Atlanta Pride officially kicks off this week and will feature parties, music, theatre, and culminate with the annual festival Pride Parade.
The Midtown Neighbors’ Association hosts a Midtown Pride Mingle on Oct. 9 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on the patio of Campagnolo with appetizers, drink specials, giveaways, music and more.
Also on Oct. 9, Atlanta Pride and Disney’s The Lion King will bring the show back to the Fox Theatre at 7:30 p.m. Tickets can be purchased here, and all purchases will directly benefit Atlanta Pride. There will be a special meet-and-greet with cast members, giving fans an opportunity to connect with the stars of this Broadway production.
The sold-out 6th annual Mayor’s Pride Reception will be held on Oct. 10 from 8 to 10 p.m. at city hall featuring comedy duo The Mean Gays.
Also on Oct. 10, MARTA will reveal its special Pride Bus design at the North Avenue Station at 4 p.m. followed by the free Pride Plaza Party at the station from 5 to 8 p.m. featuring music curated by Ree De La Vega, drag queens and kings, a photo booth, and much more.
On Oct. 11, the Official Atlanta Pride Kickoff Party will be held 7 to 11 p.m. at the Georgia Aquarium, while the annual Rainbow Run Pride 5K will be held Oct. 12 at 9 a.m. starting at 680 North Ave. You can still register at atlpriderun.org/rainbowrun.
Piedmont Park will be the center of the Atlanta Pride Festival on Oct. 12-13 with two days of music and performances, including a headlining set by pop star Ava Max on Saturday at 8:4 p.m. See the full schedule here. Saturday will also see the annual Trans March, Bi & Pan March, and Dyke March – details can be found here on all three.
Of note, the Fulton County Board of Health will be offering vaccinations at Piedmont Park during the two-day event. Mpox, which is seeing a resurgence in Georgia, will be one of the vaccinations offered, according to officials.
The festivities will culminate in the Atlanta Pride Parade on Sunday, Oct. 13, starting at noon at the Atlanta Civic Center MARTA Station, continuing up Peachtree Street to 10th Street and ending at Piedmont Park. The Fox Theatre will also host a rooftop Pride Parade Viewing Party in the Marquee Club on Sunday. Get tickets and details here.
In addition to the parade, several events will take place across the metro area in the coming weeks.
Before joining friends at one of Atlanta Pride’s official events, consider visiting the Museum of Design Atlanta, where the British Consulate of Atlanta will host a PRIDE Arts and Crafts Brunch at noon on Sat., Oct. 12. Guests will have the opportunity to create rainbow-themed gear like flags, headbands and bracelets. Attendees will also have access to MODA’s exhibit, Characters: Type in Action, which explores the impact of typography on social justice. RSVP to Simon.Brown@fcdo.gov.uk is required.
ArtXchange will host Theresa Davis and Vandellous on Oct. 19 from 8 to 11 p.m., for a night of burlesque, poetry and music. This celebration of queer culture, creativity, resilience, joy and strength will showcase some of Atlanta’s finest artists. The event is for guests 21 and older, and tickets can be purchased here.
The 33rd annual AIDS Walk Atlanta Music Festival and 5k Run presented by AHF Pharmacy and Wells Fargo was reschedule due to Hurricane Helene and is now set for Saturday, Oct. 19 at Piedmont Park. Award-winning rapper and hip hop star Lil’ Kim will perform at the event. and still will feature multiple award-winning rapper and hip-hop artist Lil’ Kim.
The Atlanta History Center’s oral history collection, Unspoken Past, explores LGBTQ+ life in Atlanta before the Stonewall riots, capturing the experiences of individuals who sought community, support, and belonging. You can see more of the AHC’s extensive LGBTQ+ collection here.
Collin Kelley contributed to this report.
