While the whole month of June has been full of celebrations for LGBTQ Pride Month, Denver’s community is ready for Denver Pride to make its triumphant comeback this weekend with dozens of celebratory events.
Headlining events from the Center on Colfax include the Denver Pride 5K, Denver PrideFest at Civic Center Park and the Coors Light Denver Pride Parade.
Joe Foster, the center’s vice president of development and communication, said Pride has been celebrated in Denver since the 1970s, but the center took over running Denver Pride in the 1990s. He said it’s somewhat unusual for a city’s LGBTQ community centers to manage or produce their city’s Pride festival. Other organizations typically oversee the events in other cities.
“It’s a chance for us to really have a say on what happens during Pride because we are a community center, so we get input from the entire community on how we operate Pride,” Foster said. “I think that's what's important for us is to make sure that it really feels like a small village is actually building this tiny little city in the middle of Denver. … We really take it seriously by getting input from everyone.”
The Denver Pride 5K will start at 9:30 a.m. Saturday and will start at the Capitol, go through Cheesman Park and then end at the Capitol as PrideFest kicks off at 11 a.m. at Civic Center Park. Also on Saturday, the Denver Dyke March is set to start at noon at the Center on Colfax and end at the Capitol.
The festival — the third largest Pride festival in the U.S. — will run from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, featuring small queer-owned businesses and vendors with food, drink and entertainment, Foster said.
Foster said the festival will include local performers as well as drag superstars like Yvie Oddly, Silky Nutmeg Ganache and Kylie Sonique Love. Cazwell will also perform, as well as headliner Betty Who.
The parade kicks off Sunday morning’s festivities at 9:30 a.m., going from Cheesman Park to Colfax and ending at the Capitol before the festival continues. Foster said there are over 250 entries participating in the parade this year, and the goal is for the parade to end by 12:30 p.m. Typically the parade ends around the Capitol right as One Colorado’s Pride Rally kicks off on the Capitol’s west steps at 12:30 p.m.
The festival will also feature a sober space, where nonalcoholic beverages will be served along with entertainment, Foster said. Another new addition is a spot where people can thank LGBTQ veterans as well as current members of the military, both for serving now and previously under “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell.”
Lonnie Hanzon, a well-known Denver artist, created an art installation in the middle of the park tying in Denver Pride’s theme. Foster said he encouraged first-time Pride attendees to “be yourself” and “come as you are.” He said he’s most looking forward to seeing everyone back together in person after facing the challenges of the pandemic the past two years.
“This is your chance to be out and proud and to really enjoy our community and look back and celebrate, but also remind people why we're here in the first place and that we're not going anywhere,” Foster said.
The center recognized four grand marshals of the 2022 parade for their “unwavering commitment to community engagement and empowerment efforts”: One Colorado, an LGBTQ advocacy organization; Black Pride Colorado, a program celebrating Black LGBTQ resilience; Dragutante, a nonprofit that creates an affirming place for young LGBTQ artists; and Womxn’s March Denver, which is dedicated to amplifying voices against sexism, oppression and injustice.
“We’re really honored and excited to be included with the other folks who are marshals,” One Colorado Deputy Director Garrett Royer said. “... We're really excited that the center is giving us the opportunity to show up for our community that way.”
Tracks Denver, one of the city’s longest running LGBTQ nightclubs, is one of the many local establishments holding events throughout the weekend with tickets available ahead of time on its website.
Stefan Hicks, event director at Tracks and Reelworks, said Tracks Pride 2022 starts Wednesday with a Broken Babes Burlesque and Open Mic Pride Kick-Off event. Then on Thursday, Tracks will hold a Rainbow Roll skating event open to those 18 and up.
“The roller skating nights are really big for us and they're really fun because it's just something that not everyone else can do,” Hicks said. The event will take over both the Tracks and Reelworks venues.
The popular monthly show Drag Nation will also make a comeback for Tracks Pride, featuring local drag queens as well as the reigning champion of "RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 14" and Denver’s own Willow Pill, in Tracks’ ReelWorks venue. At the same time on the nightclub side of Tracks, Babes Around Denver will co-host the Official Women’s Pride Party “Campy Girls” with aerial, burlesque and drag performers. Both of Friday’s events at Tracks are official Denver Pride events.
On Saturday, Tracks will also be split with a concert from DJ Danny Verde at Reelworks, a XXL Bear-dominated party in the nightclub and a pink party benefiting One Colorado in the astroturf lawn area.
Aside from everything at Tracks, Hicks said he’s also excited to see the parade and festival make a comeback. He said despite being tired from working a late night at the bars the Saturday before, everyone in the industry is excited and energetic as they get their Pride floats together early Sunday morning.
“That’s always been a big thing not only for the community, but for the people that work in the industry for Pride,” Hicks said. “It's a really big family moment for everyone. … I think this year is going to be a totally just renewed energy vibe.”
