CHARLOTTE, NC — Charlotte Pride will present its annual Charlotte Pride Festival and Parade on Tryon St. in Uptown Charlotte, Aug. 18-19, 2018. The annual event, which is free and open to the public, is expected to meet or exceed last year’s attendance figures, when organizers estimated 150,000 visitors over the course of the weekend.
The 2018 event continues to see growth in the annual parade, presented by Bank of America, which in 2017 — and again this year — has more entries than other parades in the city. Individual marchers participating in the parade have grown from approximately 4,500 in 2017 to nearly 6,000 this year, with individual entries growing from about 150 to 170 this year. The parade will be held Sunday, Aug. 19, 1-3 p.m. Parade emcees will provide commentary and entertainment from the grandstand at Trade & Tryon Streets.
Click our links to view photos from last year’s CLT Pride Festival and Pride Parade.
The two-day festival, in the PNC Bank Festival Zone, spanning S. Tryon between Trade and Stonewall, takes place Saturday, Aug. 18, Noon-10 p.m. and Sunday, Aug. 19, Noon-6 p.m. New attractions this year include an additional second stage for community entertainment, presented by Truliant Federal Credit Union, and an expanded family and kids zone. Additionally, an expanded VIP Experience, with an indoor, air-conditioned lounge and other perks, is being presented by American Airlines at the Charlotte Chamber. Passes to the VIP lounge and other perks are on sale at $119 through Friday, Aug. 17, 12 p.m. by clicking here. On-site passes (while supplies last) will be on sale for $169.
The Wells Fargo Stage will feature headliner Superfruit, as well as rapper Cupcakke, dance diva Ultra Naté, pop sensation J Sutta and, in partnership with iHeartRadio, In Real Life, featured on ABC’s “Boy Band.” Other entertainers include Aja, Stacy Layne Matthews and Coco Montrese of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” fame, and several local and regional entertainers including rapper Dexter Jordan and “Latinx future” singer-songwriter Quisol. A full stage schedule can be found by clicking here.
For more information about the event and weekend activities, CLICK HERE.
