Wondering what there is to do this Pride Month? We’ve got you covered! Here are all the events the Center on Colfax is putting on this Denver Pride.
Fifty years after Denver’s first Pride as a small gathering at Cheeseman Park in 1974, it is now the largest Pride festival in the Rocky Mountain Region and a major fundraiser for the Center on Colfax, Colorado largest LGBTQ+ non profit organization dedicated to serving our local community. This year promises to be a festival like no other, with two straight days filled with plenty of activities and entertainment and several events leading up to the festival itself.
Pride Month Movie Screening: Moonlight
Kick off Pride Month with a movie night at the Center on Colfax with Glass Lawler Mental Health on June 1 from 1:00-3:00 p.m. The event will feature complimentary snacks and non-alcoholic beverages and is available to anyone 18 and over! RSVP at the Center on Colfax website, and enjoy Moonlight, a movie that centers around the coming of age of a gay, Black man.
A Legacy of Pride: West of 50 Rooftop Pride Party
Hosted by Steve-Anna and Cowpoke Avi, this collaborative event between the Center on Colfax and the Denver Library promises to be a fun-filled afternoon of trivia, karaoke, prizes, music, and more. The party will be held on the rooftop of the Center on Colfax from 4:00-7:00 p.m. on June 6. To celebrate the 50 years of Denver Pride, attendees are encouraged to dress in a 70’s style, and the best outfit will get a prize! Popcorn and soda will be provided for all attendees.
Vizzy Pride Night: Colorado Rockies vs Pittsburgh Pirates
Come see our very own Colorado Rockies play the Pittsburgh Pirates in a Pride-themed game that comes with a complementary limited edition Rockies-themed Vizzy Pride fanny pack included with each special ticket purchase. A portion of each ticket package sold will benefit the Center on Colfax and One Colorado, an advocacy organization for LGBTQ+ rights. The game will be on June 15 and will start at 7:10 p.m. at Coors Field.
Queer Immigrant Pride: Empowering Performances of LGBTQ+ Immigrants
This community event at Motus Theatre will be a performance of several monologues from TRANSformative Stories and UndocuAmerica projects by LGBTQ+ immigrant monologists. Featured monologists will include Ruby Lopez (she/her), David Breña (he/him), and Cristian Solano-Cordova (he/they). The performance itself will start at 7:30 p.m. on June 22 at Evans School, but there will be tea and cookies for a reception of the art exhibit UndocuAmerica: Reclaiming Our Presence from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. This art exhibition invites viewers to engage with art that centers around the stories of undocumented community members through a wide variety of mediums.
This year’s Denver PrideFest will happen the weekend of June 22-23 at Civic Center Park. The festival will feature over 250 exhibitors, 30 food vendors, and captivating live performances at the three stages throughout the park. Headliners Alyssa Edwards and Shea Couleé will be supported by several smaller acts throughout the two-day festival. Come celebrate with communities from all over Colorado and the Rocky Mountain region!
The first event of the festival itself, the 5K will take place on the morning of Saturday, June 22, and starts at 9:30 a.m. on the steps of the Capitol Building. This race is a massive fundraiser for the Center on Colfax that allows supporters to help raise funds with their participation. Non-participants can donate to the racers’ fundraising goals, which helps them win super cool Denver PrideFest-themed gifts! This event allows the Center on Colfax to continue to provide essential programs and services to Colorado’s LGBTQ+ community, and every dollar raised goes directly to the Center’s social support groups, mental health services, youth groups, and more. The 5K is co-sponsored by Smartwool, an outdoor clothing company based in Colorado that centers around ski clothing made from Merino wool.
Opening the second day of Denver PrideFest, the Denver Pride Parade will start at 9:30 a.m. on June 23. The parade spans 14 blocks and will head west on Colfax and end near Civic Park. Attending the parade is free, and attendees should expect to find their spots early as over 100,000 people are expected to line the streets this year as we come together to celebrate the Rocky Mountain queer community.
We look forward to seeing you all out and proud this June!
