Comprehensive 2021 Guide to Virginia's Pride Festivals and Events

Reconnect in 2021 with family, friends, and LGBTQ+ allies. Virginia's queer communities remain strong, passionate, and resilient.

Virginia celebrates newfound freedoms as the first southern state to enact the Virginia Values Act in 2020, plus 11 pro-equality bills in early 2021. These ban the gay panic defense, conversion therapy, and reduce HIV healthcare barriers—enhancing safety and welcome for LGBTQ+ visitors.

Plan your trip using our statewide list of self-designated LGBTQ+-friendly lodging, dining, shops, craft beverages, outdoors, and attractions at Virginia.org/LGBT. Discover Virginia's queer history too.

Wear your "Virginia is for Lovers" Pride Gear! Share your love @visitgayva (Instagram) & @VisitGayVA (Twitter).

2021 Virginia Pride Guide

Visit Virginia.org/LGBT for more local events and trip ideas.

May Events

• May 29: The Great Queer Bike Parade! * Richmond

June Events

• June 1: Pride Flag Raising at Richmond City Hall * Richmond
• June 2: Salem Rainbow Run * Salem
• June 4: Chalk It Up for PRIDE Kickoff * Marion; Hampton Roads Pride Virtual Dance Party * Virtual; Music on the Lawn – Cville Pride * Charlottesville
• June 5: Two Twisted Posts Pride w/ Forever Farms Vineyard * Purcellville; Pride on Stage * Lynchburg; Richmond Kickers’ Pride Night * Richmond; Reston Pride * Virtual; MJ’s Pride Kickoff * Norfolk
• June 6: Downtown Roanoke LGBTQ+ History Walking Tour * Roanoke
• June 10: Pride Party Happy Hour * Charlottesville; Studio Two Three | Queer Days Pop-Up Market * Richmond; ALX Pride at Torpedo Factory * Alexandria
• June 11: Safe Space PRIDE Month Market * Richmond
• June 12: Coming Out of the Covid Closet * Farmville; Lake Anna Pride & Love Festival * Mineral; Brewed This Way Pride Party * Chesapeake; The Pride of Rural Virginia Kick-Off Celebration * Virtual; Lake Anne Beer Run » Heels optional * Reston
• June 13: Pride in the Vibe * Virginia Beach; Pride Witch Market * Richmond; PFLAG Hampton Roads Pride Picnic * Mount Trashmore / Virginia Beach
• June 16, 23 + 30: (3) 5K Rainbow Runs * Salem
• June 16: Gay Café w/ Collidescope * Danville; Pride Night at Harbor Point Stadium * Norfolk; Rainbow Starz Variety Show * Norfolk; Stonewall Sports RVA | Pride Bike Ride * Richmond
• June 17: Special Pride Movie Night w/ Collidescope * Danville
• June 19: Reston Pride * Lake Anne / Reston
• June 20: Old SW Gayborhood History Walk * Roanoke; DIVAS at DISH Pride Brunch * Lynchburg
• June 22: SWVA LGBTQ+ Queer Community Picnic * Roanoke; The Graduate Hotel “Pop-Up Pride” * Richmond
• June 23 + 30: (2) 5K Rainbow Runs * Salem; Draggle Rock | Sandman Comedy Club * Richmond
• June 24: Pride at the Park * Salem; Starr Hill Rooftop Pride Night feat. Rachel Leyco * Richmond
• June 25: VBU vs. Tri-Cities *PRIDE NIGHT * Virginia Beach; Tri-Cities Pride Patio Takeover * Petersburg; Family Pride Night * Virginia Beach; Everyday Queer Black Joy Everyday * Richmond
• June 26 (9 am): Pride Block Party | Slave Trail Cleanup * Richmond; Fredericksburg Pride & March * Fredericksburg; Pride Kiki at Ocean Breeze Waterpark * Virginia Beach; Pride Marketplace Dancing & Drag * Richmond; Pulaski Pride March * Pulaski; Pride Happy Hour at the Green Room * Staunton; Revive Your Pride at The WAVE * Virginia Beach; Ballroom Royalty: A 70’s LOVE Groove * Richmond
• June 27: Suffolk Pride * Suffolk; Sunday Tea Dance * Virginia Beach
• June 28: Pride Month Social – Stonewall Edition * Arlington; RDC Pride Gala – River & Rail * Roanoke; Growing Pride at the Garden * Alexandria
• June 29: Silver Pride Social * Norfolk Botanical Garden; Queer Voices: Loud, Proud and Onstage * Staunton
• June 30: 5K Rainbow Run * Salem; Loudoun United Soccer Pride Night * Leesburg; RVA Pride Happy Hour * Richmond

July Events

• July 2: First Friday LGBTQ+ Social * Arlington; Opening of the Worlds * Richmond
• July 11: First Ladies of Drag * Smithfield
• July 17: Black Pride RVA: Day of Purpose * Richmond (> Restorative Yoga 10 am – 11 am)
• July 17: Black Pride RVA: Evening Block Party * Richmond
• July 18: Black Pride RVA: Day in Bryan Park * Richmond
• July 31: 757 – Les Bi Trans Beach Bois Beach Day * Virginia Beach

August Events

• August 28: Hill City Pride Festival * Lynchburg

September Events

• September 10–12: KOA~CHESAPEAKE BAY│Pride Weekend * Cape Charles
• September 11: C’ville Pride | Youth Pride Picnic – Booker T Washington Park
• September 13: C’ville Pride | Happy Hour – Three Notch’d Brewery; Diversity Richmond | Splitting the Difference – Vivian Chiu Show
• September 15: C’ville Pride | Trivia Night – Firefly Restaurant; Diversity Richmond | Wednesgays: Everybody’s Talking about Jamie
• September 16: C’ville Pride | Night Market – IX Art Park Farmers Market
• September 17: Diversity Richmond | Crossroads Art Center Exhibition Opening; Stonewall Sports National Tournament & Summit * Richmond
• September 18: Pride at Busch Gardens Is Back! * Williamsburg; Tri-Cities Pride Takeover * Petersburg; Scott’s Addition Pride Crawl * Richmond
• September 19: C’ville Pride | Movie Night “To Wong Fu” – Piedmont Comm. College
• September 21–25: ASANA 2021 Softball World Series * Virginia Beach
• September 22: Diversity Richmond | Wednesgays Film: Moonlight – Byrd Theatre
• September 23: Diversity Richmond | Rainbow Roll: Roller Skating – Roller dome
• September 24: Diversity Richmond | Pride after Dark: Leather & Lace
• September 29: Diversity Richmond | Wednesgays Film: Kiki – Byrd Theatre

October Events

• October 3: Equality Prince William Pride 2021 * Manassas
• October 5: Big Queer Story Night * Museum of the Shenandoah Valley
• October 7: Book Launch: Living Queer History w/ Samantha Rosenthal * Roanoke
• October 9: Picnic in the Park: Grottoes * Grottoes
• October 16: LGBTQ+ Community Brunch * Arlington; Bristol Pride Car Parade * Bristol
• October 20–23: (TIES) Transgender Info. & Empowerment Summit * Virtual
• October 23: Picnic in the Park: Lexington * Lexington

November Events

• November 7: Piedmont Pride | Buchanan Hall * Upperville