June, if you can imagine, is already here, and that means it’s time for Pride. This year’s Memphis Pride Fest, which bills itself as the largest gathering of LGBTQ people in the Mid-South, promises to be bigger and better than ever before, with a theme of “Embrace Your Story,” a celebration of diversity, strength, and unity.
Headlining the event organized by Mid-South Pride is Kornbread “The Snack” Jeté, a fan-favorite from season 14 of RuPaul’s Drag Race, and 37 local drag entertainers and four local bands will join the lineup across two stages. The festival will also host over 175 booths, providing a wide array of activities suitable for all ages, from engaging games, to history and educational exhibits, to arts and crafts. Admission to the festival starts at $1.
Kicking off the day, of course, is the annual parade which starts at Fourth and Beale before making its way through the historic Beale Street Entertainment District. The procession features over 100 units with 2,500+ participants from myriad organizations. “The energy that comes off of everyone at the parade is amazing, you can feel it in the air,” Vanessa Rodley, Mid-South Pride president and festival director, said in a press release. “It’s almost like it’s vibrating. It’s the most colorful weekend of the year and you can see it and feel it!”
But the celebrations don’t begin nor do they end with the festival. In fact, they start on Thursday, May 30th, with the ever-popular Drag N Drive, which will feature a screening of Mean Girls (2004) followed by a drag/video showcase. On Friday, May 31st, Friends For All will host the Big Gay Dance Party, where attendees will enjoy music, dancing, drinks, and a safe, inclusive environment. The party will also have free HIV and STI testing, and Friends For All will debut its brand-new mobile care unit.
The weekend wraps up with the Grand Marshal Drag Brunch, a laid-back yet lively brunch with local drag performers on the Cossitt Library lawn.
For more information on all that’s happening this weekend and to purchase tickets to any of these events, visit midsouthpride.org.
Drag N Drive, Summer Drive-In, 5310 Summer, Thursday, May 30, 7 p.m., $35-$50.
Big Gay Dance Party, Crosstown Theater, 1350 Concourse, Friday, May 31, 8 p.m., $15-$130.
Memphis Pride Festival and Parade, Robert Church Park and Beale Street, Saturday, June 1, 11 a.m.-5 p.m., $1-$100.
Grand Marshal Drag Brunch, Cossitt Library, 33 South Front, Sunday, June 2, 11 a.m., $30-$50.
