CHARLOTTE — One of the city’s largest annual events, and one of the largest LGBTQ+ events in the region, is set to return to uptown Charlotte this weekend.
After two years of virtual and limited in-person events because of the pandemic, the Charlotte Pride Festival and Parade is scheduled to take place Aug. 20-21.
Organizers say they plan to expand the festival area on South Tryon Street and change the parade’s route slightly. Having missed the 20th anniversary in 2021 because of COVID-19 safety concerns, Charlotte Pride is also planning a variety of special community events during Pride Week beginning Aug. 12 that lead up to the weekend. For a list of Charlotte Pride Week events click here.
The festival will be held from 12 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday and 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday on South Tryon Street. The parade will be held from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday on North Tryon Street.
Click here to see the festival and parade map.
According to organizers, the event has grown over the past decade from just 10,000 visitors in 2010 to more than 200,000 in 2019.
(Watch video below for street closures.)
Uptown Street Closures:
Friday (event set-up)
- South Tryon St. will close at 9 a.m. to traffic between Morehead St. and Fourth St.
- East and West Good Samaritan Way (formerly Hill St.) will be closed to traffic.
- East-west cross streets that will remain open: Brooklyn Village Ave. (formerly Stonewall Ave.); Levine Avenue of the Arts; MLK Blvd.; Third St.
Levine Avenue of the Arts will close at 6 p.m. on Friday.
Saturday (event date)
- South Tryon St. will remain closed.
- All east-west cross streets will close at 5 a.m. on Saturday.
- Brooklyn Village Ave. will remain open for east-west traffic.
- Northbound and southbound traffic on Tryon Street will be re-routed to College St. (northbound traffic) and Church St. (southbound traffic).
Sunday (event date)
- Tryon Street will be closed to all traffic.
- All east-west cross streets between Fourth and Morehead will remain closed.
- East-west cross streets between 12th and Fourth will begin closing at 8 a.m.
- Northbound and southbound traffic on Tryon Street will be re-routed to College St. (northbound traffic) and Church St. (southbound traffic).
- Streets used by the Charlotte Pride Festival and Parade will reopen by approximately 11 p.m. on Sunday evening.
(Watch below: CMPD planning ahead, utilizing technology for safety at Charlotte Pride Parade)
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