This June we are ready to celebrate Pride Month in the USA, with parades, LGBTQIA+ festivals, and inclusive experiences. There is something for all travellers under the bright umbrella of the United States of America. Here is our guide to inclusive travel, year-round in the destinations we represent.
New Orleans
Every June, events that unify and celebrate the LGBTQIA+ community can be found throughout New Orleans. Parades, parties, fundraisers, and community events exemplify the welcoming culture for which the city is known. New Orleans has always championed arts and culture, fostering a lively gay social scene and drawing many LGBTQIA+ artists and performers to the French Quarter, home to Café Lafitte in Exile, one of America’s oldest gay bars. The longest running gay event, the Fat Monday Luncheon, kicked off in 1949, and the oldest gay social organization, the Steamboat Club, was launched in 1953.
New Orleans Pride Weekend this year is 13 – 15 June. One of the most exciting traditions is PrideFest, a block party hosted outside The Phoenix Bar on Elysian Fields. PrideFest and the parade are free to attend.
Southern Decadence occurs every year over Labor Day Weekend at the end of August and is the largest LGBTQIA+ event in New Orleans. The celebrations last through the day and night, with lively parties and parades. While the street parties are free, the weekend passes offered allow entry to exclusive events.
For more information: LGBTQ New Orleans
Louisiana
Louisiana hosts a variety of events that celebrate and uplift the LGBTQIA+ community. Known for its welcoming spirit and love of a good time, Louisiana invites everyone to come together and celebrate pride. One standout event among many is the Lake Charles SWLA Pride Con. Taking place from 27-29 June, this weekend is all about unity, creativity and celebration. With an exciting lineup of dancing, singing, live performances, and eye-catching exhibitions.
In Baton Rouge, Pride Fest returns on 28 June offering a space for the LGBTQIA+ community and allies to celebrate in style. This indoor, family friendly event is free to attend and filled with opportunities to educate, uplift, and unite under the pride flag. Pride fest creates a safe, joyful environment where everyone can shine, connect and celebrate the diverse LGBTQIA+ community.
In Lafeyette, the Pride Acadiana Parade lights up downtown on 14 June with a display of colour, community and celebration. Taking over Jefferson Street, the event invites everyone to show up loud and proud in support of LGBTQIA+ visibility and joy. Whether you’re waving flags, marching with friends, or cheering from the sideline, the parade promises a night filled with unity and pure fun.
New England
New England’s scenic landscapes, inclusive accommodations, and progressive attitudes make it a haven for all travellers seeking authenticity, acceptance, and memorable experiences. Massachusetts was the first state in the union to legalise and normalise same-sex marriage through the courts (2003), followed by Connecticut (2008). Vermont was the first to legalise it through the legislature (2009), followed the same year by neighbouring New Hampshire. Maine achieved legalisation through public referendum and Rhode Island’s governor approved the Gay Marriage Bill in 2013. Ogunquit, Maine is a small beach community with a reputation for being exceptionally friendly to all those who visit. Ogunquit Pride is easily accessible and the area is home to many LGBTQIA+ friendly hotels and resorts. Every June, Maine’s communities unite to celebrate Pride with a festival.
From vibrant cities like Boston and New Haven to quaint coastal towns there’s a spectrum of welcoming spaces tailored to diverse identities. For almost a century, gay and lesbian travellers have made their way to Provincetown, Massachusetts. Today, the tip of the Cape draws its energy and spirit from members of the LGBTQIA+ community who come here year after year, some for the first time, and many who stopped counting long ago.
New England also leads the country in welcoming and accommodating LGBTQIA+ partners and their families. Pride Vermont takes place on 7 September in downtown Burlington and along the waterfront park, featuring an exciting lineup of performances.
Boston
Boston is known for its inclusivity. As the capital city of the first state in the USA to legalise same-sex marriage, Boston stands proud, accessible, and welcoming. The city boasts one of the largest LGBTQIA+ populations on the East Coast with neighbourhoods such as the South End and Jamaica Plain offering a good variety of nightlife.
Boston’s LGBTQ Past walking tour traces the gay and lesbian culture that flourishes today. This tour is presented in partnership with The History Project, a nonprofit organization that documents, preserves, and shares New England’s LGBTQIA+ history.
