Jacksonville’s 36th Annual River City Pride

Presented by Bank of America

October 3 and 4

Jacksonville is home to one of the longest-running LGBT pride festivals in the state; the LGBT community here has celebrated Pride nearly every year since 1978. This year’s celebrations in particular are shaping up to be one of the largest the First Coast has ever seen. Presented by Bank of America, the 36th annual River City Pride will have a parade and block party on Saturday, October 3, beginning at 4 p.m., and a festival with vendors and entertainment at Riverside Artist Square (715 Riverside Ave.) from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sunday, October 4. The theme of this year’s festivities is “Building Bridges.”

The River City Pride Parade kicks things off on Saturday, October 3, beginning at 4 p.m. The parade will begin at Boone Park and will take participants on a route down St. Johns Avenue, McDuff Avenue, and Park Street, ending at Riverside Park. After the pride parade is finished, around 6 p.m., there will be a large block party in the 5 Points Business District, organized by the 5 Points Merchants Association.

Then, on Sunday, October 4, Northeast Florida’s largest pride festival will be held in Riverside Artist Square, and will feature over 100 vendors, ranging from businesses to advocacy organizations. There will also be full bar stations, lots of food options, and a family fun zone which includes a bounce house and a rock wall. If you’d like to have your wedding at the River City Pride festival, there will be people available to officiate (all you need to bring is your marriage license). Finally, there will be live entertainment headlined by rapper and songwriter Cazwell and dance/house singer/songwriter Thea Austin. Local entertainment, including some of Jacksonville’s best-known drag queens, will also perform at the festival.

If you’d like to volunteer at River City Pride, visit rivercitypride.org/volunteer-application and fill out their application form. For more information about River City Pride, visit rivercitypride.org and don’t forget to connect with them on social media on Facebook and Twitter @RiverCityPride.

Mike Halterman

Mike Halterman has been the editor of Hotspots Central since its launch in July 2016. He joined the Hotspots Media Group family as editor of Hotspots' South Florida magazine in June 2013. A former "40 Under 40" honoree in The Advocate magazine, Mike lives in the Tampa Bay area.

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