COLUMBUS, Ohio — Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to visit Columbus this weekend for the Stonewall Columbus Pride Festival and March.
The first-ever Pride March in Columbus was held in 1981, bringing around 200 people to the streets of downtown Columbus. It has now grown to become a monthlong celebration, with the festival and march bringing more than 700,000 people together.
This year's Pride March is being held on Saturday, June 15. It will step off at 10:30 a.m. at Broad and High streets. The festival and resource fair will take place after the parade at Goodale Park.
Here’s a schedule for some of Stonewall Columbus’ Pride Month events:
June 12 – Pride in Politics
The Drexel Theatre, located at 2254 E Main St, Bexley, will showcase the story of Harvey Milk. A post-screening discussion will take place with LGBTQ+ advocate and Alternative Auto Care Owner/President Chris Cozad and Stonewall Columbus Executive Director Densil Porteous.
June 14-15 – Stonewall Columbus Pride Festival & Resource Fair
The festival will be held at Goodale Park. On Friday, it will be open from 4-10 p.m. and Saturday, it will start at 11 a.m. and end at 8 p.m.
June 15 – Pride March
The Pride March will go through downtown, stepping off from Broad and High streets at 10:30 a.m.
June 16 – Columbus Lesbian & Gay Softball Association’s Bat-N-Rouge
The event will take place at Dodge Park at noon. It is a charity softball event where participants play in drag.
June 16 – Pride Anthems presented by CAPA
At 7 p.m., artists will perform a musical experience for audiences of all ages at the Southern Theater.
The following streets are expected to be closed ahead of the festival:
- Dennison Ave, Goodale St to Buttles Ave
- Park St, Buttles Ave to Swan St
- Buttles Ave, Dennison Ave to High St
- Russell St, Park St to High St
- Lincoln St, Park St to High St
- Poplar Ave, Park St to High St
These streets will close at 8 a.m. Saturday for the march:
- High St, Main St to Broad St
- Rich St, 3rd St to Front St
- Town St, High St to Front St
- State St, 3rd St to Front St
High Sreet will be closed from Rich Street to Buttles Avenue as the march proceeds from downtown to the Short North.
COTA Routes
COTA Lines 1 through 12, 102 and CMAX and Zoo Bus will rerouted in downtown Columbus, the Arena District and the Short North beginning at 8:30 a.m. This will take place through the end of the march.