Denver PrideFest 2021 – Hybrid Fun For Everyone
I am excited to see the events we always looked forward to coming back to life in 2021, but also making considerations to do them a bit differently in a year where people are still naturally cautious from the pandemic. Below are the details for Denver’s Pridefest this year, to be held June 26-27, and hosted by The Center on Colfax. They will blend in-person and virtual activities to provide a safe way to enjoy the annual event amidst the continuing pandemic. This year’s festivities will include a virtual marketplace, an in-person/remote 5K race, a virtual parade and a series of “Pride hubs” hosted at a variety of venues throughout the city.
New Hybrid PrideFest Events
Instead of hosting a festival at Civic Center Park, The Center has recruited sponsors to present their own micro-events at hubs with capacity limits. Activities will take place at hubs throughout the city, including:
- The Denver Museum of Nature and Science, which will serve as the site of a family-friendly hub with outdoor music, storytime and kid-centric booths. The museum will also offer discounted tickets for those who want to explore its current exhibits.
- The Center on Colfax will turn its parking lot into a mini-festival featuring food trucks, exhibitors, a DJ and rooftop entertainment
- The Jewish Community Center is slated to host a two-day event, including a Saturday night pool party complete with DJ
- Uptown bar Pride and Swagger will present Smirnoff Dance World
- The Sie Film Center will host a movie-themed activity
“We believe it’s crucial to provide the community with a range of options to safely connect and celebrate PrideFest this year. While some people might feel comfortable interacting in small gatherings, others may feel safer staying at home. We hope our hybrid approach offers something for everyone,” said The Center’s CEO Rex Fuller.
The PrideFest 5K will have both an in-person and virtual option for runners who would prefer to complete the race on their own. The in-person 5K will take place on Saturday, June 26th in Cheesman Park. Participants can race individually or in teams, and will choose between two starting times to help maintain social distancing. Runners interested in participating in either the virtual or the in-person event can register here.
For the second consecutive year, Denver7 will present the Coors Light Virtual Denver Pride Parade. The virtual event will feature a compilation of creative, family-friendly videos produced by local businesses, organizations and individuals that will be broadcast at 9:30am on Sunday, June 27th on Denver7’s and The Center’s social media channels. The station will also air a televised broadcast of the parade later that day. Parade entrants must complete an online application by May 7, 2021, to participate. Last year’s virtual parade drew 400,000 viewers!
How to Attend Denver PrideFest 2021
Admission to all hub events will be free, but there will be capacity limits, with some venues providing a ticketing system to manage attendance. All hubs will adhere to the COVID-19 restrictions in place at the end of June. All hubs will adhere to the COVID-19 restrictions in place at the end of June. Additional hub locations will be announced at a later date.
For more information visit denverpride.org
All photos by Erik Holladay, Holladay Photography