Pride Month Kicks Off In Volunteer Park on June 3rd

Seattle Pride/Seattle Out & Proud, the producers of the annual Pride parade and other events, will kick off LGBTQ+ Pride events for 2023 starting on Saturday, June 3rd with their annual PRIDE IN THE PARK festival in Capitol Hill’s Volunteer Park. Old timers will remember that the park was the site of the city’s main Gay Pride festival after the annual parade before both those events moved downtown and to Seattle Center in order to accomodate more attendance.

This year’s Pride in the Park will kick off at noon and last until 7pm and be a homegrown/grass roots kind of party with local talent headlining the free event which is geared to be family friendly.

In other words, no expensive out of town talent and the drag queens will be in sweet “storytime” mode and not their “potty mouthed and drunk at 1am” mode because we’re all grown ups and understand that there’s a time and place for everything.

Well…most of us.

The press release is down below…note that they’re now aggressively putting the ® next to Seattle Pride….which is ridiculous. They’re apparently trying to establish ownership of a commonly used phrase for…what reason? Financial? It’s like McDonalds wanting to establish ownership of the words “hamburger” or “indigestion”. Or, the Republican Party trying to do the same with “21st Century Fascism” or “Dumbass People Voting Against Their Own Interests” or “Racist, Misogynistic, Homophobic Fuckery”.

So silly. And, not necessary. But, we all sometimes feel the need to pee on a tree.

The 911:

Seattle Pride in the Park Festival Kicks Off Pride Month with an Out-of-This-World Experience

Live performances, vendor marketplace, catwalk competition and more

SEATTLE—Seattle Pride® starts off Pride Month right with the Seattle Pride in the Park festival Saturday, June 3 at Volunteer Park. This year’s theme, Galactic Love, is all about celebrating the LGBTQIA+ community as one big, beautiful, extravagant galaxy.

From noon until 7 p.m., attendees can enjoy Seattle Pride’s assortment of queer arts, music, performance and culture. The free event hosted by drag artists Ceasar Hart, Versace Doll and Monday Mourning will feature a can’t-miss lineup of LGBTQIA+ performances on two stages: one with live performances, as well as a new dance-focused stage curated by Supernova.

Headlining this year’s Seattle Pride in the Park mainstage is popular queer Seattle rock band Moon Palace with additional musical performances across both stages featuring CarLarans, Brittany Davis, J Mase III, SuperCoze, Stephanie Anne Johnson, Kween Kaysh and more. Drag performances will take place throughout the event featuring Charli Foxtail, Hot Pink Shade, HoochiePapa, LüChi, among others.

Families and kids can join in on the fun at Drag Queen Storytime with Cookie Couture followed by a special Disney-themed performance by The Supertonics, an ensemble of Seattle Men’s Chorus and Seattle Women’s Chorus, and at a special youth-focused area developed by queer youth. There will also be alcohol gardens for those 21 years of age and older, food trucks, community booths, the Milky Way Marketplace featuring queer vendors, a Neurodiversity Nebula for low-sensory decompression space, and more.

Attendees are encouraged to enter the catwalk competition to win tickets for the Sam Smith GLORIA tour show at Climate Pledge Arena and look the part with swag from vendor booths including, but not limited to Delta Dental of Washington’s booth featuring customizable intergalactic fairy wings, face painting at the BECU booth, or receive a new glitter glam makeover from Scream Salon stylists at the WaFd Bank’s galactic glam and photo booth.

For a complete list of Pride Month events, updated as new events are announced, visit SeattlePride.org/Events or pick up a free Official Seattle Pride Guide available throughout the greater Seattle area beginning in early June.

Accessibility services such as priority seating, ASL interpreters, ADA restrooms, and designated assistants to support individuals in accessing food and beverages will all be available at both Seattle Pride in the Park and the Seattle Pride Parade. There is also an accessibility guide and a text version accessibility guide map.

Seattle Pride invites those who want to make a difference, make new connections, and be a part of Pride to join as a volunteer. Visit SeattlePride.org/Volunteer to learn more and sign-up.

About Seattle Pride®

Seattle Pride® is the 501(c)(4) not-for-profit organization which produces the Seattle Pride Parade, Seattle Pride in the Park and other pride-related events and promotions, as well as providing grants and sponsorship support to community-based LGBTQIA+ serving organizations statewide, and year-round advocacy to drive lasting change of diversity, inclusivity, and equal human rights for all.

About Seattle Out & Proud Foundation

Seattle Pride’s Seattle Out & Proud Foundation is a 501(c)(3) foundation which exists to educate the public about the LGBTQIA+ community and the rights of its members; to eliminate discrimination against; and to further the civil rights of members of the LGBTQIA+ community by promoting the arts and supporting leadership development.

To learn more about Seattle Pride and Pride-related events, grants, and advocacy, visit www.SeattlePride.org and follow us on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn @SeattlePride.