The Greatest Pride Celebrations in America, According to Drag Queens

Anyone is welcome to come as they are – or , for some , as they know to be . The doyenne of the day are the retarding force queens , for whom Pride can be the busiest ( and most terrific ) fourth dimension of the year . Case in point : One booker told me that the most sought - after performers might put to work five shows on a Pride weekend , crisscrossing the land for various issue .

The influx of pull queens to stages and locale throughout the country during Pride calendar month also has a gateway effect for aspiring puff queens desire to celebrate and " get in heel and lip sync to Britney , " as Queens - based drag queen Sutton Kyler Puckett call in . The New York City - base world-beater , who performs with the name Heidi Haux , was perpetually changed by move to New York at 18 eld sure-enough , on Pride Weekend , no less . " I was still closet , " he said . " The overwhelming support and rank quantity of pro - gay anything blew my brain . "

But that battle and the on-going struggle for adoption continues across the 50 states , particularly in places without gay bars , LGBTQ resource centers , and a few less proudly waving rainbow pin than the West Village . Which is why it ’s more important than ever to call care to thesmall towns and citiesthrowing theirfirst - ever Pride paradethis year , and make out the communities outside of New York that throw America ’s skilful Pride celebration .

Seattle Pride

Seattle Pride|Courtesy of Colin Bishop

So we tattle to well - travel puff queen to bump out which are the prides of Pride , nationwide .

Best Unexpected Festival:Sioux Falls

Your next Pride weekend may be best spend in South Dakota . This yearly celebration has swell in the preceding few twelvemonth from a few hundred attendees to over 8,000 , fit in toThe Advocate . New York - base drag queenDelighted Tobeheredescribed it as a " very comfortable Pride festival , because everyone was so warm and welcoming . " She also delight seeing performer from Middle America : " They ’d announce , the next up on stage is directly from Omaha , and it was so exciting . " Tobehere also said the festival packed in straight allies , in an " incredible " show of accompaniment . " There was concern that folks would n’t show up , but [ the fire on Pulse , in Orlando ] for certain did n’t pall tribe off , " she said . " This Pride was a daylight that unify our community . “The Sioux Falls Pride took place on June 15 this year .

Most Inclusive:Seattle Pride

Seattle has one of the oldest Pride weeks in the body politic – date back to 1974 – a fact that has n’t kept it from staying weird and cheerful . " I was really blown away by Seattle Pride , " say Los Angeles - based drag queenJackie Beat . " The energy was off the chart and everyone was so welcoming and embracing . " Seattle Pride does n’t get too flashy with only two principal event , a parade , and a fete . And the ambiance stay wholly irrefutable . " I did n’t feel any of that ' us vs. them ' separatist zip , " Beat say . " It was amazing!“Seattle Pride take place on June 30 this year .

Best in a Small City:Buffalo Pride FestivalandTulsa Pride

Jackie Beat does n’t like to playact favorites with Pride – likening them all to " one of my children " – but has been blown off by a duo of the smaller celebrations : " The feeling of community in places like Buffalo or Tulsa is undeniable . " These festivities are n’t as incarnate as New York or LA ’s monumental celebrations , for better and for worse ; there are few dollar bill , true , but also fewer presenter Son to dim the strong vibes . Another perquisite to visiting a small town for Pride : shopping . As a " fabled rent - a - goofball , " Beat usually flies apace in and out of town , but take down that " little towns are so much unspoiled than big city when it comes to my bargain vintage beldame - hunts!“Buffalo Pride Festival was on June 2 this year ; Tulsa Pride was celebrated June 1 .

Best to Celebrate Queer History:NYC Pride

Acid Betty , a Brooklyn - base protester on Season 8 of RuPaul ’s Drag Race , votes New York as having the ripe Pride celebration , " because that ’s where it jump . " Her favorite part of the annual Pride March is reunite with " brothers and sisters " in a struggle for equal rights that still continues , almost 50 year after Stonewall . " Pride kind of cue us , " she enounce , " that we ’re not alone . “NYC Pride March & PrideFest take place June 30 .

Best in the Midwest:PrideFest Milwaukee

Las Vegas - found puff queen Derrick Barry , a contestant on RuPaul ’s Drag Race Season 8 , has done San Francisco Pride and last year do at New York City ’s Night of 1000 Queens . But her dark - horse favored Pride experience ? Milwaukee , where in 2015 she perform a 30 - arcminute Britney Spears place on closedown Nox , on the outdoor stage at the fairgrounds that host the annual event . " There ’s something about doing external club - eccentric display in a prominent out-of-door area : It ’s so electrical , " Barry said . And unlike some grown coastal cities , this truly is the weekend to cut free : " It ’s what they look onwards to all year . It ’s the big LGBT issue . “PrideFest Milwaukee was June 6 - 9 , and this class ’s lineup included a youthfulness drag show , queen Malaiya Marvel , Lady Gia , and several others .

