Tucson Pride on Parade 2015
Before I dive into the review, I would like to take a moment to thank all the great parade participants whom worked hard and dressed up and displayed the true diversity in Tucson. I would also like to especially thank the fun and welcoming crowd which hooted and hollered and came together to celebrate our diversity.
Pride on Parade 2015 was probably the most active and well-attended Tucson Pride Parade I have ever been to. The floats were elaborate and colorful and the costumes and makeup were absolutely fabulous! It was perfectly staged on the busiest downtown avenue and the weather gave us a vintage Tucson Fall evening, with cool temperatures and an amazing sunset backdrop.
Grand Marshall’d by the inimitable Tempest DuJour (looking fantastic as always), the floats and parade entrants really stole the show. From the hilariously under-costumed Old Lesbians Organizing for Change to the full-blown costumes worn by the Rocky Horror Picture Show cast, you could easily identify with each of them. Then the rolling party that is the SAAF long-bed float crawls past and you can’t help but smile as you catch candy and Mardi Gras beads affixed with condoms. I can finally write this: “The event truly offered something for everyone” 🙂
The Tucson Pride on Parade couldn’t have been any better planned or executed. It was a wonderful time for the entire family to come out and honor the common differences that provide spice and excitement to our community. I can’t wait to see what they come up with next time!
Tucson Gay Pride 2013
What: G3 Happy Hour
When: Friday, October 11 2013 5:00 PM.
Where: V Thai, 9 East Congress, Downtown
Admission: $5 at the door includes entry, first drink of choice (including call and beer), asian-fusion appetizers, live DJ, door prizes and Tucson’s best crowd!
Official Website: www.TucsonG3.com
G3 Gay Mens Happy hour, formerly G2H2 is planning an amazing event that looks like lots of fun. I think this is the only event along and during the Pride Parade Route.
V Thai is located at 9 East Congress St. Downtown near the corner of Stone and Congress. They offer some amazing food options and there will be a live DJ, prize giveaways and Video for the event! V Thai is opening at 5PM for this event so that you have time to relax and have drinks before the parade starts at 6:00PM. The parade route passes by the front of V Thai so it is a great spot to view the festivities and party with a geat crowd.
If you have not been to V Thai before, it should be easy to find with a, 20 story high logo of G3 on the side of the building.
After 10PM. the party moves to Playground at 5th and Congress for the Playboi after party.
What: Tucson Pride
When: Saturday, October 12th 2013
Where: Kino Sports Complex. This event is NOT at the Kino Stadium but at “Soccer Field Number 2”. Turn South off Ajo onto Forgeus and drive straight South
Admission: $10.00 at the door. VIP Tickets available online at http://tucsonpride.org/.
Tucson Pride presents it’s 36th Annual LGBTQ Pride Festival . $50. VIP. Advance tickets can be bought on-line at http://tucsonpride.org/ Advance purchase tickets can be picked up at the will-call table at the entrance on the day of the event.
This Years Tucson Pride Theme is Pride 365 highlighting the Southern AZ LGBTQ communitys commitment to show our pride every day of the year.
This years Pride festival will be held at the Kino Sports Complex “South Soccer Field”. This is a large venue, features a field of cool grass and stadium lighting which will allow the revelers to party after dark. This is also a fenced county venue allowing beer,wine and yeah, spirits for the first time at a Tucson Pride Festival! So when heading out to the park this year make sure and bring your ID. 12 noon -9PM
What: Tucson AIDSWALK
When: Sunday, October 13th. 2013
Where: From Joel D. Valdez Main Library – Jácome Plaza Downtown Tucson
The 25th annual AIDSWALK is a 5k walk and a 10K fun run which is a tremendous resource for Southern Arizona which provides services such as HIV Testing ,case management, housing, food programs, medication assistance and prevention programs, .
This year the organization is looking for 2,000 walkers and hopes to raise over $150,000 in order to continue their support for programs and services by The Southern Arizona AIDS Foundation.
Please join this great organization to make this the best AIDSWALK ever October 13th. 2013 in downtown Tucson.
For more information about AIDSWALK Tucson, visit http://aidswalktucson.saaf.org/
The weekend starts off hot and wet at “Queertopia”, the pre-pride pool party hosted by the fabulous Miss Ajia Simone at the Arizona Riverpark Inn. The pool party goes from 3-10 pm on Friday, October 12, and will feature the glorious mixes of DJs RAW-B & CELLOFAME. Go-Go Dancers, Sing-Along Movie, Drink Specials & Jello Shots, Snack Bar… sounds like a blast to me. Pride also has special room rates at the Riverpark Inn… so don’t worry about composing yourself to get back home!
