www.columbuspride.org
The theme of this year’s Stonewall Columbus Pride Festival is “Be the Change,” and this weekend, thousands will be doing just that.
The festival begins on Friday, running from 4 to 11 p.m., and continues on Saturday from 11a.m. to 8p.m. Located at Goodale Park, it includes an area for families, an area for teens, relaxation stations, food and beverage vendors, and live performances.
To kick off Saturday morning’s festivities, the parade will start on S. Front St. and W. Broad St. and will head North on High St. to Buttles Ave. Grand Marshal of this year’s parade is Jim Obergefell, whose fight to be legally recognized as his late husband’s surviving spouse helped take the issue of marriage equality to the Supreme Court back in April.
The celebration doesn’t end there; a variety of related events benefiting LGBTQ organizations will take place throughout the weekend. For those looking to start the festivities off on a healthy note, the 12th annual Run for Pride 5k will be held at 7p.m. on Friday at Goodale Park. For anyone eager to party, Axis will be hosting several events, including a swimwear fashion show beginning at 6 p.m. on Friday and Drag-a-Palooza beginning at 6 p.m. on Saturday. The Columbus Lesbian and Gay Softball Association will hold its 30th annual Bat n’ Rouge drag queen softball game with the first pitch at 3 p.m. Summit United Methodist Church will hold inclusive worship celebrations on Friday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 10:30 a.m. On Sunday, Columbus Urban Pride will host a Gospel service at 11:30 a.m., a fellowship brunch at 1 p.m., and a networking red carpet event at 6 p.m.
Finally, the Pride Brunch will take place at The Columbus Athenaeum from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sunday. This year’s brunch will honor Obergefell and celebrate the Supreme Court marriage equality cases.
The festival and parade are free to attend, but a $5 donation is strongly encouraged.
