It was 50 years ago when the first Pride march took place, and many cities had scheduled enormous events to celebrate the incredible progress made by the queer community over the past five decades. Denver has historically been known for putting on one of the largest events year after year, and now, with the outbreak of COVID-19, Denver Pride is motivated and determined to recreate the tradition virtually.
June 20 through 21 will mark the virtual Denver Pride event that can be viewed and experienced from all over the country with favorite traditions and surprises. Hosted by The Center on Colfax, the Denver Pride Fest has been considered one of the biggest and best in the country featuring two full days of activities, entertainment, and fun in the heart of The Mile High City. In 2019, the event had a record attendance of 525,000 people and the largest parade to date. Although this year will be virtual, the spirit will be present.
The weekend’s main event, the 2020 Coors Light Virtual Denver Pride Parade, will be broadcasted Sunday, June 21 at 9:30 a.m. (MST) on The Center’s social media channels. The parade will feature a compilation of fun-filled, virtual parade “units” submitted by community businesses and organizations that will be live-streamed as a “parade” with live commentary. To watch, go to The Center’s Facebook, page.
Other 2020 Virtual Denver Pride highlights include:
Pride 5K, Saturday, June 20 at 9:00 a.m. (MST) – As always, the weekend festivities will kick off with the Pride 5K, participants are encouraged to register online and then run, walk, or sashay the 3.1-mile distance in their local area (with proper safety precautions, of course.)
Virtual Entertainment, all weekend – Denver Pride Fest has always featured world-class entertainers—and this year, the performers include some of the LGBTQ community’s best-known celebrities. RuPaul’s Drag Race competitors and renowned drag queens Monét X Change, Jackie Cox, and Naysha Lopez will headline this year’s online entertainment. Smirnoff Dance World will be a virtual dance party this year, and other events throughout the weekend include Drag Queen Story Time, official after-party live streams, and more.
Online Queer Author Expo, through June 24 – A weeklong series of author interviews will be broadcast on Facebook and DenverPride.org. Highlighted queer authors will include Mari Anne Christie, Dylan Edwards, Jax Meyer, and more.
For more information about all the events and activities taking place during Virtual Denver Pride, visit the Denver Pride website.
