residents and more to highlight, share and celebrate the diversity of the Tri-Cities that can be experienced through travel and tourism activities.