LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — You might be thinking — wait a minute, I thought Pride Month was in June? Well, many celebrate in June to honor the legacy of the Stonewall Inn Riots.
However, there are many cities in the U.S. — as well as Canada and Australia — that celebrate pride to coincide with National Coming Out Day on Oct. 11. Las Vegas is one of those cities.
The non-profit Las Vegas PRIDE will kick off Pride Month with its annual LGBTQ+ Night Parade in Downtown Las Vegas on Friday. Ricky Cornish and Andrew Ryan will host the opening ceremony beginning at 6 p.m.
The celebration for the LGBTQ+ community will continue beginning at noon on Saturday at Craig Ranch Regional Park where entertainment is scheduled throughout the day and mainstage headline entertainment begins at 7 p.m. with Laganja Estranja.
“We are so excited for the 2022 Las Vegas PRIDE Parade Downtown and to be back at Craig Ranch Park for the PRIDE Festival,” said Las Vegas PRIDE Board President Brady McGill. “This year’s theme, Beautiful Tomorrow, speaks to the resilience of the LGBTQ+ community and the bright future we all have in Las Vegas.”
Some events that will also kick off the weekend festivities are the Trash Queen of America Exhibit at the Recycled Propogranda Art Galley on Main Street in downtown. Also happening is the drag concert, Black Girl Magic in the International Theater at the Westgate.
On display in the lobby of the Westgate are the dresses designed by Kataluna Enriquez — otherwise known as Miss Nevada 2021, representing the Silver State in last year's Miss USA pageant. As the first transgender contestant in the pageant, and as a Filipino woman, she says she was a minority within a minority and experienced a lot of backlash, including bullying and even blackmail. She says the inspiration in her designs is a reflection of the Las Vegas LGBTQ community that she proudly represents.
Enriquez says, "It was very tough, but I wanted to represent not just my community and the strength but also to just stand up for myself so, those gowns aren't just simple gowns, they're a merge of that creation of a blend between art, fashion and activism."
New this year, Las Vegas PRIDE Festival attendees will have the opportunity to exchange vows in a one-of-a-kind wedding ceremony held at the event by purchasing the wedding package ticket option.
Popular festival favorites such as the youth zone, art area, pets area and an adults-only section, which is returning for 2022. In total, attendees will be able to choose from five stages of live music and entertainment.
There will be road closures, so those who are not joining in the festivities should plan accordingly.
