When it comes to Pride, where do you celebrate? We fluctuate every pride season and throughout the year between the big cities and the little towns and we find both wonderfully amazing. We appreciate the draw of the larger cities and what they can put together year after year, while the smaller towns may be celebrating with their first ever Pride or their first Pride with a parade and what an exciting time to be there and to be a part of that!
Here’s a look at some destinations we’ve done recently, will be doing soon, and some we need to seek out next year.
Louisville, KY – gotolouisville.com
Louisville’s LGBTQ+ culture stretches well beyond Pride Month, blending activism, nightlife and bourbon culture into experiences that feel distinctly local. The Kentuckiana Pride Festival and Parade returns June 20 to the city’s waterfront at Big Four Lawn as one of Kentucky’s largest LGBTQ+ celebrations, while Bourbon & Belonging: Kentucky’s Queer Bourbon Week in October offers the country’s only LGBTQ+-inclusive Bourbon Week experience. Year-round, visitors can also explore Louisville’s LGBTQ+ history through guided walking tours of the Highlands neighborhood, uncovering the stories, landmarks and community spaces that helped shape the city’s queer identity.
We have not attended the Kentuckiana Pride Festival in June, but did attend the Louisville Pride Festival last September – Gay Guide to Louisville: Pride, Bourbon, Drag Brunch & Queer Highlands – a second wonderful Louisville Pride celebration. So if your calendar is full in June, highlight the beginning od September, and book your stay at the hotel we did, a former Disco Ball factory!
Baltimore, MD – baltimore.org
Baltimore kicks off Pride season in late May and keeps the momentum going through late June with a lineup that moves from neighborhood celebration to marquee festival moments. Mount Vernon Pride on May 30 sets the tone, followed by the Rainbow Run through Patterson Park on June 6. The heart of the month is Baltimore Pride Week & Festival from June 8–14, one of the Mid-Atlantic’s largest and longest-running Pride celebrations, bringing signature events like the Pride Parade and Block Party, Pride in the Park, the Twilight on the Terrace Gala and Charm City Pride Fest.
Pride celebrations continue with the Baltimore Orioles’ Pride Night on June 25, extending LGBTQ+ visibility beyond the main festival week. Between events, the city’s creative energy, historic LGBTQ+ roots and mix of arts, nightlife and waterfront experiences make the overall Pride experience feel both established and distinctly local.
Chattanooga, TN – visitchattanooga.com
Chattanooga, North America’s first and only National Park City, is the scenic backdrop for the annual Pride Parade & Festival along the Tennessee River at Ross’s Landing in downtown Chattanooga. While other cities are competing for visitors in June, Chattanooga holds its inclusive celebration In October – welcoming all ages, families and allies. Anchored by the 2026 theme, “Paint the Scenic City,” this year’s festivities will span an entire week, activating venues and public spaces across Chattanooga with events that celebrate LGBTQ+ culture, visibility, and unity.
View this post on Instagram
The celebration culminates in a high-energy parade and festival on Saturday, October 17, bringing together thousands for a colorful showcase of pride, community spirit and local engagement in one of the city’s most iconic waterfront locations.
Loudoun County, VA – visitloudoun.org
The Loudoun Pride Festival returns June 6 to Ida Lee Park in Leesburg with live entertainment, local vendors and advocacy organizations in a family-friendly setting surrounded by the scenic backdrop of DC’s Wine Country®. Throughout the month, Pride in the Vines encourages visitors to explore inclusive wineries and LGBTQIA+-friendly businesses through a Pride passport program, pairing Pride celebrations with vineyard experiences, small towns and the relaxed pace that defines Loudoun County’s wine country atmosphere.
We have not done the individual event of the Loudon Pride Festival yet, but we did treat ourselves to the Pride in the Vines recently. Arriving at Dulles, renting a car, and having a blast exploring Loudoun County. Honestly, some of the best people we met and the wines were so good we brought many home, too – Pride, Pour, and Power Sips: A Loud and Proud Escape in Loudoun.
