This Year's New Orleans Pridefest
Summer is approaching, which means NOLA Pridefest is just around the corner. This June 11 to 14, the event will showcase events hosted by local businesses and organizers.
Be on the look out for special happy hours, dance parties, and, in true New Orleans style, a parade which will roll through the French Quarter and Marigny, all culminating at the Pridefest Block Party.
History in the Making
New Orleans Pride started as a "Gay-In" picnic in February of 1971 by the Gay Liberation Front of New Orleans. The first gay celebration of its kind in New Orleans, the event snowballed into an annual event held at Jackson Square. Their first pride parade was in 1980. The following year, the fest was hosted by New Orleans native Ellen Degeneres. With each passing year, the fest grew in popularity. The name has changed over the years, from "Gay Fest" to "Gay Pride" and, eventually, to "Pridefest." Through every iteration, we see the same theme celebrating identity and community.
Now known colloquially as "pride" all around the world, the idea of queerness and pride have become synonymous. As Pride in New Orleans has continued to grow, our city has made strides, through the strength of community and collective action, for the rights of LGBTQ+ people in our city year after year. Now, 55 years after the original "Gay-In" picnics began, the Pridefest parade boasts over 70,000 attendees!
What's Going On?
Pride will officially kick off on June 11 with an opening reception atop the New Orleans Healing Center. This is an opportunity to highlight and celebrate the sponsors who help bring NOLA Pridefest to life.
Saturday, June 13, the pride parade will make its way to Phoenix Bar. There will be fabulous floats, devious dance krewes, and marching bands rolling through the route. The route will loop through the French Quarter and Marigny, coming to an end outside of Phoenix Bar.
The parade will disperse into the iconic block party. Local vendors providing food and drinks and other goodies will be set up around the block. Live music performances will be setting the mood, featuring new and emerging LGBTQ+ artists from along the Gulf, giving a rhythm to the night. Pridefest will come to a close at 10 p.m., segueing nicely into a night long celebration of Pride in the city.
After a ferocious night of celebration, the Railyard has the perfect way to cool off and ensure that Pride makes a splash. The Tea Dance Pool Party, happening on Sunday, June 14, from 12-5 p.m., is a way to wind down while keeping the spirit alive. This sexy party will have a cash bar, music, and peak summer vibes.
For those without the Pridefest Pass, entry to the Tea Dance Pool Party is $25 for early birds. After May 31, it will be $30.
Get More Out of Pridefest
The 2026 Pridefest Pass will grant ticket holders access to the opening reception, along with some other great perks such as drink tickets, VIP viewing access to the main stage, and entry to the Tea Dance Pool Party.
