25th annual Charlotte Pride Festival kicks off in new location

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – New this year, the 25th annual Charlotte Pride Festival will take place in a new location: First Ward Park. Organizers say they needed more room. “We now bring in a quarter million people over the course of the weekend, and we wanted to have more vendors,” explains managing director Meredith Thompson.

The event brings an estimated $16 million economic impact to the city. It’ll include shopping, music, art, food, a youth and family area and more. CMPD Lt. Kevin Triola says, “We will have a lot of officers on hand to make sure that this is a safe event for everyone.”

With anti-LGBTQ legislation being considered in 49 states, DEI programs being rolled back across the country, and some corporations stepping back their support of events like Pride, supporters say showing up this year is important. Thompson says, “I think it’s super important for us to show up and be visible.”

She encourages the LGBTQ community and allies to not engage with protestors who may show up. Thompson says, “It just escalates things and we don’t want that to be our focus.”

“It’s really important for us to continue to center what this movement was about, which was around equality and creating opportunities for everyone,” says Charlotte Pride Board of Directors member Daniel Valdez. He’s helped put on the Charlotte event for ten years. He says to him, the event means community. Valdez says, “Just seeing people be who they are and be happy and, and know that they are in a safe space with people from their community.”

For more information on road closures and parking options for Pride, click here.