Stonewall Columbus Pride guide: Things to know for this weekend's celebration
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- The Stonewall Columbus Pride March and Festival is returning this weekend, welcoming thousands to downtown to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community.
The 42nd Pride in Columbus, the march and festival remembers the 1969 Stonewall Uprising in Manhattan, a series of conflicts between police and LGBTQ+ protesters that stretched over six days. The celebration also serves as Stonewall Columbus' largest fundraiser benefiting community programs and annual operations.
The city’s first Pride march happened in 1981 with just 200 people. Today, Stonewall Columbus Pride welcomes more than 700,000 visitors.
Live entertainment, vendors, community resources
This weekend's festival begins at 4 p.m. on Friday at Goodale Park and runs until 10 p.m. with food, more than 200 vendors, nonprofit organizations, community resources, and live entertainment across two stages with a DJ and dance pad. Friday's entertainers include host Amber Knicole and local musician Vesperteen.
The celebration continues at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday with Stonewall’s Pride march at Broad and High streets, moving north on High Street to Buttles Avenue and landing at Goodale Park. Guests can reserve a premium viewing space with "Pride on High" at Hyde Park Prime Steakhouse, Local Cantina or Parlay Sporting Club and Kitchen.
Pride on High tickets benefit four local charities and programs supporting the LGBTQ+ community: Kaleidoscope Youth Center, Mozaic by Equitas Health, Stonewall Columbus and Columbus College of Art and Design. Learn more here.
The festival resumes Saturday after the parade at 11 a.m. until 8 p.m. Saturday’s entertainers include musicians Tunde Olaniran, Siena Liggins and Mariah Counts.
The festival will also feature a dedicated "Wellness Area" at the festival, with the Columbus Department of Public Health, the AIDS Healthcare Foundation and Equitas Health. Guests will find rapid HIV testing and other resources.
In addition, Stonewall has partnered with the Columbus Convention Center to provide parking for attendees using wheelchairs or other mobility devices and a reserved area to watch the parade.
There will also be a quiet zone within the convention center for attendees who need to decompress. Stonewall has partnered with Spectrum Mental Health, a resource focused on the LGBTQ+ community and people on the autism spectrum, to help facilitate the quiet zone.
Road closures and bus routes
In preparation for the march and festival, there are a number of street closures to be mindful of. There will be residents-only access beginning at 7 a.m. Friday for the following:
- Dennison Avenue at Goodale Boulevard to Buttles Avenue
- Collins Avenue at Dennison Avenue to Hunter Avenue
- Poplar Avenue at Dennison Avenue to Hunter Avenue
- Hunter Avenue at Goodale Boulevard to Buttles Avenue
- Highland Avenue at Buttles Avenue to Collins
For the Saturday march, Rich and High streets will be closed to Buttles Avenue.
The Central Ohio Transit Authority will be providing daily service for those attending Pride. COTA’s hours of operation are 5 a.m. to 11 p.m., with a final run each night at 10 p.m. Fare is $2 per adult, $1 per child under 12, and children under 5 ride at no charge.
On Saturday morning, stops will not be serviced along the parade’s route during the event. Several lines will be rerouted beginning at 8:30 a.m. and continuing through the end of the march. View the affected lines and other details here.
Patron and Leaders of Pride
In the past, Stonewall Columbus has chosen a grand marshal to lead the march. Last year, Stonewall shifted to recognizing a "Patron of Pride" and "Leaders of Pride," individuals who uplift the LGBTQ+ community.
The organization has chosen Caleb Mikayla Goins Robinson as the 2023 Patron of Pride. An advocate in the LGBTQ+ health equity space, a community educator and a drag entertainer, Robinson is an awarded drag queen. Stonewall is recognizing "A Generation of LGBTQ+ Elders" as the 2023 Leaders of Pride. Specifically, Gloria McCauley, Sharon Turner, Linda Schuler, and B. "Wahru" Cleveland are honored this year.
NBC4 will be streaming the parade from Pride on High, and anchor Colleen Marshall will be hosting the march along with Amber Nicole and Virginia West.