Photo Gallery: Denver PrideFest 2025 Day Two: Louder, Larger, and Unapologetically Queer

Day two of Denver PrideFest 2025 came in just as hot, but the energy somehow soared even higher. With the sun blazing and community spirits even brighter, thousands turned out once again, ready to march, dance, and celebrate through it all.

The new parade route down 17th Avenue (moved this year due to construction on Colfax) didn’t slow anyone down. In fact, it lit the fuse on what became a truly historic day for Denver’s queer community. From floats decked out in rainbows and glitter to groups marching with protest signs and raised fists, the parade was a stunning reminder of why we show up: to honor, to resist, to celebrate, and to be seen.

By afternoon, Civic Center Park was overflowing with people undeterred by the heat. The vendor village stayed bumping, food trucks kept slinging ice cream and fry baskets, and everywhere you looked was a sea of sequins, signs, and smiling faces.

Over at the main stage, the lineup delivered everything and then some. RuPaul’s Drag Race superstar Miss Vanjie (yes, that Miss Vanjie) brought the house down with her signature blend of sass and sparkle, while Denver legend Jessica L’Whor and her crew of show stopping queens and dancers turned the stage into a glitter fueled riot of love and resistance. The day was a celebration of performance, yes, but also of presence. Queer joy as protest. Queer art as legacy. Queer community as survival.

And as the music echoed through downtown and the crowd swayed together, sweaty but united, it was impossible not to feel the pulse of history in every beat. We weren’t just partying, we were remembering. Remembering Stonewall. Remembering the long line of fighters, artists, lovers, and leaders who made days like this possible.

Because in a world that still tries to legislate us out of existence, what we need most is each other. Community. Support. Love. A promise that we’re not going anywhere, and neither is Pride.

Only we can keep Denver weird. Only we can keep it queer.

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Photography by Zack Hartman. Follow on IG @zhartmanphotography