Pride 2023 on Capitol Hill got started over the weekend with a day of picnics and music in Volunteer Park kicking off the coming month of LGBTQ+ celebrations.
Just one year from the triumphant return of the neighborhood’s Pride celebrations to their rightful place in June following years of pandemic postponements, 2023 festivities began Saturday with the Seattle Pride in the Park festival, the updated version of the old Pride Picnic that now fills Volunteer Park’s amphitheater lawn with free music and dancing. The 2023 theme was Galactic Love — “all about celebrating the LGBTQIA+ community as one big, beautiful, extravagant galaxy.” The weekend also brought the traditional Pride neighborhood clean-up around Cal Anderson Park.
There are plenty more Capitol Hill Pride celebrations ahead. Check out our list below and find more on the CHS Calendar.
- FRIDAY JUNE 23RD: TRANS PRIDE SEATTLE — Trans Pride Seattle got back on its feet in 2022 — but not in time to be part of celebrations in June. This year, the celebration of transgender freedom continues its new tradition of gathering in Volunteer Park with a Friday night rally and party.
Volunteer Park Amphitheater —
6 to 9:30 PM — transprideseattle.org
- SATURDAY JUNE 24: PRIDEFEST CAPITOL HILL — The free Broadway street festival continues to grow with a mix of stages, booths, and beer and food gardens from neighborhood businesses. Last year’s edition was hot — make sure to stop by a cooling station and stay hydrated! Broadway and the AIDS Memorial Pathway Plaza — noon to 8 PM — seattlepridefest.org
- PNW BLACK PRIDE: Skarlet Dior Black will host a special stage at PrideFest featuring “Black showcase on Pride weekend, full of performances from some of the PNW’s best drag stars, singers, musicians, and poets.” 7 PM at Broadway and Republican
- PNW BLACK PRIDE: Skarlet Dior Black will host a special stage at PrideFest featuring “Black showcase on Pride weekend, full of performances from some of the PNW’s best drag stars, singers, musicians, and poets.” 7 PM at Broadway and Republican
- SATURDAY JUNE 24: SEATTLE DYKE MARCH — The annual march is following Trans Pride’s format and moving its rally into Volunteer Park in 2023 with speeches and performances before a march through the nearby streets. Volunteer Park Amphitheater — 5 to 8 PM — seattledykemarch.com
- PARTIES — CHS reported here on the bigger than ever plans for the Queer/Pride Festival from the Queer/Bar family of businesses. Other longtime Pride weekend parties in the neighborhood include the annual Cuff Complex Pride Fest and The Wildrose Pride Weekend.
- LATER THIS SUMMER: There will be even more Pride on Broadway later this year when LGBTQ-affirming affordable senior housing project Pride Place is planned to open. Its neighbor? Neighbours!
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