Produced by the well-funded and extremely well-organized Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center of Colorado, Denver's fabulous PrideFest takes place over two days in mid-June. The dates this year have yet to be announced, but based on past years, they're likely to be Saturday, June 16, and Sunday, June 17, 2012. More than 275,000 participants attended Denver Gay Pride last year, and the numbers are expected to climb this year.
Shop for deals on hotel rooms in Denver during Gay Pride
Before the big weekend, there are several cool events leading up to the festivities, among them a Melodies of Pride Harmony Chorale and Mile High Freedom Band concert, a Women's Pride Party, and several other fetes and gatherings. A preview of next year's Pride events will be posted here soon - in the meantime, here's a look at Denver Gay Pride last year.
Denver PrideFest takes place on Saturday, from 11 am until 7 pm, and on Sunday, from 10 am until 6 pm. The setting is downtown's centrally situated Civic Center Park, at Colfax Avenue and Broadway, right in the shadow of the gilt-domed Colorado State Capitol building. Admission to the festival is free, and two stages will feature an exciting range of talents, including headliner Thelma Houston, CAZWELL, Carmen Carerra from RuPaul's Drag Race, Justin Utley, Lori Michaels, Gertrude Stein's Band, Chad Michaels Presents: Cher, Ginger Sexton and many others - there are several stages dedicated to different music themes, including Latino, Women's Celebration, Community Stage, Country, and the Main Stage.
Also on Saturday the Denver Dyke March and Women's Celebration takes place. The march begins with a 3 pm rally outside the gay bar Charlie's (at E. Colfax Ave. and Emerson St.), and then at 4 pm it proceeds west along Colfax to the Pridefest festival grounds at Civic Center Park. Dykes on Bykes will lead the procession, and at the festival.
Rise and shine early on Sunday to partake of Denver's Annual Gay Pride Parade, which commences at 9:30 am in verdant Cheesman Park, off E. 8th Avenue at Williams Street. The procession continues west along Colfax Avenue, finishing at the PrideFest in Civic Center Park.
Additionally, plenty of gay-popular restaurants, hotels and inns, and shops throughout Denver will be extra busy during this busy time, and catering heavily to LGBT visitors. Here's a look at some of Denver's top gay bars. Check local gay papers, such as OutFront Colorado, and also check out the GLBT travel page at the Denver CVB's Website.
