OKC Pride Festival Set To Begin Weekend-Long Celebration

This is going to be a weekend full of fun, entertainment, food and celebration in downtown Oklahoma City.

OKC’s Pride Festival kicks off at 5 p.m. Friday. This weekend’s celebration will be held at Scissortail Park for the first time.

There is a huge lineup of events, including a drag show at 6 p.m. and a performance by singer Greyson Chance at 7 p.m.

There will also be a kids' zone for younger participants.

Saturday’s parade will begin at 10 a.m. and it starts out on West Sheridan Avenue at North Shartel Avenue and will then turn south onto Hudson. The parade will continue south on Hudson and will end at Scissortail Park.

The weather is expected to be hot once again this weekend, so the festival will have water stations and cooling stations. Organizers said donations with cases of water would be appreciated.

OKC Pride Alliance vice president Ryan Tomlinson said they are excited to see people come together a year after the COVID-19 pandemic canceled the event.

"Still, to see the momentum of OKC Pride Fest going after the pandemic and seeing the community come out and want to show their support and roll out for it, is very heartwarming for us,” Tomlinson said.

Tomlinson said the festival is open to anyone to meet people and learn more about the LGBTQ community.

"Just understand who they are and how they live their lives,” Tomlinson said. “They are all people and that we just all want to be treated equally and we want love and respect, and we are a part of this community.”

History of Pride:

In the early morning hours of June 28th, 1969, New York City police raided the Stonewall Inn, a gay club located in Greenwich Village in New York City. 

The raid sparked a riot among bar patrons and people who lived in the neighborhoods nearby. 

This led to several days of protests and violent clashes with law enforcement outside the bar on Christopher Street in neighboring streets and in nearby Christopher Park. 

The Stonewall Riots became a turning point in the fight for LGBTQ civil rights.

In 2016, the Stonewall Inn was designated a national monument by then-President Barack Obama.

As the LGBTQ community and allies celebrate this weekend, Tomlinson said they are continuing to fight for equality.

"Here we are, however many years later, and we are still fighting the good fight while acknowledging the progress that has been made,” Tomlinson said.

For a full list of Pride events this weekend, click here.

To read more about the history of Gay Rights in America, click here.