Gay pride parade durham nc

at the same location.

Day 2

We will start with a special song selection from Durham Ceasefire Chorus and continue with our Community Parade & March, with vanguard activist Mandy Carter serving as our Parade Grand Marshal to lead the way.

In June of 2000, a loyal crowd of thousands of Durhamites gathered to march despite a lack of organization and, in the aftermath of the disarray, it was decided that the NC Pride March should remain in Durham each year and be moved to the fall to take advantage of nicer weather.

— Club ERA invites you to "give those Freak vibes to the dance floor" on Friday night. You'll be able to tune in via The Indy, with our MC Desmera Gatewood guiding the livestream experience. In 2000, the march returned to Durham permanently and shifted to the fall.

Now, Pride: Durham, NC has grown from the 1986 march to a free multi-day festival, including a concert that features several local performances and presentations, a pop-up market downtown with dozens of LGBTQ+ owned vendors and businesses, the beloved parade and more, supported by several local organizations and institutions, including Duke University and Duke University Health System, Durham County, the City of Durham, and Southern Vision Alliance.

Pride: Durham, NC Event Highlights

Pride: Durham, NC has continued to grow, and this year the long-running parade and community gathering has blossomed into a three-day event and celebration.

The afternoon fair will provide free resources from community organizations, wellness providers and nonprofits. Five years later, the first statewide NC Pride March took place at Duke University in 1986 and went on to travel to cities across the state for the next 14 years. — Every Saturday is a dance party at Club ERA, especially during Pride: Durham.

Immediately following will be the Health and Wellness Kickback, a resource fair with lots of free programs and services, until 5 p.m.

Sunday, September 28: Vendor & Food Truck Market

Wrap up the weekend of Pride: Durham, NC by supporting local LGBTQIA+ makers at Durham Central Park. NC Pride later dissolved, and the LGBTQ Center of Durham has stewarded the organizing and fundraising of these special programs since 2018, building upon the legacy of the original protest years ago.

The market will highlight LGBTQ+ artisans and local makers with booths featuring crafts, goods and services. Yes, Durhamites celebrate National Pride Month in June – and show their pride and solidarity throughout the year – by building intentionally queer-friendly spaces and throwing events and parties around the city. It's a new era every week at Club ERA, so expect this dance party to be on theme.

So, show up as your most radiant, authentic self to have a gay old time in the Bull City.

Insider tip: as you’ll see below, this is a very busy weekend in Durham, so we recommend making your plans ASAP.

The History of Pride: Durham, NC

Like many present-day Pride celebrations, Durham’s annual gathering started out as an act of protest.

Immediately following the Parade, our Health & Wellness Kickback will feature several FREE creative offerings and activations, brought to you by our very own: Baba McDaniel Roberts & The Harambee Collective, Gay For Play Durham, Get Embodied Soul Movement, Scrap Exchange, Stay Bloomin, Stormie Daie, Sufia Ikbal-Doucet, The Gender Gallery, and Zena Carlota—and again, there's more than we can list here!

Day 3

Finally, we will wrap up with our Vendor & Food Truck Market, featuring dozens of area LGBTQ led and owned businesses, with music provided by the wonderful DJ collective, The Conjure.