Pride Month is here. From festivals to parades, here's how to celebrate in Iowa:
Thursday marked the beginning of Pride Month, which seeks to honor the many contributions made by the LGBTQ community to history, society and culture all around the world.
Celebrated each June, Pride Month commemorates the Stonewall Uprising, a series of protests that spurred after New York City police raided a gay bar on June 28, 1969, and became a historic turning point in the gay rights movement.
From festivals and parades, there are several ways to celebrate Pride Month across Iowa. Check out the list below to find an event near you.
Quad Cities Pride Festival
Hosted by the Quad Cities Pride Alliance, the two-day festival includes an array of live music, DJ sets and drag performances. Maddy Morphosis, a drag performer and former contestant on "RuPaul's Drag Race," will be a special guest. More details are on the Quad Cities Pride Alliance Facebook page.
When: noon to midnight June 3
Where: Schwiebert Riverfront Park, 101 17th St., Rock Island, Illinois
Dubuque Pride Family Picnic and Block Party
The event features a DJ set and dance area, face painting, a pride selfie wall, vendors and community resources. Food and drinks will be served.
When: noon to 3 p.m. June 3
Where: Multicultural Family Center, 1157 Central Ave., Dubuque
Ottumwa Pride Block Party
Guests attending the block party will enjoy a day of music, food and entertainment. Aime Wichtendahl, the first transgender woman elected to public office in Iowa and serves on Hiawatha's City Council, and Ottumwa singer-songwriter Paige Clouse are among the event's guest speakers.
When: 1 p.m. to 11 p.m. June 3
Where: Central Park, 106 N. Court St., Ottumwa
Sioux City Pride Festival
The 10th annual Sioux City Pride Festival features games, crafts, children's story time, face-painting, a sidewalk art contest and a community resource fair. A free lunch will be served from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Guests also can head over to the Sioux City Public Museum at 607 Fourth St. for screenings of "Stonewall Uprising," "Radical Harmonies" and "Milk."
When: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. June 3
Where: Fourth and Nebraska streets in downtown Sioux City
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SUX Pride 2023
SUX Pride is a four-day festival that began June 1, the first day of Pride Month, with activities running through the weekend The three-part event at the convention center features food, music and education seminars. All are welcome to attend the first portion of the event, which takes place from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Teens and young adults are invited to a supervised "Youth Pride After Party," which will be held from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. More performances for attendees 21 and over will be held at the convention center's main ballroom. For the full schedule and line-up, find "SUX Pride" on Facebook.
When: 11 a.m. to midnight June 3
Where: Sioux City Convention Center, 801 Fourth St., Sioux City
SUX Pride 2023: Drag Me to Brunch
SUX Pride's Drag Me to Brunch event benefit show includes several performers from Sioux City such as Alessandra Jacobs, Aladdin Side and Persephone Speaker are set to take the stage. Proceeds will go toward The Iowa Trans Mutual Aid Fund.
Guests must be 21 and older to attend. Tickets range in prices from $32 to $60 and are sold online at hardrockcasinosiouxcity.com.
When: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Where: Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, 111 Third St., Sioux City
Capital City Pride Pageant
Watch contestants compete for the crown and title of 2023 Miss, Mr. and Mx. Capital City Pride at The Garden Restaurant and Show Lounge. More details can be found at capitalcitypride.org.
When: 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. June 3
Where: The Garden Restaurant and Show Lounge, 525 E. Grand Ave., Des Moines
Capital City Pride Fest
The 44th annual Capital City Pride Fest begins June 9 with live performances from local and national acts and continues June 10-11. Trixie Mattel, season 3 winner of "RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars," and Landon Cider, season 3 winner of "The Boulet Brothers' Dragula," are among the acts booked.
When: Times vary, June 9 to June 11
Where: Historic East Village in downtown Des Moines
More info: Other activities, including the pet parade, Pride Stride 5K and inaugural Little Rainbow Run .5K for families, will be held June 10. The pride parade kicks off at noon June 11 at the Iowa State Capitol. For more information or registration details, visit capitalcitypride.org.
Pride Celebration
At this event, attendees can make buttons, gather for story time and dance.
When: 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. June 10
Where: Cedar Rapids Public Library, 450 Fifth Ave. S.E., Cedar Rapids
More: Iowa passed some of the most restrictive transgender laws in the US. Will it go further?
CR Pride Parade
The second annual pride parade will return to Cedar Rapids and will be held in the NewBo City Market area.
When: 1 p.m. June 10
Where: NewBo City Market, 1100 3rd St. SE, Cedar Rapids
E4Everyone Pride Party for Teens
Teens ages 13 to 17 are invited to a pride party at the Hiawatha Public Library and sing karaoke or make pride bracelets. The event is hosted by the LGBTQ+ Youth Center at Tanager Place.
When: 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. June 15
Where: Hiawatha Public Library, 150 W. Willman St., Hiawatha
Iowa City Pride Festival
The event includes a parade at noon followed by live entertainment from Des Moines singer-songwriter Allegra Hernandez, Iowa City rock band Natural Habits, local burlesque troupe Bawdy Bawdy Ha Ha and more. The event will also feature drag performances, including former "Queen of the Universe" contestant Jazell Barbie Royale and two former "RuPaul's Drag Race" contenders, Frisbee Jenkins and Jade Jolie.
For more information, visit www.iowacitypride.org.
When: noon to 10 p.m. June 17
Where: Iowa City Downtown District
More: For LGBTQ youths, Des Moines' all-ages drag show is about more than just performing
Pride Party
Teens in seventh grade to 12th grade are encouraged to attend the pride party at the library. The event featuring activities and crafts is an opportunity for attendees to make new friends and show support for one another.
When: 4 p.m. June 22
Where: North Liberty Library, 520 W. Cherry St. #9797, North Liberty
Pride in the Park
Event attendees will see an array of vendors, food trucks, music and children's activities.
When: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. June 24
Where: Crapo Park, 2800 Madison Ave., Burlington
Fort Dodge Pride Festival
The family-friendly event kicks off at 10 a.m. with a parade and offers food and entertainment.
When: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 24
Where: City Square Park, 424 Central Ave., Fort Dodge
Ankeny Pride
At the second annual Ankeny Pride, guests will find a vendor fair, children's activities, a silent auction and many more activities for the whole family. A pet parade will be held at 4:30 p.m. Ankeny Pride will hold a Rainbow Run at 8:30 a.m. on the same day prior to the event at the Ankeny Market and Pavillion.
When: 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. June 24
Where: Ankeny Market and Pavillion, 715 W. First St., Ankeny
More information is on the Ankeny Pride Facebook page.
F. Amanda Tugade covers social justice issues for the Des Moines Register. Email her at ftugade@dmreg.com or follow her on Twitter @writefelissa.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Pride Month events planned in Iowa, from Ankeny to Quad Cities
