Blue Ridge Pride Festival 2022 is just weeks away with live music and entertainment on two stages, food, drink, 150 vendors, special events, and much more! September 24th, 2022 in Pack Square Park, downtown Asheville, NC.
Asheville is nothing, if not welcoming, and is proud to be one of North Carolina’s most beloved gay getaway destinations. While Asheville doesn’t have a gay district, we do have a vibrant gay community; one that is well integrated into our city’s culture.
Blue Ridge Pride Festival celebrates the region’s LGBTQ+ community every September with a weekend of special events and activities. The event features pageants, parties, a street festival, and draws more than 10,000+ visitors each year. It was even called “one of the world’s best places to celebrate pride” by CNN.
2022’s event promises to be more fun than ever after last year’s cancellation. Folks are eager to get out and celebrate and Asheville is ready! Are you?
Blue Ridge Pride Festival 2022
Blue Ridge Pride Festival 2022 is scheduled for September 24th, 11am to 7pm, downtown in Asheville’s Pack Square Park. But that’s not the only Pride Festival event of the weekend. Not by a long shot!
The very first event, The Blue Ridge Pride Pageant, is scheduled weeks earlier, on September 4th at the Grey Eagle Music Hall. The pageant is open to all forms of regional drag artists and celebrates gender expression and identity in all its forms. Always a fabulous evening!
Festival week kicks off on Saturday, September 17th with the Senior Prom, celebrating our LGBTQ+ Generation Plus Community! This year’s theme is The Love Boat, so hunt down your floppy hat and best cruise attire for a fun cruise through time with food, drink, music, laughter, and more.
The festival proper kicks off Saturday morning, September 23rd with the annual Welcoming WNC Procession. The Welcoming Procession is not your typical Pride Parade. This gathering is open to and represents everyone in our community who shares a vision of inclusivity. Come share your pride AND your support. Inclusion, y’all!
After the parade, it’s time to head to Pack Square Park and the festival proper! Live music and entertainment on two stages. Great food, refreshing drink, and oodles of vendors offering their wares. Always a great time with laughter, dance, and all the colors of the rainbow.
Other festival events include a Silent Disco Pride Party, Midnight Madness with the Beer City Sisters, and a Pool Party. What fun!
Best of all, our Asheville bed and breakfast, Bent Creek Lodge, is just 20 minutes from all the fun in downtown Asheville. Spend the day celebrating pride, then it’s just minutes back to the quiet comforts of your room at Bent Creek Lodge. Fantastic!
2022 Event Schedule
Sunday, September 4
The Blue Ridge Pride Pageant – 7pm to 11pm
Saturday, September 17
The Love Boat – 6:30pm to 9:30pm
Friday, September 23
Silent Disco Pride Party – 7:30pm to 11pm
Saturday, September 24
Welcoming WNC Procession – 9am to 11am
Blue Ridge Pride Festival 2022 – 11am to 7pm
Midnight Madness with the Beer City Sisters – 9pm to 11:30pm
Sunday, September 25
SPLASH Pool Party – 1pm to 5pm
Visit blueridgepride.org for more information. You can also find this event on Facebook.