Boston Pride For The People will celebrate Pride Month on 14 June this year. Events include a parade and festival which combine to create a collective city-wide celebration. A year round highlight is the Drag Brunch at Summer Shack every Saturday, featuring stellar entertainment and themed drag acts including the Barbie Drag Brunch, Beyonce Renaissance Drag Brunch, and the Rihanna Drag Brunch. For more information on LGBTQIA + events click here.
Tenneseee
The Annual Nashville Festival and Parade is the largest LGBTQIA+ event in Tennessee and kicks off on 28 June with the free Nashville Pride Parade. This year, the Equality Main Stage entertainment line-up will feature Kim Petras amongst others. Additionally, the Knox Pride Festival from 3-4 October is an open celebration of music, entertainment and speakers focused on promoting equality and the inclusion of all people.
Dolly Parton famously stated that Dollywood is a place for all families and for everyone. The Smoky Mountain Summer Celebration at the theme park, runs this year from 14 June – 3 August. The park is awash with colour including flying kites and rainbow pool noodles suspended overhead and surrounded by technicolour trees.
See local information and events: Nashville, Memphis, Knoxville
Mississippi
Biloxi, Gulfport and Coastal Mississippi offer an inclusive environment in a beautiful setting. Visitors can head to LGBTQIA+ bars like Sipp’s in Gulfport, and Just Us Lounge, located within walking distance of Beau Rivage which is a melting pot of the area’s diverse and welcoming LGBTQIA+ community.
In Jackson, the fourth annual 5K colour run is an inclusive, fun race that honours LGBTQ+ individuals and allies as it raises money for LGBTQIA+ causes. In June, MS Capital City Pride, an LGBTQIA+ Community Building and Advocacy Organisation serving the Jackson Metro Area are hosting various activities to bring the pride community together.
For more information for events on Mississippi’s Gulf Coast, including the eight annual Equality Fest in Biloxi, please see here.
San Antonio
San Antonio has a vibrant LGBTQIA+ culture that has blossomed in the city, an evolution that stretches back to the 1950s, when drag shows arrived. Luther’s stages a variety of events, including the Pride Block Party on the 24 June.
San Antonio’s Pride celebrations are as colourful as they are inclusive. June is full of events honouring and celebrating the LGBTQIA+ community. San Antonio also hosts LGBTQ+ International Film Festival on 10-12 October.
Pride San Antonio celebrates the LGBTQIA+ community with the Pride Bigger than Texas Festival and Parade. Typically held at the end of June, this event highlights the accomplishments of the LGBTQIA+ community and raises money for local charities. For more information on LGBTQIA+ in San Antonio.
Tucson
Tucson Pride returns to Reid Park in Midtown on 21-23 November. Tucson Pride was formed in 1976 by the Tucson Lesbian and Gay Alliance and is Arizona’s first and oldest LGBTQ+ pride organization and one of the oldest LGBTQIA+ Pride organisations in the USA.
Tucson enjoys a vibrant and inclusive LGBTQIA+ community, with a wide range of bars and clubs, LGBTQIA+ owned businesses, and an active LGBTQIA+ Chamber of Commerce. The city is home to numerous social clubs, political organisations, youth support groups, and LGBTQIA+ places of worship. Tucson’s progressive culture and relaxed attitude have helped make it one of the most queer-friendly destinations in the US to welcome visitors.
Plan your visit to Tucson.
Ends
For more information on the above destinations, please visit www.ttmworld.co.uk
For media enquiries, more information, hi-res images or video, please contact:
Caroline Donaldson-Sinclair, PR Account Director: caroline@ttmworld.co.uk
For Meet Boston, Discover New England, and Visit San Antonio
Jennie Jordan, Senior PR Account Manager: jennie@ttmworld.co.uk
For Visit Mississippi
Karl Cushing, PR Account Manager: karl@ttmworld.co.uk
For Explore Louisiana, Tennessee Tourism, New Orleans & Company and Maverick Aviation
Anisha Hegde, PR Account Executive: anisha@ttmworld.co.uk
For Visit Tucson
Kirsty Dillury, Owner / Chief Communications Officer kirsty@ttmworld.co.uk
For any other enquiries, please visit www.ttmworld.co.uk, email ttmoffice@ttmworld.co.uk or
call +44 (0)208 313 1717