Everything you need to know about the Stonewall Columbus Pride Festival and March
Thousands are expected in Downtown this weekend as part of the Stonewall Columbus Pride Festival and March.
The festival and resources Fair will kick off Friday, and the Pride March will follow on Saturday.
Stonewall Columbus anticipates about 18,000 marches and over 700,000 visitors. The festival will feature 200-plus vendors, two performance stages, a DJ and dancing pad, a community wellness area, many community resources and more.
Here's everything you need to know about the events.
When and where are the Stonewall Columbus Pride Festival and March?
Festival: 4-10 p.m. on Friday and 11 a.m.-8 p.m. on Saturday in Goodale Park, 120 W. Goodale St.
March: Starts at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday at the intersection of High and Broad streets. Participants will march down High Street up to the Buttles Avenue intersection. Event organizers plan for the march to take roughly two hours.
Who is performing at the Stonewall Columbus Festival?
Headliners include Tundre Olaniran, Siena Liggins and Mariah Counts. Social media influencer and entrepreneur Alli Bellairs will be Saturday's mainstage host, with reality TV star Austin Armacost co-hosting. A full festival itinerary is available on the Stonewall Columbus Pride guide.
Who is the Stonewall Columbus Festival and March grand marshal?
Stonewall Columbus' 2023 Patron of Pride is Caleb Mikayla Goins-Robinson, a drag entertainer who helped "establish Ohio's first community center for young LGBT people of color," per the Stonewall Columbus website.
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What will the weather be like for the Stonewall Columbus Festival and March?
According to the National Weather Service, Friday's high will be 75 with a low of 55, with partly sunny skies and a 30 percent chance of rain during the day hours. Sunny skies and a high of 80 are expected on Saturday.
What streets will be closed for the Stonewall Columbus Festival and March?
The following street closures will start at 8 a.m. on Saturday, according to the Columbus Police Department:
High Street between Buttles Avenue and Rich Street
Dennison Avenue between Goodale Street and Buttles Avenue
Park Street between Buttles Avenue and Goodale Street
Buttles Avenue between Dennison Avenue and High Street
High Street between Main Street and Broad Street
Rich Street between 3rd Street and Front Street
Town Street between High Street and Front Street
State Street between 3rd Street and Front Street
The street closures will remain in place until event cleanup has concluded.
Where is parking available for the Stonewall Columbus Festival and March?
Stonewall Columbus published a parking, transportation and lodging guide online. The organization recommends using ParkColumbus or SpotHero.
Stonewall Columbus advises those looking for disability parking to see attendants at the Greater Columbus Convention Center North Lot at 50 E. Goodale St.
What safety measures are in place for the Stonewall Columbus Festival and March?
Zac Boyer, director of community programs and marketing at Stonewall Columbus, said that there is an increasing concern for safety with the appearance of Nazis and Proud Boys at recent Pride events, along with the canceling of the Drag Queen Story Hour in Worthington last year and the appearance of people dressed as Nazis at the Kaleidescope Youth Center fundraiser at Land Grant brewery.
On May 30, Stonewall Columbus executive director Denisl Porteous released a blog statement outlining increased safety measures in place for this year's festival and march in response to recent "incidents involving extremist and domestic terrorist groups targeting LGBTQ+ events."
The safety measures highlighted in the statement are "enhanced security presence", "vigilant threat assessment" and "collaborative partnerships" with government agencies and LGBTQ+ organizations.
Stonewall Columbus representatives are reluctant to sharing more specific details, because they want to keep their exact plans away from harmful groups, Boyer said.
Dispatch reporters Belinda M. Paschal and Arianna Smith contributed to this story.
JNimesheim@dispatch.com
@JackNimesheim
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Stonewall Columbus Pride Festival and March 2023 information
