The OKC Pride Festival & Parade will return to an in-person event this June in collaboration with Tulsa Pride for "Pride on the Mother Road"
The 2021 OKC Pride Festival & Parade will take place on June 25-27, 2021, and will be in-person. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the OKC Pride Alliance decided to move the 2020 Festival online for a Virtual Pride Week Festival. In 2021 they will host Oklahoma City’s Inaugural Downtown festival and parade. In addition, OKC Pride Alliance will kick off Oklahoma City Pride Month with Opening Ceremonies on June 1st, 2021.
“As COVID-19 vaccinations begin to be administered, we are optimistic that by June we will be able to return back to hosting this event in-person,” said OKC Pride Alliance President, Hannah Royce. “We know the pandemic is far from over and the community's safety is our highest priority. Our board will continue to remain flexible and monitor best practices and CDC guidelines.”
In addition to the OKC Pride Parade & Festival taking place during the last weekend in June, Oklahomans For Equality will also host its own Pride Parade & Festival in Tulsa. The two organizations will collaborate on Pride Weekend programming in an effort to show unity and support within the state’s LGBTQ2S+ Community. As well as honor and commemorate the centennial of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre. The two organizations are calling this “Pride on the Mother Road” and hope this year's observance will emphasize the importance of restorative justice, healing, unity and bridge our communities as we remember the 1921 massacre of Tulsa’s Greenwood neighborhood known as ‘Black Wall Street’.
“Our board is excited to see our festival and parade return to an in-person event, and hope that it will symbolize a move toward community restorative justice, healing, progress and a celebration of perseverance,” said Royce.
The OKC Pride Alliance will share additional details in the spring about the upcoming festival, including a call for volunteers, parade participants and festival vendors. To stay up to date on the latest announcements surrounding the 2021 Pride Festival & Parade, please follow the OKC Pride Alliance on social media and visit www.oklahomacitypride.org.