June 1st marks the beginning of Pride month & after the delayed festivities of 2020, this year’s celebrations are kicking off with a bang! The celebrations & company promotions are only a part of what is in store for the community. We have reached out to our local pride organization & they have lots in store for us to look forward to this year! This year Phoenix Pride celebrates a slightly deferred 40th anniversary celebration. In 41 years we’ve gone from our eponymous Phoenix Pride Festival celebrating during the month of June to an all year round working organization. Phoenix Pride works everyday to unite, educate, & engage people to support & empower the LGBTQ+ community. During the month of June, Phoenix Pride has announced a few events with more being planned along the way.
On Saturday, June 5 at 7:00 PM the Phoenix Rising Football Club- the premiere Phoenix professional soccer team, will host their first ever Pride Night atWild Horse Pass (19593 S. 48th St., Chandler 85226). Tickets are $5 per person. All “Pride Night” T-shirt proceeds will be evenly distributed between Phoenix Pride and a handful of other LGBTQ community organizations.
On Friday, June 11 at approximately 6:40 PM we will see the return of Pride Night with the Arizona Diamondbacks honoring the celebrations at Chase Field (401 E. Jefferson St., Phoenix 85004). The special event ticket is $30 and gets you a lower-level ticket for the game & D-Backs Pride baseball cap. A portion of each ticket sold will be donated to ONE Community and Phoenix Pride.
This is truly a special moment for the Phoenix LGBTQ+ community. One that I think we will particularly remember for the rest of our lives, as the pain from life changing moments throughout 2020 still linger. Our community has suffered in both shared and individual loss, but we have always been at our strongest when we have stood in the face of our greatest challenges together. This Pride Month is going to be a monument to our strength as well as our endurance, not only as an organization but more importantly, as a community. With restrictions loosening up the countdown is on for the return of the Phoenix Pride Festival & the 40th Phoenix Pride Parade, scheduled for November 6th & 7th at Steele Indian School Park. Until then let all the love in & be unapologetically you!
Special thanks to Laden Smith, Phoenix Pride President of the Board of Directors and all that he does for this community!
Blog by: Mikee