The Pride Parade, “Pride on Parade”, starts at 11am Saturday, October, 13th on 6th Avenue between 18th Street and 12th Street. The theme for this year’s parade is “Pride Links Us Together”. Oh… and this is exciting too… Pride in the park (known in Tucson as “Pride in the Desert”) will actually be in a park… with trees… and benches… not a ballpark! It starts after the parade at 12 pm in Armory Park.
After the park… regain your wits, grabs some food, rehydrate, and get your booty on down to Hotel Congress for the official Pride After Party “Illusion: A Fool’s Paradise”, hosted by FLUXX Productions. Party starts at 9 pm and best costume wins a prize. So think about what your best illusion is and, as Tim Gunn would say, make it work.
And if all the downtown Pride activities aren’t enough for you, then I have great news! The same weekend… downtown also… is Tucson Meet Yourself and AIDSWALK. That’s three of Tucson’s largest events… all downtown… all the same weekend. This is going to be amAAAAziiing! Check out the AIDSWALK Tucson and Tucson Meet Yourself websites for more info.
Gay Pride Celebrations
Tucson is lucky enough to have two Gay Pride celebrations annually visit our fabulous community. The first Gay Pride occurs in June, which coincides with the Stonewall Rebellion and subsequent public demonstrations. The second Pride comes a bit later in the year. That time is finally upon us! Join us as we celebrate with two iconic events: Tucson Pride Parade and Pride in the Desert.
Pride Parade 2019
The Tucson Pride Parade has a long, rich history in our community. This year will watch the procession proceed from Broadway / Craycroft and head towards Reid Park, where we will meet up with the festival.
I am so happy Tucson Pride decided to hold the Pride Parade immediately before the festival. The parade used to be organized on the night before, while allowed for some fantastic after-parties, it meant the two events were disunited from each other with little overlap. By having one naturally lead into the other, the Pride Parade and the festival will have increased synergy and provide an even better representation of our amazing community!
For even more information about our gay pride celebrations; Tucson Pride Parade 2019, check out the GayTucson Calendar!
Gay Pride celebrations: Pride in the Desert 2019
Pride in the Desert (or Park) has always been the flagship event of Tucson Pride weekend. Featuring hilarious hosts, marvelous musical performances and fantastic shows, Pride in the Desert truly has something for everyone. There are adorable shops with Pride souvenirs and phenomenal fashion vendors to get you looking your best. It is a wonderfully welcoming, safe space for everyone to be themselves and have a blast!
Find out everything else you could ever need to know about Tucson Pride in the Desert 2019 at the GayTucson Calendar!
Show Us Your Awesome Talent at the 2022 Tucson Gay Pride in October!
While national Pride month has come and gone we still have the 45th annual Tucson Pride to look forward to in October! Here’s a little info on the upcoming festivities and how you can get involved if you’re interested in the open entertainment call.
Pride Weekend
Kick off the weekend on Friday, September 30th with the Pride Parade. Registration will be open soon so stay tuned.
The official Pride Festival is on October 1st from 12:00-10:00 PM at the Georges DeMeester Outdoor Performance Center at Reid Park. If you’d like to be a vendor registration is now open, hurry before all the best spots are snatched up!
Pride Brunch is on Sunday at Highwire Lounge, stay tuned for details. This is a great chance to unwind from the crazy weekend’s festivities and catch up with friends you might have missed at the park. Do you know any LGBTQ people who don’t love a good brunch? Neither do we.
The Open Entertainment Call
If you think you’ve got what it takes you have until July 31st to get your application in. You’ll need to include a letter of interest along with video samples or links to your work for review. Now is the time to showcase your talent! Spots are limited so we encourage you to act fast. Send submissions to NancyN@TucsonPride.Org
Just visiting?
Do you have friends or family coming into town to celebrate with you? Well, Tucson Pride just announced the official hotel for this year. Make your reservations at The Graduate, located off Main Gate Square at the University of Arizona. This hotel is shiny and new with eclectic design elements that showcase the beauty of the Sonoran Desert.
If you have any questions about the upcoming festivities you can send them to information@TucsonPride.Org.
Retro Game Show Night
Retro Game Show Night is a hilarious event held every 2nd Saturday at Hotel Congress. Hosted by Tempest DuJour, Retro Game Show Night takes a fun new spin on old game shows from the 80’s and 90’s. Complete with high-quality lighting and stage setup, you become fully immersed in the event and will howl and laugh along with the rest of the audience. Feeling brave? Enter your name to become a contestant to win some amazing prizes! Check the Calendar for the next event and join GayTucson.com on the 2nd Saturday of each month for Retro Game Show Night at Hotel Congress!
