Anchoring the rugged, hilly terrain of eastern Washington, the city of Spokane (population 209,000) is - with Boise, Idaho - one of the two largest cities of the inland Northwest. As with the rest of this region, and in contrast with Seattle, Portland, and parts of the Northwest closer to the Pacific, this lumber and trading center just 20 miles from the Idaho border is relatively conservative. But also like just about every urban center in the West, it's becoming steadily more diverse, and its gay community is quite active and dynamic. Each year in early June, the city hosts the Spokane Gay Pride Parade and Rainbow Festival - this year Spokane Pride takes place on Saturday, June 8, 2013.
Book rooms and compare rates on hotels in Spokane during Gay Pride.
Events kick off at noon on Saturday with the Spokane Gay Pride Parade, which begins at Wall Street and Main Avenue, follows a loop through downtown, and then works north toward the city's beautifully developed riverfront to Gondola Meadows (here's a map of the route) - this is the site of the Spokane Gay Pride Rainbow Festival, which starts at 12:30 pm and includes entertainment, a community and vendor fair, and food.
Additionally, gay-popular bars, restaurants, hotels, and shops in the area have more going on than usual during Pride Weekend. Take a look at the helpful visitor site produced by the city's official tourism organization, the Spokane Convention & Visitors Bureau.
