When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn a commission. Here’s how it works.
Table of Contents
June is Pride month, and Winston-Salem will honor the month with a parade and other festivities. We will provide you with all the dates, times, and places for the events and the information you need to participate.
Photo courtesy of Pride Winston-Salem Facebook Page
The festive and celebratory nature of the Pride Parade has evolved from its origins. Below is the history of Pride and how it began.
The Stonewall Riots
In the late 1960s, being openly gay was prohibited in many places. In New York, the very presence of someone gay counted as disorderly conduct, and serving alcohol to gays or lesbians was against local laws, effectively outlawing gay bars. Small groups began forming to protest the discrimination but were largely ignored. Police would raid bars that they knew gays and lesbians frequented and physically remove and arrest them. On June 28, 1969, the NYPD raided the Stonewall Inn, a bar in Greenwich Village, Manhattan, known to have an LGBTQ clientele. As the police dragged the patrons out to put them in the police wagons, they started fighting back. A crowd formed, and the fighting escalated. Protests and fights at the Inn on Christopher Street and throughout the neighborhood continued for six days. The riots ended on July 2, 1969, and the little-known, fledgling “gay rights movement” dominated the headlines worldwide.
The First Pride Parade
In June 1970, one year later, activists in NYC marched through Manhattan to commemorate the uprising, calling it The Christopher Street Liberation Day March. Activist Craig Schoonmaker renamed it the Gay Pride parade because he felt anyone could be proud of who they are and that the name would help produce change. It also reinforced Gay pride as opposed to shame. So, on June 28, 1970, the first Gay Pride Parade was held in NYC, with an estimated 3,000 to 5,000 participants.
Pride Today
The Pride Parade is a political event; even though it may seem festive, it is rooted in and always has been a protest against the unjust treatment of gays. It is also a celebration of achievements and advancements in reaching their goal of equal and fair treatment of LGBTQ+ individuals, with many new laws in place, including several Supreme Court rulings on LGBTQ+ equality: The Obergefell decision that legalized marriage equality, the Lawrence decision that ended sodomy bans, and Bostock ruling that stopped hospitals from turning away trans patients, and recognition of their fight for equal and fair treatment of the LGBTQ+ community.
In 2000, President Bill Clinton designated June as Gay and Lesbian Pride Month. In 2009, President Obama changed the name to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Month, and in 2016, he created The Stonewall National Monument, where the gay rights movement began.
Today, Pride Winston Salem’s mission is to “celebrate our culture, honor diversity, inspire engagement, promote inclusion, provide community outreach, and educate our friends, allies, and supporters on equal rights for all.”
Winston-Salem Pride Events
Pride Kick Off Cocktail Party – June 6 – 7pm
Celebrate with community, cocktails, and entertainment at the Kick-off Cocktail Party on June 6 at 7pm. The evening will feature music, delicious food, and cocktails available for purchase, live performances by the newly crowned Pride Winston-Salem Court, and a 50/50 raffle at Toasted, 526 N Liberty Street, Winston-Salem.
To Make Them Hear Our Love – A Journey Through Generations – June 7 – 3pm
This Spring Concert, presented by the Triad Pride Choruses, is about justice, love, and standing up for equality. It features musical theater ballads and folk songs with a message, including songs by Bob Dylan and Tom Petty. The concert will be held in Winston-Salem:
- June 7, 3pm, First Baptist Church on Fifth, 501 W 5th Street, Winston-Salem
General Admission is $20; Student and senior admission is $15. Tickets are available here. See the Triad Pride Performing Arts Website for more information.
Pints Of Pride Block Party – June 7 – 6pm – 11pm
Pints of Pride Block Party takes place June 7, 5pm-11pm at Foothills Brewing Tasting Room, 3800 Kimwell Drive, Winston Salem. Enjoy Drag Karaoke with Anna Yacht, local vendors, food trucks, and more. Family and dog-friendly.
14th Annual Pride Cookout – June 7 – 3pm – 8pm
DJ Robin Chanté will have music filling the air at the Annual Pride Cookout on June 7, 3pm-8pm at South Fork Shelter, 4403 Country Club Road. Enjoy food, drinks, performances, and vendors. Free
Wise Man Run Club Pride Run – June 10 – 6:30pm – 11:30pm
Join the Wise Man Run Club’s 3rd Annual Pride Run on June 10, 6:30pm at Wise Man Brewery, 826 Angelo Bothers Avenue (formerly N Main). All are welcome to walk/run – lots of free drawings and giveaways.
Underground Presents – Freaky Friday PriDEMONth – June 13 – 8pm – 11:59pm
Celebrate Freaky Friday PriDEMONth on Friday the 13th at Monstercade, 204 W Acadia Avenue, 8pm. They are raising some hell in a PRIDE-filled ritual of hot creatures, camp artistry, and queer liberation while helping to raise funds for 5th Avenue Alliance. Drag, Burlesque, and more.
Pride Parade – June 14 – 11am
The Pride Parade will take place June 14th at 11am on 4th Street. The Grand Marshal for the 2025 parade is Jamie Lawson, who has been Artistic Director of Winston-Salem Theatre Alliance for 24 years.
Pride Festival – June 14 – 10am – 5pm
Everyone is welcome to enjoy the Festival in the Downtown Arts District on Trade Street from 10am – 5pm. There will be a Food Truck Rodeo, Live Music, Entertainment, Vendors, Parties, and Hands-on Activities.
LGBTQ Book Club With Bookmarks And Pride WS – June 15 – 6pm-7pm
LGBTQ Book Club with Pride Winson-Salem is a public book club. They meet monthly on Sundays at 6pm at Bookmarks Bookstore, 634 W 4th Street #110. Email Kris and Judy for information about this book club at l.kris.julio@gmail.com & breaksr@yahoo.com.
Sponsors Of The Pride Parade
Be sure to support the sponsors of the Pride Parade. The many banks, social organizations, restaurants, breweries, sports teams, and other local businesses and organizations that support the Pride community.
Did you know the history of the Pride Parade? Tell us in the comments.
