Virginia’s Pride season is in full swing and we have even more festivals for you to mark your calendars! Not only are these events packed with food, music, and entertainment to fill your day, but their host cities are also bustling with more to pack in for a fun-filled weekend. Four of Virginia’s pride festivals are coming up and we’ve asked their directors to give us the scoop. And, visit Virgnia.org/LGBT to plan your trip.
– Charlottesville Pride –
When September 15, 2018, 11:00am – 7:00pm
Where Sprint Pavilion on the Downtown Mall
How long has your Pride event been taking place?
This is our 7th annual Pride Festival – the first was in 2012.
How would you characterize your locality and your Pride event?
Our Pride has been dubbed “the unicorn Pride” by other Pride boards – because we are indeed unique. While most pride leadership in Virginia is male, our board is mostly female, our president is a lesbian, and our festival is super family-friendly. We have a whole Spirit Grove of religious organizations as vendors. And we have a ton of straight allies, a very racially diverse crowd, and a lot of youth and trans youth from throughout the region. People who come to our pride talk about feeling so welcome, affirmed, uplifted, and happy the experience it. My son’s baseball coach said, “The Cville Pride festival is the one day a year when Charlottesville lives up to everything it purports to be.” In other words – it feels super safe and friendly to everyone.
Tell us more!
This free, family-friendly event offers people throughout Central VA and beyond the chance to celebrate and experience the diversity and vibrancy of the local LGBTQ community. There’s something for everyone: a children’s area, with a giant moon bounce, games, face-painting, balloons, and more; a beer and wine garden and food trucks; over 50 vendors representing businesses and organizations with resources, special offers, and interactive activities; Pride merchandise; music, dance, and drag entertainment all day long. The high-energy party features a DJ dance party, a hip-hop showcase, singer-songwriters and break-dancers, rock bands, and several drag shows.
The C’ville Pride Festival ends a full week of Pride Events – there’s something for everyone! See the full list of events and details about the festival at cvillepride.org.
What are your top / favorite experiences to share with Pride-goers?
- Stay – There are so many places to stay in and near Charlottesville. Mountain retreats like Ad Astra Bed and Breakfast, contemporary downtown hotels with a great vibe, like the Graduate, or the Farmhouse at DelFosse Vineyards nearby.
- Eat – Me2 Market & Eatery, Splendora’s Gelato, The Pie Chest, Sticks Kebob Shop
- Shop – The Historic District and Downtown Mall
- Outdoors – Hello… Blue Ridge Parkway!
Our festival will be held, for the first time, at the Sprint Pavilion on the downtown mall, which features art galleries, shopping, and restaurants galore! Numerous discounts and specials will be available by these merchants for people wearing festival wristbands.
For more festival info, visit the Charlottesville Pride Festival page.
– Petersburg Pride & Proud –
When Sunday, September 16, 2018, 12 – 10 p.m. Family Friendly Fun From Noon – 6, 21 & up 6pm – 10pm
Where 309 N Sycamore St, Petersburg, Virginia 23803, in Historic Downtown Petersburg
How long has your Pride event been taking place?
This is Petersburg’s second Pride event/festival, created and hosted by Petersburg Out and Proud
How would you characterize your locality and your Pride event?
We’ll be having a day-long celebration of Petersburg’s diversity and LGBT locals and visitors. We’ll feature local food, including Wabi-Sabi | Rajun Cajun | Freda Mae’s | Local Vibe Café; music, kids activities, and more. We’ll also be hosting a few partners who provide awareness, education and support for the Petersburg LGBT community.
For more festival info, visit Facebook.com/PetersburgOut
What are your top / favorite experiences to share with Pride-goers?
Stay – The Destiny Inn B&B, The Ragland Mansion Bed and Breakfast, South Forty RV Resort and Campground
Eat – Wabi-Sabi, Rajun Cajun, Freda Mae’s, Local Vibe Café
Shop – Old Towne Petersburg
Arts – Friday for the Arts, The Ward Center for Contemporary Art, Beacon Theatre,
Outdoors – Dogwood Trace Golf Course, Pocahontas State Park, Virginia Skydiving Center, Lower Appomattox River
– Virginia PrideFest –
When September 22, 2018, 12 – 8 p.m.
Where Brown’s Island in Downtown Richmond
How long has your Pride event been taking place?
2018 marks the 39th year of pride festivals in Richmond. This will be the fifth year of Pridefest on Brown’s Island, the premier outdoor festival venue in the Richmond region.
How would you characterize your locality and your Pride event?
Richmond has come a long way in recent years in embracing and celebrating the LGBTQ community. We have a successful campaign through Richmond Region Tourism called OutRVA that promotes the city as a welcoming and safe place for LGBTQ travelers. We have many active LGBTQ organizations, including a vibrant community center that is used by thousands of people a year.
Pridefest plays an integral role in making Richmond a welcoming and safe place to live, work and visit. It is one of the largest Pride events in Virginia, attracting more than 30,000 people last year. We have a Youth Pride Village that hosts events, vendors and entertainment for LGBTQ youth, LGBTQ families and their friends and allies. We also host dozens of events throughout the year in an effort to ensure that Pride is more than just a singular event, but a feeling that people carry with them every day.
For more festival info, visit VAPride.org.
What are your top / favorite experiences to share with Pride-goers?
- Stay– Quirk Hotel and the Hampton Inn downtown, both of which offer Pride weekend packages
- Eat– L’Opossum,Yaki, Barcode, Babes, Godfreys, Saison, Comfort, Wong Gonzales, the list is endless.
- Shop– Carytown is the place to go for fun, local shopping.
- Arts– The Valentine, VMFA, Richmond Triangle Players
- Outdoors– Richmond is an outdoor city. Anything river-related is fun. Vist OutRVA
– NOVA Pride –
When September 29, 2018, 11:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Where Bull Run Regional Park in Centreville
How long has your Pride event been taking place?
This is our 5th Annual Pride Festival! Despite unfortunate weather the last couple years, we are overjoyed to have so many repeat vendors that and so many committed patrons to come out and enjoy the day with us.
How would you characterize your locality and your Pride event?
Northern Virginia has a huge and steadily growing LGBTQ+ population. Within this area, we realized there is a need for recognition and local resources to help grow an LGBTQ+ community that is otherwise distanced from the metro DC area. It is this need for a community that fuels our mission to unite county-based organizations, charities, social groups, elected leadership and LGBTQ+ individuals at large to truly form a sense of community, and empower those within it to thrive in an accepting, diverse, and positive environment. Our festival is an opportunity for the community to come together, connect with local businesses and organizations that support them and their families, and enjoy a safe, inclusive, and entertaining environment.
For more festival info, visit novapride.org.
What are your top / favorite experiences to share with Pride-goers?
- Stay – There are plenty of nearby hotels to choose from.
- Eat – The support we have received from local food providers has been inspiring. We love our food trucks!
- Shop – Northern VA Pride Festival offers variety vendors representing local businesses who are incredibly gracious and supportive of our community. We love supporting those that support us and providing a space for these businesses to let the LGBTQ+ community know they are a friendly-business!
- Arts – We look forward to featuring more arts-based vendors at the festival this year, and hope to have more opportunities for the community to participate in artistic endeavors. Expression is such an important part of life, and we cherish the courage and talents of our artists.
- Outdoors – Our festival is a laid-back, open, and safe space where everyone can come and be themselves. There is plenty of parking, plenty of room to bring a blanket, get comfortable and hang out for the day.
- Other – The Winery at Bull Run is just minutes away.
For more festivals and fun in Virginia, visit Virginia.org/LGBT.
Wow!