COLUMBUS, Ohio — June marks Pride Month, and to celebrate, several communities and businesses in the area are holding events.
Stonewall Columbus' 2024 Pride celebration is expected to draw more than 700,000 people to the area.
The Pride March will begin on June 15 at 10:30 a.m. on Broad and North High streets with the procession heading north toward Goodale Park.
In addition to the Pride March, several businesses, organizations and cities will be holding their own events in support of the LGBTQ+ community.
List of Pride events happening in June
May 31
Bexley Pride Walk 2024 - 5:30 p.m.
June 1
Delaware Ohio Pride Festival - 10 a.m.
June 2
June 3
City Hall Pride Illumination (Columbus) - 7:30 p.m.
June 6
Pride New Albany Day - 4 p.m.
June 8
Hilliard Pride 2024 - 12 p.m.
June 9
Upper Arlington Pride - 1 p.m.
June 15
Stonewall Pride March - 10:30 a.m.
June 22
Reynoldsburg Pride event - 4 p.m.
Westerville Pride Festival - 5 p.m.
*More events will be added to this list as they are announced.
About Pride Month
While there are celebrations and other gatherings all year in support of the LGBTQ+ community, there typically are many pride-themed events during June. How did that come to be?
It’s in recognition of the Stonewall riots in New York City, which happened on June 28, 1969. On that day, police raided the Stonewall Inn, a popular hangout in Greenwich Village for many in the queer community. The rough treatment of patrons from police led to days of protests and riots and was a significant catalyst for the gay rights movement in the U.S.
When did June officially become designated as Pride Month? According to the Library of Congress, this tracks back to June 11, 1999, when President Bill Clinton declared a formal proclamation issuing June “Gay & Lesbian Pride Month.”
In June 2009, former President Barack Obama also issued a proclamation for Lesbian, Gay Bisexual and Transgender Pride Month, which celebrated the contributions made by LGBTQ+ Americans and acknowledged broader initiatives like the HIV pandemic.