Photo Gallery: Sapphic Social Club’s Pride Kickoff Party at Cheesman Park
Pride month is in full swing here in Denver, and on Sunday, June 1, OFM attended The Sapphic Social Club’s “Shades of Us” at the Cheesman Park Pavilion. This monochromatic-themed Pride kickoff party featured queer DJs, drag shows, crafting, and local vendors.
A historical place for the queer community, the park was once again filled with music, dancing, and a whole lot of queer magic. Sapphic Social Club chose this park to honor those who have come before us. “Cheesman Park holds a special place in Denver’s queer history. Starting as early as the 1960s, it became an informal but vital gathering spot for LGBTQ+ people at a time when bars were frequently raided and public expression was risky.”
In a previous article, “A Brief LGBT History,” OFM shared that 1974 marked the first gay Pride rally “gay-in” that was held at the Pavilion. From that moment on, Capitol Hill was dubbed as Denver’s very own gay-borhood.
In the 1980s and 1990s, the park remained central to queer life during the height of the HIV/AIDS crisis, serving as a place for mourning, organizing, and protest. It was also a focal point for Denver Pride when the official festivities were still small and scattered. Long before rainbow crosswalks and corporate sponsorships, Cheesman Park was where Pride happened—sometimes quietly, sometimes defiantly, but always with community at its core.
“Hosting a Pride event at Cheesman today is more than just a celebratio—It’s an act of remembering, honoring, and continuing the legacy of queer presence in a space that’s held so much of our story.”
To learn more about Denver’s LGBTQ+ history, read OFM’s article ‘A Brief LGBT History’, and History Colorado’s article ‘PrideFest: A History of Denver’s Gay Pride Celebration’.
Photos by Becky Duffyhill. See more of her work here. Follow her on Instagram @beckyduffyhill.creative.
Scroll down to see more photos from Sunday’s event and a list of all who helped make this event a success.
DRAG SHOW:
Host: @mikkimiraj
DJs:
VENDORS:
What's Your Reaction?
