St. Louis PrideFest

St. Louis PrideFest is an annual parade conducted by Pride St. Louis, Inc. on the last Sunday in June in St. Louis, Missouri. It is the second largest parade in St. Louis. It represents the city's support of the LGBT community.^[1]

History

What became known as St. Louis Lesbian & Gay Pride Celebration Committee was born in 1979, but the first St. Louis Gay and Lesbian Pride Celebration didn’t occur until 1980. This event was sponsored by the Magnolia Committee – named for the street where the majority of the members lived and had their meetings. Their combined effort with a second organization resulted in a weeks worth of activities held in April 1980. At the end of the week hundreds gathered for “The Lesbians and Gays Walk for Charity” which went down Lindell Boulevard in the Central West End to Washington University’s quadrangle. These two combined groups then became the St. Louis Lesbian & Gay Pride Celebration Committee.

At the same time, writer Jim Thomas invited representatives from organizations around town to a meeting to begin discussions for an annual celebration. It was to be held in June as a tribute to the Stonewall Riots which occurred the last weekend of June in 1969. Each participating organization, still able to keep their identity in individual events, would form a larger group – creating a greater whole. At the time, the celebration consisted of a picnic in the beginning of the week and a march at the end.

Thus began a tradition which is still strong today in St. Louis. June is now known as Gay and Lesbian Pride Month, and since the first PrideFest in 1981 this event has grown in size, attendance, and scope.

In the 1980s and 1990s, Pride was held in the Central West End and Forest Park. By the late 1990s, festivities were moved to Tower Grove Park.^[2]

St. Louis Pridefest is always held the last weekend of June.^[3]

The Parade

When on South Grand, the parade started from South Grand Blvd and Utah Street, passing Arsenal Street to Tower Grove Park.^[1] The parade route is now along Market Street in Downtown St. Louis. In 2015, it attracted more than 200,000 people and the 3 day festival is one of the largest in the United States.

2013

In 2013, PrideFest and the annual parade moved to downtown St. Louis. Held at Soldiers' Memorial, with the support of local officials and LGBT organizations.^[4]

References

1. pridestl.org. Retrieved 25 June 2011.
3. "Pride St. Louis, Inc. » About". Pridestl.org. 2013-10-19. Retrieved 2013-12-05.
4. St, Pride. "Pride St. Louis, Inc. » Pride St. Louis Invites Worldwide Visitors to Downtown St. Louis For Pride Fest 2013". Pridestl.org. Retrieved 2013-12-05.