Best for VIP Treatment:San Diego LGBT Pride

If you ’re turn over performing at Pride , essay San Diego Pride , a euphony fete - style celebration boast various stage with unlike type of music . In 2014 , Derrick Barry perform here alongside headliners including DJ Ruby Rose and other large names and recalled the star treatment as being one of the highlights . " I had my own drone – nobody has ever done that before , " she said . The " giving phase , braggart crowd " and more gave a cool California vibration to this fete , everlasting for anyone who desire to feel " so VIP " or just celebrate in the sunshine at a rainbow - theme music festival . On July 6 , experience women - centrical She Fest ; the San Diego Pride Parade takes place July 13 .

Most Experimental:Brooklyn Pride

Most Improved Festival:Kalamazoo Pride

Kalamazoo , Michigan , which is abode to on the dot zero gay bars , hosts a amazingly good Pride celebration each June . Drag queen Thorgy Thor and Pearl perform in 2017 ’s Kalamazoo Pride , a vast advance from when Sutton Lee Seymour attend the celebration as a college student . " Pride a decade ago was a barbecue , " she recall . " Maybe a hundred or so people would come and it was a great party , but now it has spring up into something vast where they ’re bringingDrag Racegirls . “Kalamazoo Pride was on June 7 - 8 this twelvemonth .

Best for Music and Politics:San Francisco Pride

Kyler Puckett call in San Francisco Pride " the gayest Bonnaroo on Earth , " no affiliation with the jams in central Tennessee . This one begin with a parade down Market Street where scores of people line the street and observe from fire escapes above as the borderland flatus to City Hall . There , at the main stage and several smaller stages , vendors and sprawling sens welcome hordes of LGBTQ people and allies out to celebrate . Puckett attended SF Pride after 2015 ’s Supreme Court ruling on federal marriage equation . " That year was particularly special , " he said . " The whole city seemed to be proud and celebrating love . " SF Pride is also know to be particularly political ; 2017 ’s musical theme was " For Racial and Economic Equality " ; 2018 ’s was “ Generations of Strength . ” This year ? It ’s “ Generations of Resistance,”taking place June 29 - 30.Party on .

Best College Town Pride:Bloomington, Indiana

School ’s out for summer , but the home of Indiana University does n’t let Pride slip by without a proper party . Indiana - base queen Ruth N. Nasia is a big proponent of Bloomington Pride , which brings out Midwestern pansy for a " adorable experience . " backstage , the interview is n’t shy about turning the total celebration into a dance party , and local pansy barThe Back Dooris open basically all day and night for Pride weekend solemnisation . " Bloomington Pride is special , because though the town can feel small , it does n’t during Pride , when almost the whole city is beautify out in celebration of queer citizenry who paved the manner before us and those who are doing so now , " Ruth N. Nasia says . Bloomington Pridefesttakes place August 31 .

Best Tight-Knit Community:Rhode Island Pride

After run from Boston to Providence , Rhode Island in 2015,Phaedra Phadedbecame entranced by Providence ’s yearly pridefulness parade ( now in its 44th year ! ) and all - night block parties . “ It ’s the smallest pride I ’ve ever attended but it is the most exciting by far , ” she says . “ It ’s a magical event and the fact it ’s at dark make believe it so much easier to be a working girl because Clarence Shepard Day Jr. puff is not for the faint of essence . ” She note that the tight - knit LGBTQ community in Providence also station a “ beautiful subject matter of cellular inclusion ” especially during Pride . Rhode Island Pride conduct position June 15 .

Best in a Red State:All of them

Delighted Tobehere , who grew up in South Carolina , advocates see as many ruby - state Pride event as possible . " Go to all of them , " she said , express mirth . As someone who was kick out of his house for being gay , Tobehere emphasize the grandness of belittled Prides to gain a deeper understanding of why the movement is so critical . " When you go to a small pride and you have folks arrive out of the closet , coming from a townspeople where everybody sleep together everybody , " she said , " protestors may admit their family members and there needs to be a lot more support for the folk that do n’t have the connexion and the resource to besiege themselves with other LGBT family members . "

small-scale Pride festivals might be the only local touchpoint for essential services , such as teaching on HIV examination , or the chance to join a gay bowling league or even to meet someone and ask them out . To bug out , Tobehere recommend grassroots festivals such asUpstate Pride South Carolina(June 21 -22),Outer coin bank Pridefest(September 13 -15 ) , andSalisbury ( North Carolina ) Pride(June 22 ) .