Festivals, other events to celebrate Pride Month across the Triangle
RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- June is LGBTQ+ Pride Month. It's a time when the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community, their supporters, and allies come together to celebrate love, diversity, acceptance, and unashamed self-pride.
Pride Month started a year after the 1969 Stonewall riots. The mission is to achieve equal justice and equal opportunity for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americans.
Here are a few events happening around the Triangle area:
CHAPEL HILL
Saturday, June 1: Chapel Hill Pride Promenade
12 p.m. - 3 p.m. 140 W. Franklin St.
The Promenade March starts at 12:45 p.m. is from Peace & Justice Plaza to 140 West Plaza in downtown Chapel Hill. The Triangle Pride Band and activated by drag queens Byanka Bangsum and Marisa Kenning.
PITTSBORO
Sunday, June 2: Pittsboro Pride Festival
The festival is at The Plant on Lorax Lane. The events for all ages start at Noon.
DURHAM
Saturday, June 1: 2024 Pride Build
Habitat for Humanity of Durham and Gays For Good team up to host Pride Build at 814 Kent Street. This event brings together LGBTQ+ community members and allies to build fair and equitable homeownership opportunities.
Anyone interested in participating can attend one of two volunteer shifts:
- 8:30-11:30 AM
- 12:30-3:30PM
- Lunch and celebration from 11:30 a.m. -12:30 a.m.
APEX
Saturday, June 8: Pride Festival
From 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., the festival will include live music and entertainment, a kid's zone with inflatables and games, food truck rodeo and local vendors. It is happening at Town Hall Campus on 73 Hunter Street.
CARRBORO
Small Town Pride events include:
Orgullo Latinx Pride
Saturday, June 8 from 5-9 p.m. at the Carrboro Town Commons
The event will feature food trucks, drag shows, music, and crafts for the kids. Organizers say it's a space to celebrate and share the diverse cultures, identities, and experiences of the local Latinx LGBTQ community.
Pride Piper Walk
Friday, June 28 at 4:30 p.m. at the Carrboro Century Center
Rainbow Ram on Weaver Street from the Century Center to Town Commons to kick off the Carrboro Pride Dance Party.
Carrboro Pride Dance Party
Friday, June 28 from 5-8 p.m. at the Carrboro Town Commons
There will be food, dancing, live drag show performances, and music by WXYC Radio DJs.
MORRISVILLE
Friday, June 7: Music in the Park Pride Celebration
Morrisville's Music in the Park series will celebrate Pride from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at the Healthy Food on Town Hall Drive. Sayer McShane will be the featured band. The event also includes drag bingo with Miz Marsha Mellows.
RALEIGH
Sunday, June 9
The tour will highlight historic locations, neighborhoods, businesses and more places that are important to the evolution of Raleigh's LGBTQ+ community. Tour times are 1, 2 and 3 p.m. It costs $12 per person.
Saturday, June 22: Out! Raleigh Pride Festival
It is one of North Carolina's largest Pride gatherings. The family fun festival is in downtown Raleigh.
From 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Fayetteville Street, the event features two stages of live music and dancing, local food and shopping vendors, a beer garden, photo booths, kids' activities, and more.
Click on Raleigh Parks for more Pride Month events
FAYETTEVILLE
Saturday, June 29: PrideFest 2024
12 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Festival Park in Fayetteville
PRIDE MONTH HISTORY
What is LGBTQ+ Pride Month?
The month is meant to recognize the sweeping impact that LGBTQ+ individuals, advocates, and allies have on history in the United States and around the globe, according to the Library of Congress.
When is it?
LGBTQ+ Pride Month is celebrated every year in June.
The month of June was chosen for LGBTQ+ Pride Month to commemorate the riots held by members of the LGBTQ+ community against a police raid that took place at the Stonewall Inn in New York City on June 28, 1969.
The so-called Stonewall riots were a "tipping point" for the gay liberation movement in the United States. The uproar also paved the way for the modern fight for LGBTQ+ rights.
Pride Flag History
The rainbow LGBTQ+ flag is prominently displayed throughout the month.
Gilbert Baker, an American artist, gay rights activist, and U.S. Army veteran, created the flag in 1978 as a new symbol for the gay and lesbian political movement at the suggestion of his friends and colleagues, including Harvey Milk, a San Francisco city supervisor and the first openly gay elected official in California. Milk was assassinated later that year.
The colors of the LGBT flag each have a meaning: red for life, orange for healing, yellow for sunlight, green for nature, blue for harmony, and violet for spirit.
Baker died at the age of 65 on March 31, 2017, though his rainbow flag remains an iconic, powerful symbol for LGBT pride, according to the Outright International website.
