Arkansans are celebrating Pride Month with parades, pageants and picnics this year. From Batesville and Eureka Springs to Fayetteville and Little Rock, there are several places to celebrate in the coming days. Here’s a roundup of some of the events. If you’d like your event added, please send the details to explore@argotsoul.com.
June 18
Pride Patio Party — 6 p.m. at 21c Museum Hotel Bentonville
DJ Afrosia is providing the tunes at the Pride Patio Party in the Art Yard. Booze and bites will be available to purchase from The Hive. The event is free to attend, but donations are encouraged. All proceeds will go to inTRANSitive, a group that seeks to educate, organize and celebrate the trans community in Arkansas through community building, organizing and political education. Please register for your free ticket to help manage capacity for this event.
Pride Pageant — 9 p.m. at Triniti Nightclub in Little Rock
The deadline to register for the pageant is 4 p.m. June 17 and there’s a $25 entry fee. Doors open at 9 p.m. June 18 and the competition begins at 11 p.m. Each division winner will receive a $300 cash prize, crown, sash and a spot to perform at the LGBTQ awards hosted by Little Rock Black Pride.
June 19
Batesville PRIDE Festival — 4 p.m. at Batesville Pocket Park
Organizers have more than doubled the number of vendors participating in this year’s celebration in downtown Batesville. Festivities last until 8 p.m.
June 20
Pride Picnic — 12 p.m. at Arc Isle Recreation Landing in Hot Springs
The Hot Springs LGBT Alliance is celebrating diversity with an afternoon of food, entertainment and games on the lake. Guests can bring their favorite picnic fare to share and are asked to RSVP by June 18.
Ozarks Drag Brunch: Advocacy & Allies — 12 p.m. at 15 W. Mountain St. in Fayetteville
Join Brooklyn Bissette, O’Shea Reed, Ella Rosa and Jazmyn Turrelle for brunch, booze, some of the best of Arkansas’ drag and a celebration of the allies and advocates who have supported and shaped our LGBTQ community. This event also honors NWA Pride Parade Grand Marshal Ruth Coker Burks and Parade Honoree Evelyn Rios Stafford. Tickets are by reservation only and registration closes June 17.
June 23
Before Stonewall Screening — 7 p.m. Virtual Screening
The Central Arkansas Library System Ron Robinson Theater’s Civil Rights & Social Change Collection is celebrating Pride Month by hosting virtual documentary screenings each Wednesday. This week’s documentary investigates national cultural perceptions of homosexuality before the Stonewall riots.
June 24
Trans March — 7 p.m. on Dickson Street in Fayetteville
This new event is a protest for the rights of transgender and gender non-conforming Arkansans. Participants will stage near the Walton Arts Center beginning at 6 p.m. The March will step off at 7 p.m. and travel east on Dickson Street, turning south on Block Street toward the Fayetteville Town Center for an outdoor rally. Participant pre-registration is not required, but check in with event staff upon arrival.
June 25
Pride Garden Party — 5 p.m. at Dunbar Community Garden in Little Rock
The Central Arkansas Harm Reduction Project is celebrating Pride Month with a garden party. A donation of $10-$20 or new hygiene items for our unhoused neighbors is suggested. All proceeds support CAHRP.
Pride Hang Out — 5 p.m. at The Gravel Bar in Eureka Springs
This is an opportunity for folks to get together, meet some new friends and celebrate Pride! Live music starts at 7 p.m. so you’ll want to get here early, and carpooling is encouraged since parking is limited.
Out in the Ozarks w/ Matteo Lane — 8 p.m. at the Fayetteville Town Center
Stand-up comedian, oil painter and opera singer Matteo Lane is an openly gay New York-based comedian whose stand-up special can be seen on Netflix’s The Comedy Lineup. Matteo has also performed stand-up on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Comedy Central’s Adam Devine’s House Party, The Comedy Jam, and HBO’s Crashing. Tickets are available here.
Pride Salsa Night — 9 p.m. at Club 27 in Little Rock
Just like any Friday night at Club 27, there are no gender roles, only leads and follows. Beginner class starts at 9 p.m. and dancing continues until 2 a.m. No partner is required. There is a $10 entry fee.
June 26
17th annual NWA Pride Parade — 12 p.m. in downtown Fayetteville
The NWA Pride Parade returns for 2021 and will roll down Dickson Street. Due to continued COVID-9 concerns and the nature of the event, the 2021 NWA Pride Parade will operate with additional safety precautions.
Big Gay Market — 3 p.m. at Crimson and Clover in Fayetteville.
Big Gay Market is an outdoor market with a mission, brought to you by your friendly neighborhood queers. Stop by after the NWA Pride Parade and support your local queers! Find out more about participating vendors here.
June 27
PRIDE Worship Service — 11 a.m. at Spirit of Peace Community Church in Fayetteville
Spirit of Peace Community Church is a congregational based church with its teachings based upon Jesus Christ. SOPCC has an outreach to all — affirming the dignity and diversity of all God’s creation. We are LGBT affirming.
June 30
State of Pride Screening — 7 p.m. Virtual Screening
The Central Arkansas Library System Ron Robinson Theater’s Civil Rights & Social Change Collection is celebrating Pride Month by hosting virtual documentary screenings each Wednesday. In this week’s documentary, filmmakers Rob Epstein and Jeffery Friedman travel to Salt Lake City, San Francisco and Tuscaloosa, Ala., to document LGBTQ Pride 50 years after the Stonewall uprising.
Save the Date!
The celebration of Pride will continue in Arkansas throughout the year. Little Rock Black Pride 2021 is July 23-25 and includes a drag brunch with Symone, an Arkansas native who won season 13 of RuPaul’s Drag Race. Central Arkansas Pride will host its celebration in October, but details have yet to be announced. Northeast Arkansas Pride will host PRIDEfest ‘21 Oct. 9 in Jonesboro.