After two years inside, one of Lexington’s largest festivals is moving back outside
After two years inside, the Lexington Pride Festival is coming back to city streets.
As Lexington gets ready for the 17th-annual pride festival this summer, the celebration is moving back outside after being held inside Central Bank Center for two years. Over 15,000 people attended last year, according to the Lexington Pride Center that hosts the festival.
Pride is the organization’s largest fundraiser.
Jason Schubert, president of the festival, told Queer Kentucky that while being inside had perks — like air conditioning and accessibility — it also had drawbacks.
The program was previously held at Henry A. Tandy Centennial Park and then Robert F. Stephens Courthouse Plaza, before moving inside in 2023. The festival committee decided to move the celebration back outside this year after the LGBTQ+ community said having Pride inside made them feel “hidden,” Schubert told Queer Kentucky.
City council member Jennifer Reynolds, who represents the area of town where the festival will be, said Pride holds a special significance for a city known for its diversity and welcoming spirit.
“Holding the festival outside really opens it up and makes it more welcoming and visible to the whole community,” she said.
The festival will be on Saturday, June 28 from 11 a.m. - 9 p.m. on Oliver Lewis Way, between South Broadway and High Street. There will be drag shows, food, drinks, vendor booths and other entertainment.
Lexington Mayor Linda Gorton said she is excited to have Lexington Pride outside again.
“Putting on the Pride Festival, which is one of the largest public festivals in downtown Lexington, requires a lot of work and dedication by a strong group of volunteers,” she said. “It attracts thousands of attendees from across the region and surrounding states, having a large, positive impact on our city.”
The festival gets larger every year, and boasted more than 200 vendors in 2024, according to the festival website.
There will be food and beverage vendors this year, which the festival didn’t have when hosted in Central Bank Center. There will also be a Pride Parade to open the day, leading right into the first drag show.
This story was originally published April 4, 2025 at 4:34 PM.