Pueblo's LGBTQIA+ community is set for a day of "joy, unity and unapologetic visibility" on Aug. 16, as the Southern Colorado Equality Alliance hosts its 2026 Pueblo Pride event at Mineral Palace Park.
The event kicks off at 10:30 a.m. with the annual Pride Parade around the park, followed by a fun and lively festival from 11 a.m. to 4 pm., featuring live performances, drag shows, local vendors and artists, food trucks, cold drinks, LGBTQIA+ resources and organizations, and family-friendly fun.
"We have a lineup of entertainment throughout the day, a wide variety of options to appeal to everyone," said Tommy Farrell of the Southern Colorado Equality Alliance. "We have some drag shows in the afternoon, bands, dancers, a little bit of everything, which is typically a big draw, but we also have some great food trucks, resource tables, local crafters, and vendors with all kinds of cool things for people to check out as well."
This year's entertainment includes performances by headliner Benjamin Banjee, Two Rivers Band, rising pop sensation Evie Valentine, 86x68 Dance Crew, and a variety of other talent and drag performers, according to a Pueblo Pride news release.
"Pueblo Pride is more than a festival — it's an affirmation that LGBTQ+ people are part of the heart of Pueblo," event organizers said in the release. "Pride events create visible, welcoming spaces for LGBTQ+ people and allies, strengthen community ties, and offer critical resources to those who need them most."
While June is observed as Pride Month throughout the United States, Pueblo traditionally hosts its Pride gathering in August to complement other regional celebrations, as Denver and Colorado Springs host their Pride events in June. By hosting its Pride event in August, Pueblo's event allows celebrants to attend multiple Pride events across the Front Range over the summer months.
While Pueblo's event may not be as big as Denver's or Colorado Springs', Farrell said it's important for Pueblo to continue hosting its own dedicated Pride event to give members of the local LGBTQIA+ community an opportunity to connect with one another in the city they call home.
"One of the big things about Pride events in general is the sense of community, and you don't always feel that when you're going to a different city's Pride," Farrell said. "When you can come to your neighborhood park that you're familiar with, see resources and faces that you know, I think that goes a long way in building that sense of community that sometimes people don't always see.
"This gives a good place for people to connect and to be their authentic selves."
Those driving to the event can park at the Pueblo County Government Services Center at 201 W. Eighth St., and a free shuttle will be available at the corner of Ninth and Main streets, dropping riders off at the corner of 17th and Court streets.
"I certainly encourage everyone in the community who has an interest to come and check it out," Farrell said. "We constantly get feedback that folks leave feeling joy and a sense of community that they don't always feel in other places. We hear from youth in our community that it's one of the only free, fun, safe events for them to go to, and it's just a good time and a chance to connect with your neighbors."
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Chieftain Editor Zach Hillstrom can be reached at [email protected] or on X at @ZachHillstrom. Support local news; subscribe to the Pueblo Chieftain at subscribe.chieftain.com.
This article originally appeared on The Pueblo Chieftain: 2026 Pueblo Pride celebrates LGBTQIA+ community with parade, festival