There's So Much To Do at Denver PrideFest

Want to celebrate Pride with a touch of the rugged? Denver PrideFest offers over a week of events in the Mile High City, catering to everyone from the party animal in your life, to children, and, even our four-legged friends.

Events kicked off on June 9 with the Trash Fashion Show. Held at the Exdo Events Center, this event brought attention to the millions of tons of waste produced by the fashion industry every year by challenging designers to craft haute couture looks with reclaimed materials. After the runway, the event move on to Tracks Nightclub, where all attendees got free admission to dance the night away!

On Saturday, June 16, join your fellow Pridesters at 9:30am for the Pride 5K, with the proceeds going towards the GLBT Community Center of Colorado, the organizers who put on the annual parade! Come out and show your support for LGBT social services and get your daily workout in! But don’t worry: there’s no pressure to finish first—participants are invited to “Run, Walk, Roll or Sashay,” and awards are given not just for fastest runner, but for Best Costume and for raising the most funds. Register as an individual or a team here!

Denver’s PrideFest has something for all members of the LGBT community. Check out the Denver Dykefest March on the 16th, which invites all “self-identified dykes, femmes, butches, queers (with cheers), studs, stems, AGs, lesbian and other feminists, tomboys, womyn of color, bi-dykes, boi-dykes, trans folks of all flavors, labia lovers, supporters of any and all types” to “break away from the typical PrideFest” and “be visible, be heard, be ready to march!” PrideFest is also rated one of the most family-friendly Pride events in the country for a reason! On the day of June 16, join thousands of other families from 11am to 7pm for Family Day, where vendors, food trucks, and three stages of entertainment promise to titillate even the most distracted tots.

Last, but not least, Denver’s Coors Lite PrideFest Parade will begin at 9am on June 17, bringing the whole community together through the heart of Denver with floats, freebies, and entertainment. Make sure not to miss it for anything!

And, if you’re still itching for more queer-positive fun in the Mile High City, check out the events scattered throughout the week, from the June 14 Drag Queen Bingo, to an All-Faith Affirming Pride Service on the 15th, and, on June 16, a screening of the film Pride.

The highest major city in America, Denver has a lot to offer beyond a thriving LGBT community!

Get your feet in the dirt!

Whether at the gorgeous and sprawling Cheesman Park or in even more wild purlieus, Denver has something to offer every nature lover alive. This website offers guides to all kinds of hikes in striking distance from the city, yielding stunning views around every corner—not to mention the heady sense of accomplishment!

Foodie Paradise

Known for its amazing Mexican food and as the hub of some of the hottest breweries in America, Denver is hog heaven for the foodie in you. You must try the Denver location of the Portland-based Voodoo Donuts, with such mouth-water combinations as maple and bacon, and even a donut baked to resemble a voodoo doll—pins and all! But beyond all this lies the elusive and eccentric Casa Bonita restaurant. Seating over 1,000 at a time, Casa Bonita offers Mexican fare in quirky themed rooms all arranged around a massive indoor waterfall, where, if you time it right, you’ll find performers doing tricks, putting on shows, and running around in costumes. Truly an experience you won’t forget!

Wild Culture

If you want to combine a cultural event with a rugged landscape, look no further than Red Rocks, the park/concert venue where you can hike in the day and catch world-class performances in the afternoon—not to mention movie screenings! Check out their concert listings and events here, and learn more about how to take the mountain for a hike here.