Philly Pride weekend, May 31 to June 1, celebrates the LGBTQ+ community through a series of festivities, including the annual flag raising and march around the city. Credit: Cody Aldrich Photography
This year’s Philadelphia Pride Weekend, hosted by Philly Pride 365, marks 50 years since an executive order was signed, prohibiting discrimination against state employees based on sexual preference. The weekend kicks off May 30 and will last until June 1.
Philly Pride 365 announced the 2024 theme of Pride Weekend will be Philly LUV, or legacy, unity and visibility, in honor of Philadelphia’s LGBTQ+ businesses, which frequently face challenges due to systemic, political and economic issues.
“Pride provides a boost to small businesses, especially our nightlife community, who do more than just entertain—they are often on the front lines of advocacy,” UAC President Arun Prabhakaran said in a statement. “I believe that this is partly due to the efforts of so many in the community who work tirelessly to make Philadelphia a vibrant, safer and affirming place for our LGBTQ+ siblings.”
The weekend consists of the annual Pride Around the City, Pride Promenade and “Be You” Pride March, among other festivities.
Kicking off the weekend, Pride Around the City will invite community members to help carry Philadelphia’s largest pride flag, around 600 feet long, to different locations in the city, beginning at the Philadelphia Museum of Art and ending in the Gayborhood. It will also include the city flag raising, which marks the beginning of the weekend.
The flag, designed by Daniel Quasar, features an arrow of white, pink and blue stripes for the trans community and black and brown stripes for communities of color. The black stripe is also in honor of those who lost their lives to AIDS.
In 2024, the flag for Philly Pride Festival was over 400 feet long, making it the largest in the state. This year the flag will reach 600 feet. Credit: Kory Aversa The Pride Promenade, a 21+ event featuring several performances by LGBTQ+ artists, will be held at the Philadelphia Art Museum, commencing at 7 p.m. on May 31. LUV awards will be announced at the event.
The proceeds from the event will go towards the annual LGBTQ+ Youth Prom, a free-of-charge prom that provides a safe, affirming, and inclusive space for young adults.
Commencing at Philadelphia’s Old City near 6th and Walnut at 10:30 a.m. on June 1, the pride march is held in honor of the Reminder Day Demonstrations from 1965-1969 and the 1972 Pride March. The march is open to community members and follows a route around Philadelphia’s landmarks, ending at the Gayborhood where the festival will begin.
The march will start with several speeches from community leaders and guests, as well as a land acknowledgment from the Lenape Tribe.
The Philly Pride March will begin at Philadelphia's Old City and lead directly into the Pride Festival in the Gayborhood. Credit: Cody Aldrich PhotographyThe festival, scheduled from 12-7 p.m. will extend across the Gayborhood, from Walnut to Pine streets, and Quince to Juniper streets. The extended festival grounds will allow new businesses to participate, such as Philly AIDS Thrift @ Giovanni's Room and Mixto Restaurante.
In total, the festival will feature over 200 small businesses, which participants can enjoy, along with more performances, entertainers, artists, vendors, food trucks, community organizations and local bars.
The festival is organized by six entertainment zones, each with its own dictated theme, including everything from drag performances to ballroom competitions. Together, the zones spell out LUVERS—Legacy Zone, Utility Zone, Visibility Zone, Everyone Zone, Relaxed Zone and Sapphic Zone.
Pride celebrations will continue with the annual Pride Concert by the Philadelphia Orchestra at 7 p.m. on June 4, held in Marian Anderson Hall at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts. Tickets are free and are available at the Orchestra's website.
Philly Pride Week leads into the beginning of June, or Pride Month, which celebrates the LGBTQ+ community and recognizes their history and ongoing struggle for equal rights and acceptance.
