1. 36 | Gaycation Magazine www.gaycationmagazine.com
Little City, Big Pride
During Pride season, there’s no shortage of
festivals to be found in any of the 50 states—that
alone is reason to celebrate. But for LGBT travelers
who like to Pride hop this time of year, we know
it’s all about choosing the right combination of
an exciting Pride celebration and a visit-worthy
destination.
We looked past the city-stopping festivals in
New York and San Francisco to scour the rest of
the U.S. for the 10 best big little Pride celebrations.
See what cities surprise you, who took to the streets
and get tips from the locals about what to check
out while you’re there. Have a happy Pride season,
Gaycationers!
10 small city Pride events
around the country
by Aaron Drake
Circle City IN Pride
The LGBT community in Indiana got hit hard
this year by anti-gay legislation targeting them
for discrimination. However, that hasn’t interfered
with the Indianapolis LGBT community’s Hoosier
hospitality and hope that fairness and equality
will prevail. Indy Pride features 16 events over
nine days from June 5-13, and a myriad of events
like the Rainbow 5K Run/Walk, Pet Pride and Girl
Pride welcome out locals and visitors alike. Another
addition this year is the first-ever transgender event,
Living History: Living Proof. Living the Truth. (Being
Transgender in Indiana), at Indy Reads Books.
“Indianapolis is bursting with tons of things
to do,” says Chris Morehead, president of Indy
Pride, Inc. “Massachusetts Avenue, or Mass Ave.
to the locals, is bursting with art studios, theatres,
restaurants, bars and much more. This is widely
viewed as the center of our community here in
Indianapolis and provides a wonderful array of
options for breakfast, lunch, dinner or nightlife. If
you are looking for a more outdoors experience, I
would highly recommend taking a drive up to visit
the Indianapolis Museum of Art where you can get
lost in the 100-acre Virginia B. Fairbanks Art and
Nature Park, take a tour of the beautiful gardens
CourtesyofIndyPrideInc.
CourtesyofIndyPrideInc.

2. Gaycation Magazine | 37www.gaycationmagazine.com
or check out the incredible art collection housed
inside the museum. The IMA is a one-stop shop for
the art and nature enthusiast for sure.”
Chris adds, “If you are looking for something
more Downtown-centric, I always love sending
people to the canal Downtown where you can rent
a kayak or paddle boat and take to the water to
see the city from a different perspective. The canal
runs right into White River State Park, which is
stocked full of museums and parks for everyone’s
enjoyment.” IndyPride.org
Utah Pride
Voted gayest city in the country by The
Advocate in 2012, Salt Lake City hosts one of the
city’s largest annual events with more than 25,000
people attending. Utah Pride festival takes over the
city again this year from June 4-7, along with the
Utah Pride Parade, Pride Day 5K, Pride Interfaith
Service, Dyke March, Transgender March and
Interfaith March.
Besides a huge Pride celebration, visitors can
enjoy the city’s hiking trails and craft breweries.
“If you’re the outdoors type, head up to Donut
Falls for a quick hike right outside the city,” says
Sarah Luks-Morgan, marketing manager for Utah
Pride Center. “Even if you’re not, a trip up to Alta
or Snowbird just for the view and a beer on top of
the mountains is always a good call. If you want to
stay in the city, Broadway and Tower theaters are
excellent independent movie theaters that during
Pride weekend will be having a late-night screening
of Hedwig and The Angry Inch. Grab a bite to eat
at Rye SLC or The Copper Onion.
“Finally, if you want to go out and party, there
Courtesy of Indy Pride Inc.
are plenty of gay bars around town, but feel free to
pop into Bar X and ask for a bartender’s roulette,
which will be different but worth it, every single
time.” UtahPrideFestival.org
Photo Courtesy of Utah Pride Festival
PhotoCourtesyofUtahPrideFestival
PhotoCourtesyofUtahPrideFestival

3. 38 | Gaycation Magazine www.gaycationmagazine.com
camping, hiking, swimming, canoeing, horseback
riding and other outdoor opportunities. For those
that prefer the indoors, we have the beautiful—and
recently restored at a cost of $3.7 million—historic
Tivoli Theatre. New releases show on Fridays
and Saturdays at 7 p.m., and on Saturdays and
Sundays at 2 p.m.
“There is also the Owen Valley Winery, which
has a tasting room next to the Tivoli, both Downtown
along the square where our festival is,” he adds.
“The winery’s headquarters are also a place to
visit for a little more space. It is located just south of
town.” SpencerPride.org
Spencer Pride
Another must-stop for visitors to Indiana during
Pride is Spencer Pride on June 7. Proudly calling
itself the “largest rural LGBTQI gathering in the
state and the largest small town Pride event in the
Midwest,” Spencer celebrates its eighth annual
celebration this year on the grounds of the Owen
County Courthouse and town square from 10 a.m.
to 5 p.m. Family-friendly, alcohol-free activities
include a deluxe, all-ages Slip ’n’ Slide, Bouncy
House, raffles, drawings and free giveaways
throughout the day. Enjoy festival foods and live
local entertainment including the annual Spencer
Pride Drag Show.
Jonathan Balash, president of Spencer Pride,
Inc., shares what else visitors to Spencer should
check out. “First and foremost, Spencer is the
home of McCormick’s Creek State Park, which was
Indiana’s first state park. It has lots of options for
Top Image Courtesy of Jonathan Balash / Spencer Pride Inc.
Above image courtesy of Jonathan Balash / Spencer Pride Inc
Bottom Left Image courtesy of Jonathan Balash / Spencer Pride inc.

