Utah Pride Festival returns to downtown Salt Lake City
Jun 7, 2025, 6:00 AM
Downtown Salt Lake City is getting ready to go rainbow with the return of the annual Utah Pride Festival. (Stuart Johnson, KSL TV)
(Stuart Johnson, KSL TV)
SALT LAKE CITY — Downtown Salt Lake City is getting ready to go rainbow with the return of the annual Utah Pride Festival — one of the state’s biggest celebrations of diversity and inclusion.
Festivities kick off Friday night with a youth dance, followed by Saturday’s rally at the Utah State Capitol and march down State Street to Washington Square Park, where there will be entertainment, food vendors and community booths.
“There is something for everybody here at the Utah Pride Festival,” said Utah Pride Executive Director Chad Call.
Among this year’s headliners: Utah native David Archuleta, who’s become an outspoken advocate for LGBTQ+ acceptance after publicly coming out in 2021. Archuleta will perform on Sunday afternoon.
This year’s festival comes during what many are calling a turbulent time for LGBTQ+ rights.
Just last month, controversial HB77 — which bans pride flags in schools and government buildings — went into effect. Utah was the first state to enact such a law. Additionally, the Utah Transit Authority will not appear at the Pride parade for the first time since 2022.
“Pride comes with all of the relevant challenges that are unique to the year that it lives in, and this year is no stranger to that,” Call said.
In a year of legislative tension, Utah Pride is responding not with fear, but with “radical love” — this year’s festival theme.
“I’ve been out since ’75. My mom and dad may not have always understood then, neither did I, but now they’re very loving,” said vendor and advocate Karen Rams, who is selling rainbow-colored stained glass pieces at her tent this weekend. “Just happy to be here and be welcoming in the community.”
“We really hope that people coming to the Pride Festival can come away with a renewed confidence in our community, a renewed sense of community, and really just be in a space to exist together, to love openly and to be their authentic self,” Call said.
For a full list of events and ticket information, visit utahpride.org.
