Preparations are underway for the 2023 Denver PrideFest, which will return to Civic Center Park June 24-25 for two days of activities including a 5K race, live performances on three stages, and a colorful parade that will travel from Cheesman Park to downtown Denver. The celebration is produced by The Center on Colfax, which drew more than 535,000 people in 2022 – making it the largest Pride event in the Rocky Mountain Region.
“We have a stellar lineup of entertainers and an amazing two days of festivities planned this year,” The Center’s CEO Rex Fuller says. “In spite of recent attempts to marginalize our community, we look forward to joining together with hundreds of thousands of our close personal friends in a celebration of our heritage and culture.”
The mission of Denver PrideFest has always been to create a fun, safe, and empowering space to celebrate members of Colorado’s LGBTQ community and their allies. The event is one of the largest LGBTQ celebrations in the nation and generates $25 million in economic impact for the city of Denver.
Denver PrideFest is also The Center’s largest fundraiser, providing over $1 million in support to help the organization serve LGBTQ youth, seniors, Colorado’s transgender community, and training and legal programs.
This year’s headlining entertainment will include:
The New Orleans icons is dreaming of the future of bounce music, and over the past two decades, he has expanded the booming sounds of Southern rap on a string of high-energy, twerk-inducing projects, while showcasing inimitable charisma on blockbuster hits by artists such as Drake, Lizzo, and Beyoncé. The tireless mogul broke into television in 2013 with Fuse’s Big Freedia Bounces Back, released her memoir Big Freedia: God Save The Queen Diva in 2015, launched a cannabis line called Royal Bud in 2022, and is on track to open her very own Hotel Freedia in New Orleans in 2024.
California born and raised, this Cholita, plus-size ghetto superstar has spent the past decade as a leader not only in the Los Angeles drag community, but as a “booked and blessed diva” in the entertainment industry at large. Her original drag shows, Eloteria and Shark Bait Sundays, have received tremendous acclaim, the former being voted the “Best Drag Show of 2022” in Los Angeles Blade. She has written and released a wide variety of parody videos on YouTube, many of which have reached over a million views, and is also a musician, having released two holiday tracks, Cancel Xmas and Xmas On. Most recently, Salina competed on the most recent season of RuPaul’s Drag Race and became an instant fan-favorite thanks to her hilarious commentary and iconic fashion looks.
This drag beauty is every parent’s dream: multi-talented, beautiful, smart, and she always gets her homework done on time! You may have spotted Marcia making a splash on the NYC club circuit with her hilarious mixes, handmade outfits, and dynamic dance moves, but her love and talent for theater has landed her spots performing in Broadway shows including Kinky Boots and the national tour of Hello Dolly! Marcia most recently competed alongside fellow PrideFest headliner Salina Estitties on the most recent season of RuPaul’s Drag Race. She may have constantly been safe, but she certainly made an impact on audiences. Who can forget that iconic lip sync against Anetra?
Denver PrideFest will also feature two additional entertainment stages: the Absolut Dance World Stage, and the Latin Stage brought to you by U.S. Bank.
For more information about Denver PrideFest and its entertainment schedule, visit DenverPride.org.
Photos courtesy of Alexander Le_Jo, Akasha Rabut, Gabrielle Carrubba, and Yuqq Studios
