Summer of Pride: 2018

Benji Lovari brings us info about the 2018 L.A. Pride Festival, as well as other pride events happening around the country.

Pride events happen throughout the year in cities all over the world, but the largest number of events happen between June and September. This month we’ve got details about the 2018 L.A. Pride festival and parade, as well as information about some of the other pride festivals happening this summer. For a complete list of Pride events happening around the world, visit Gay Pride Calendar. If you plan to attend L.A. Pride or DTLA Proud, be sure to drop by the Cybersocket booth to say hello and to pick up one of our free gift bags!

L.A. Pride
June 9-10, 2018
This year’s LA Pride Festival happens at the tail end of L.A. Pride Week, which lasts from Jun 1st – June 10th. In addition to the L.A. Pride Festival (June 9th & 10th) and the L.A. Pride Parade (June 10th), other events happening during L.A. Pride Week include a Youth Pride Dance on June 8th and an LGBT Night at Universal Studios Hollywood June 2nd & 3rd. For a complete list of events happening during L.A. Pride Week, Click Here.

The L.A. Pride festival takes place at West Hollywood Park (along San Vicente Blvd. between Santa Monica Blvd. and Melrose Ave.) and in the Plaza of the Pacific Design Center.

L.A. Pride Festival Hours
Saturday June 9th: Noon to 1:00 a.m.
Sunday June 10th: Noon To 11:00 p.m. 

You’ll find the festival’s main entrance (aka the North Gate) at the corner of San Vicente & Santa Monica Boulevards. There’s also a smaller, second entrance (aka the South Gate) at the corner of San Vicente Blvd. and Melrose Ave. For the shortest wait, the main entrance is usually your best bet. There’s no parking available, so if you don’t know someone in WeHo who has reserved parking for you to use, you’ll need to plan on riding public transportation to reach the venue. There’s always Uber and Lyft, but the rates and/or waits for those services are sure to be much higher during L.A. Pride due to the surge in demand.

Single Day L.A. Pride Festival tickets are $25, or you can buy a Full Weekend Pass for $35. Discount tickets are available for ADA, military (active or veteran), and seniors at $15. If you’d like to have backstage access, two complimentary cocktails per day, and one free lunch per day, Backstage Experience tickets are available in both one day and All Weekend versions for $250 and $400 respectively. You can purchase tickets in person at the event box office, but you can save yourself some time if you purchase your L.A. Pride tickets online. In order to prevent people from sharing access (even if they’re unable to use the second day of a weekend pass) this year’s festival is employing RFID wristbands that are attached upon entering the festival. They can’t be removed at any time during the festival without invalidating them, because doing so destroys them. So if you plan to buy a weekend pass and attend on both days, you won’t be able to share your pass if your plans should change – and you’ll need to shower and sleep in the wristband all weekend long. No food or drink containers can be brought into the festival, so don’t plan on a picnic either. If you want to avoid the high prices, long lines, and limited food options (the festival variety) at L.A. Pride, there’s a fantastic Pavilions supermarket right across the street on Santa Monica Blvd offering a large selection, a deli, prepared foods, a bakery, a sushi bar, and more. You can take a break from the festival, enjoy the air conditioning in Pavilions, and then find a place on the sidewalk grass to kick back and enjoy a relaxing lunch. Think of it as a chance to mix with the locals.

The 2018 headline entertainers are Kehlani (Sat. June 9th) and Tove Lo (Sun. June 10th.) Performers scheduled to appear on the Park stage include Icona Pop, Superfruit, Kim Petras, Lauren Ruth Ward, Jesse Saint John, Eve, Allie X, Leland, Lauren Sanderson, Jessica 6, and Saturn Rising. Appearing on the Boulevard Stage will be Keri Hilson, Keke Wyatt, LeikeL147, Cece Peniston, Jesslove, and Laith Ashley. Appearing on the Park Stage will be Tom & Collins, Natalia Jiminez, Oscar Velazquez, Karol Posadas, Gio Bravo, Kidd Madonny, Karisma, Crista Bella, and Eureka O’Hara.

The 2018 Pride Parade takes place on June 10th, 2018 between 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. in West Hollywood. The parade route runs along Santa Monica Blvd, beginning at Fairfax and ending at Doheny. This year’s LA Pride Parade Grand Marshal is transgender activist, entrepreneur, and restauranteur Michaela Mendelsohn. If you want to  stake out a good spot along the parade route, you should probably plan on arriving early.

MORE SUMMER PRIDE EVENTS

DTLA Proud
August 25-26
This exciting L.A. event continues to gain popularity with each passing year. It takes place downtown in Pershing Square and features a diverse lineup of local stage talent, community booths, art installations, retail vendors, interactive exhibits, food trucks, bars, and a pop-up water park. The DTLA Proud Festival was created by the community and for the community, and costs just $5 per day.

NYC Pride
June 23-24
The theme of this year’s NYC Pride festival is “Defiantly Different.” There are many different events happening during NYC Pride Week (June 17th-24th) including parties, rallies, a film festival, a cosplay event, and more. The main party, Pride Island, happens June 23rd and 24th. The June 24th date (featuring Kylie Minogue and closing fireworks) is already sold out and no further tickets are being offered. It’s too bad Kylie wasn’t available for both days, but it’s sure to be fun no matter which day you’re able to attend.

SF Pride
June 23-24
This year’s San Francisco Pride theme is “Generations of Strength.” As usual, there will be a large parade, a festival with live entertainment, a VIP party, and lots more. 

Kansas City Pride
June 1-3
This year’s Kansas City Pride event happens at the Berkley Riverfront in Kansas City and will include a number of different related events. You can follow Kansas City Pride on Facebook.

Denver PrideFest
June 16-17
In addition to the festival and parade on June 16th and June 17th, there are also parties and a variety of other Pride-related events happening in Denver.

P-Town Pride
June 1-3
After P-Town Pride, P-Town has events happening all the way through August including Memorial Day, Independence, Bear Week, Family Week, and the P-Town Carnival.