Utah Pride 2026: parade, tickets, and events

Get ready to paint the town rainbow at Utah Pride 2026, happening from June 6 to 7, 2026!

Nestled between stunning mountains and the Great Salt Lake, SLC offers a Pride experience that’s truly unique: where else can you join a huge downtown Pride Parade and then, the same day, take a 20-minute drive to watch the sunset from a mountain vista?

Past celebrations have been a powerful reminder of just how affirming an unconditional, freely given love for everyone is. With that said, here's what you can expect at Utah Pride:

Paint the Town Rainbow

This year, Utah Pride is even more unique. Utah Pride Center, the organization behind the event, launched a statewide initiative: Paint the Town Rainbow. It encourages homes, businesses, nonprofits, landmarks, schools, and everyone else to create a pride display or deck their spaces with pride decorations for the month of June as one would for Halloween or Christmas.

This initiative intends to bring visibility to the LGBTQ+ communities across Utah.

Pride Festival

The Library Square & Washington Square in downtown SLC is a green space by the City Library that becomes a fenced festival grounds for Utah Pride Festival. The festival opens on Saturday, June 6th at 11:00 am and runs into the evening, then resumes Sunday after the parade till late afternoon. It’s a ticketed event, raising funds for the non-profit Pride Center. You can buy tickets online or at the gate.

Plenty of things to look forward to at the Pride Festival, including:

Stages & Entertainment: Past headliners include big names like Lizzo and Tegan & Sara, but the 2026 lineup goes local, with 35+ local performers, DJs, drag revues, and cultural performances.

Vendor Village: 150+ vendors, from LGBTQ merch to local crafts, plus corporate booths with swag. It’s a colorful marketplace; swing by the booth giving out free rainbow popsicles!

Food & Drink: A delicious array of food trucks encircle the fest: tacos, Utah scones, vegan bites, and more. Don’t miss the local favorite: green Jell-O in Pride colors (a Utah inside-joke snack). Beer gardens serve local brews—yes, despite Utah’s past liquor laws, you can enjoy a drink openly at Pride (21+ wristband).

Interactive Zones: The festival often includes a pride-themed sports area, an ArtZone with collaborative murals, and a Wellness Space where you can do yoga or get free HIV testing.

Pride Parade

The Utah Pride Parade kicks off at 10:00 on Sunday, June 7th, and goes through downtown SLC along 200 South and State Street, ending near the Pride Festival grounds at Library Square. This parade is one of the biggest per-capita in the country. Over 50,000 spectators and march participants come out to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community.

Where to stay during Utah Pride?

For more details and to participate, you can visit the respective pages on the University of Utah LGBT Resource Center, Utah Pride Festival, and Gay-la event information. Check out our guide to the best hotels in Utah for gay travelers.