Oklahoma City, OK – visitokc.com
Oklahoma City offers a Pride experience rooted in community, history and a growing cultural scene that extends far beyond a single weekend. Annual celebrations including OKC PrideFest and the Pride Parade bring the LGBTQ+ community together each summer with live entertainment, local vendors and events centered around Scissortail Park, while Pride on 39th transforms the city’s 39th Street District, known locally as the “gayborhood,” into one of Oklahoma’s largest LGBTQ+ celebrations with drag performances, nightlife and community events throughout the weekend.
Year-round, the district anchors LGBTQ+ life with longtime bars, nightlife venues, restaurants and community spaces, while Oklahoma City’s expanding arts scene, Route 66 culture and evolving culinary landscape continue to shape a destination that feels both approachable and increasingly dynamic.
San Antonio, TX – visitsanantonio.com
San Antonio blends Pride celebrations with the city’s distinct cultural identity and deep sense of place. The Rainbow Rodeo River Parade on May 30 transforms the San Antonio River Walk with colorful floats, cowboy flair and Pride-themed festivities that reflect both the city’s Texas roots and LGBTQ+ community.
Related Post: San Antonio Celebrates and Welcomes All
Beyond Pride weekend, the city’s inclusive spirit extends through the Pearl District’s culinary scene, LGBTQ+-owned businesses, arts spaces and nightlife, while the Pride Cultural Heritage District stands as a visible symbol of the city’s support for LGBTQ+ visibility and expression. Ps. We will be back in San Antonio in just a few weeks!
Thailand, Southeast Asia – tourismthailand.org
Thailand continues to stand out as one of Southeast Asia’s most vibrant LGBTQ+ destinations, where Pride celebrations blend nightlife, culture and large-scale public events. Bangkok Pride officially launches May 31 with a massive parade along Silom Road and month-long festivities that include drag performances, film festivals and parties across the capital, while Phuket Pride returns June 1–7 with beachside celebrations, boat parties, drag shows and a parade centered around Patong Beach’s longstanding LGBTQ+ nightlife scene.
We have not been to Thailand for Pride, but we were in the nation when the King signed marriage equality into law.
Related Post: Thailand’s History, Hospitality, Lady Boys, Marriage Equality, + More
Related Post: Krabi, Thailand’s Hidden Gems: Where Nature Meets Luxury
Together, Bangkok and Phuket offer two distinct Pride experiences shaped by Thailand’s energetic entertainment culture, hospitality and growing international visibility as an LGBTQ+ destination.
U.S. Virgin Islands – visitusvi.com
In the U.S. Virgin Islands, LGBTQ+ travel blends community-driven Pride celebrations with a broader sense of ease shaped by island culture and year-round inclusivity. On St. Croix, the 7th Annual St. Croix Pride Parade on June 6 anchors a growing calendar of events that includes the First Pride Rave: Midnight Sun Edition, Pride Disco Bingo Rave and a Pride Closing Drag Show and Beach Party, creating an experience that feels locally rooted and community-led.
Related Post: St. Croix – Big Love, Little Pride, Hearts Filled
Beyond Pride celebrations, travelers can pair the festivities with snorkeling at Buck Island, exploring historic towns like Christiansted or relaxing at LGBTQ+-welcoming properties such as Sand Castle on the Beach, shaping a Caribbean Pride experience that moves naturally between celebration and island escape.
So where will you be this year? Where should we check out next? There’s so many we have been to, but here’s a sample of other destinations we cannot wait to get back to and soon, pride or not.
Other Prides to Consider You May Not Have
- EuroPride, Malta – EuroPride 2023 Only Increased the Love for the Host Nation of Malta,
- Big Sky Pride in Montana – Big Sky: Luxury, Community, and Unexpected Pride in the Rockies,
- Toronto Pride – Discovering Toronto Pride: Love Celebrated in the Heart of the City,
- Ashland, Oregon – Ashland Pride, Wine, and the Magic of Southern Oregon,
- Ogunquit Maine – New England Beach Town to Shine with Third Annual Pride,
- Hood River, Oregon – A Rainbow Journey to Hood River, Oregon,
- Ashland, Oregon – Ashland Pride, Wine, and the Magic of Southern Oregon