By Heather Madsen
May is almost over which means we’re halfway through the year, and LGBTQIA+ Pride Month is just around the corner! For anyone who doesn’t already know: pride month started as a celebration in honor of the 1969 Stonewall Uprising, which was a monumental day in the history of fighting for LGBTQIA+ rights. Pride festivities in June commonly involve concerts, parades, shows, marches, and other events all focused on celebrating the people who fought for LGBTQIA+ rights and anyone who identifies as part of that community.
If you want to show your support, join in the festivities, and have a ton of fun, then you’ll be thrilled to see the great lineup Utah Pride has in store this year.
Kicking things off on May 31st, there will be an interfaith worship session hosted by Rev. Dr. Oliveto, the first openly lesbian Bishop in the United Methodist denomination. Everyone is welcome to attend and there will be glitter blessings for anyone who wants one.
On Friday, June 2nd, there will be the Pride March and Rally, held at the state capitol. Although we’ve come a long way since Stonewall in regards to LGBTQIA+ rights, there is still a lot of work to be done in order to ensure people of the community can live openly, freely, and without fear of violence. This march and rally are all about furthering the rights and protections of LGBTQIA+ people.
Finally on June 4th, there will be Utah’s biggest LGBTQIA+ event: the Pride Parade! Anyone downtown is welcome to watch and cheer as the floats, bands, and performers make their way through the city. It’s a great time and all for a great cause, so we hope to see you there!
All of the events above are free, but there are also a number of events you can purchase tickets for, including drag brunch, Youth Pride, concerts, and more. Find more information and tickets at https://utahpride.org/events/utah-pride-events.