Believe it or not, there are dozens of Pride events throughout the state of North Carolina. While this list doesn’t cover them all, it includes all of the largest festivals and parades celebrating LGBTQ pride in the state.
Pride season is traditionally in June, but many North Carolina cities set their own agenda and hold Pride events at different times throughout the year. Read on for a brief description of the largest events and how to find more details about each of them.
Charlotte Pride Parade and Festival
It makes sense that North Carolina’s biggest city would also have its biggest Pride celebration. Hundreds of thousands of people attend Charlotte’s Pride Festival, which takes place in August every year.
The Pride festival always takes place on a weekend, with the parade typically taking place on Sunday. The festival and parade are always free to attend. The festival features tons of local organizations, vendors, and entertainers. Food and crafts are for sale.
Charlotte Pride takes place in Uptown Charlotte, so parking can be tricky. Public transport is recommended.
The Charlotte Pride organization also hosts other events throughout the year, including the Reel Out Film Festival and an LGBTQ job fair.
For more details about the festivities, check out our Charlotte Pride Guide and for exact dates for this year’s festival, check out the official Charlotte Pride website.
Out! Raleigh Pride Festival
North Carolina’s capital city also hosts a huge pride event, attended by over 70,000 people. The festival takes place in June each year.
Out! Raleigh is a festival that takes place on Fayetteville Street, an important central street in downtown Raleigh. It is a free, family-friendly event featuring vendors, food, and entertainment. The festival also offers a beer garden and a play area for kids.
Out! Raleigh does not feature a pride parade, however. Since it takes place in June, the weather can be quite warm. If you are planning to attend, remember to stay hydrated!
Pride: Durham Parade and Festival
Pride: Durham attracts people from all over the Research Triangle region and beyond. According to the organization behind Pride: Durham, Durham was the home of the first Pride march in the state of North Carolina in the 1980s.
In 2018, the original NC Pride organization that marched in Durham every year dissolved and Pride: Durham was created in its place.
Today, Pride: Durham is the largest Pride celebration in the Raleigh-Durham area that includes a parade. Most people find the weather in September, when Pride: Durham takes place, much more pleasant than in the traditional June pride season.
Pride: Durham takes place on the East Campus of Duke University, and is free to attend.
Greensboro Pride Festival
Halfway between Raleigh and Charlotte sits North Carolina’s third-largest city, Greensboro. Like Durham, Greensboro Pride also takes place in autumn, typically in late September or early October.
Greensboro Pride dates back to 2006 and attracts tens of thousands of visitors to South Elm Street in downtown Greensboro. The festival is free and family-friendly. It features live entertainment on two stages, dozens of vendors, food trucks, and an activity zone for kids.
Greensboro Pride does not feature a parade, but is nonetheless fun and popular with the LGBTQ community and allies.
Pride Winston-Salem Festival and Parade
Pride Winston-Salem takes place in the traditional pride month of June in the city’s Downtown Arts District, which is famous for its murals.
Paid parking is available in downtown Winston-Salem. The festival features food trucks, vendors, and entertainers.
Pride Winston-Salem features a parade, so this celebration is a great option for residents of nearby Greensboro who are missing the parade element of Pride.
The non-profit organization behind Winston-Salem’s pride festival also organizes a drag brunch, book clubs, and other events year-round. Learn more about these events on the Winston-Salem Pride event calendar.
OBX Pridefest
OBX Pridefest is the biggest pride celebration for North Carolina’s coastal Outer Banks region. The Outer Banks is a popular beach destination for the state’s LGBTQ community.
OBX Pridefest is a festival that takes place in Manteo, NC in September. The OBX Pride celebration includes multiple events over an entire weekend in both Manteo and the nearby town of Nags Head.
The main event is a festival featuring live music, food, adult beverages, and more in Festival Park, right on North Carolina’s coast. Other events include drag shows and parties, including (of course) an afternoon beach party.
The main event is free but some of the other events cost between $20 and $50 to attend. Make sure to get tickets in advance if you are interested in those events.
Blue Ridge Pride Festival
Blue Ridge Pride takes place in Asheville in late September every year. It is the biggest pride celebration in the Blue Ridge region of North Carolina, which is the mountainous region on the state’s western border.
Asheville is one of the most queer-friendly cities in the state, so it makes sense that they would host the Blue Ridge Pride festival. The festival offers vendors, food, drinks, and entertainment.
Blue Ridge Pride does not include a traditional pride parade, but it does feature a procession open to anyone who wants to march. The festival is free to everyone and takes place in Pack Square Park, in central Asheville.
Also deserving of a shoutout is nearby Hendersonville, 30 miles from Asheville, for hosting its own charming small town Pride picnic.
Honorable Mentions – Other Notable Pride Events
We don’t want to leave anyone out – after all, Pride is all about inclusivity – so here are some additional pride events in North Carolina.
The LGBTQ community in small towns and rural parts of the state needs our support. Show some love by visiting and supporting your local pride events, no matter the size. Visit the links below for details about dates and locations.
- Charlotte Black Pride – Held in July in Charlotte, NC.
- Fayetteville Pridefest – Held in June in Fayetteville, NC.
- Union County Pride – Multiple events in September in Monroe, Waxhaw, and Indian Trail, NC.
- New Bern Pride Prom– Held in June in New Bern, NC.
- Alamance Pride – Held in October in Burlington, NC.
- Apex Pride Festival – Held in June in Apex, NC.
- Pitt County Pride Festival – Held in June in Greenville, NC.
- One Community Pride – Onslow County – Held in June in Jacksonville, NC
- Catawba Valley Pride – Held in September in Hickory, NC.
- Salisbury Pride – Held in June in Salisbury, NC.
- Wilson Pride – Held in June in Wilson, NC.
Also be sure to check out pride events in neighboring South Carolina!
References
LGBTQ Center of Durham – Pride History
