As the saying goes, April showers bring May flowers, and in turn, May flowers herald the arrival of June and its vibrant Pride flags. June is a month dedicated to celebrating the historic 1969 Stonewall Riots, a pivotal moment that ignited the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement we now know as Pride. Today, Pride isn’t just a celebration, it’s a reminder that we’re here and we are resilient.
Here in Dayton, we're thrilled to kick off Pride Month with Dayton Pride™ 2025 on June 6th and 7th. The festivities will take place downtown on Saint Clair Street, between First and Third Streets.
The Affair on Saint Clair
The Affair on Saint Clair begins Friday evening at 6:00 PM right in front of the Greater Dayton LGBT Center, located at 136 N. Saint Clair Street. This block party will feature a fantastic array of food trucks, refreshing beverages from Heidelberg and Warped Wing, and captivating performances by the Springboro Community Theatre Singers, Sage Fire, and the bands Never Try and Abertooth Lincoln. The evening will culminate with a performance by Dayton’s legendary The Rubi Girls. Your hosts for Friday night are the fabulous Jackie O, with DJ Hill providing the soundtrack to keep the energy high.
Saturday's Pride Parade
The parade will step off at 11:00 AM from the intersection of Jefferson and Second Street. The parade will make its way to the festival stage at First and Saint Clair, where an all-day celebration will continue until 4:00 PM. Prepare for a dazzling lineup of entertainers, over 100 diverse vendors, and delicious food trucks to explore. Families will enjoy a dedicated Family Zone in Cooper Park, generously sponsored by PFLAG Dayton.
The Pride spirit extends beyond the weekend with a variety of other events happening throughout the region:
- Pride Dinner by Have a Gay Day: Wednesday, June 4th, 6:00 PM at The Brightside.
- Pride Silent Disco by Dayton Silent Disco: Friday, June 6th, 8:30 PM at the Dayton Arcade.
- Running with Pride by PFLAG Dayton: Sunday, June 8th at Eastwood Park. The 5k walk/run starts at 9:00 AM. Register or find more information at https://runsignup.com/Race/Events/OH/Dayton/RunningwithPride5kRunWalk.
- Kettering Pride: Friday, June 13th, 2:00-8:00 PM at Delco Park in Kettering.
- Dayton Gay Men’s Chorus Pride Concert: Saturday, June 14th at the Roger Glass Center for the Arts, with performances at 2:00 PM and 8:00 PM. For tickets, visit https://www.daytongaymenschorus.org/.
- Pride Prov: Saturday, June 21st, 8:00 PM at Black Box Improv Theater.
- Dayton Black Pride: Continuing the celebration on Saturday, August 9th, 11:00 AM-3:00 PM at Courthouse Square in downtown Dayton.
- Rubi on the Rooftop: Sunday, June 8th, 4:30-9 PM at The Foundry