4. Gaycation Magazine | 39www.gaycationmagazine.com
Capital City Pride
Visitors to the Pacific Northwest can experience
Olympia, Washington’s 15th annual Pride from
June 19-21. This year’s festival moves to Heritage
Park and the festival entertainment lineup includes
Kimya Dawson (whom you might recognize from
the soundtrack for Juno) and Olympia native Cole
Hartley, aka drag performer Alusia. The weekend
routinely attracts upwards of 15,000 people who
come to celebrate with the city’s LGBT community.
“For fun, check out Jake’s on 4th Avenue, an
LGBT-owned dance bar and Urban Onion, an
LGBT-friendly lounge with plenty of Pride action
throughout the weekend,” recommends Anna
Schlock, co-chair of Capital City Pride. “Shop at
Archibald Sisters, an LGBT-owned gift shop filled
with quirky Olympia-themed items. Downtown
[Capital Way and 4th Avenue] has plenty of LGBT-
friendly shops, restaurants and coffee shops.”
CapitalCityPride.net
ImagecourtesyofCaptialCityPrideImagecourtesyofCaptialCityPride
ImagecourtesyofCaptialCityPride
ImagecourtesyofCaptialCityPride

5. 40 | Gaycation Magazine www.gaycationmagazine.com
Iowa City Pride
“At our festival, we try to keep everything
upbeat, interactive, inclusive and create viability,”
shares Jewell Amos, Pride Iowa City Pride
Committee chairwoman, about Iowa City Pride
happening June 19-20 this year. “I like to joke that
I want non-LGBT people who stumble across our
festival to stay, have a great time, then walk away
thinking, ‘Those gays are pretty cool.’” Attendees
can participate in the Pride parade and enjoy Pride
entertainment, free food and more at Studio 13.
As for what visitors should check out in Iowa
City, Jewell says, “Spend a day walking around
and hanging out at the Pedestrian Mall Downtown
Iowa City. There are lots of great shops, restaurants
with outside spaces, local artwork and famous
quotes captured in the sidewalks under your feet.”
IowaCityPride.com
Dallas Pride
Everything’s bigger in Texas—and Dallas Pride
is no exception. This year the festival on Sept. 20
moves to a larger park with more exhibit space,
more food and beverage stations, a larger stage
and live entertainment featuring headliner Ty
Herndon who is scheduled to perform a full set at
5 p.m. Admission is $5, which includes all shows.
Michael Doughman, executive director for
Dallas Tavern Guild, shares his favorite must-dos
in the city. “Hunky’s Old-Fashioned Hamburgers in
the heart of the ‘gayborhood’ on Cedar Springs
has great food, lots of eye-candy, off-the-charts
ice cream and a great patio that allows optimal
viewing of the passing scenery to the many bars
within a block of the restaurant. The Round-Up
Saloon is everything the urban visitor imagines a
Texas country-western bar to be. Great music, a
huge dance floor with free dance lessons offered
three nights a week, extremely friendly bar staff,
cheap drink prices and lots of hot cowboys and
cowgirls dancing, drinking and flirting. Be sure to
engage the locals for your own personal serving of
‘y’all’ and ‘howdy.” DallasPride.org
Photo Courtesy of Doug Brenner / Iowa City PridePhotosCourtesyofDougBrenner/IowaCityPride
PhotoCourtesyofDallasTavernGuildPhotoCourtesyofDallasTavernGuild

6. Gaycation Magazine | 41www.gaycationmagazine.com
Bisbee Pride
If you’ve never heard of Bisbee, Ariz., you’re
missing out. Bisbee Pride’s unique take on festivities
for this year’s dates, June 19-21, include the
Midnight Miners & Madames Street Dance, Old
Bisbee Ghost Tours, Copper Queen pool party
and BBQ, the artisan and vendor street fair, beer
garden and day stage.
“Bisbee Pride takes place throughout historic
old Bisbee,” says Kathy Sowden, event organizer
for the city’s Pride festival. “You’ll get a chance
to enjoy 19th-century architecture, public art, great
restaurants, galleries and specialty shops. Guest
artists this year include Mink Stole of John Waters
film fame, the one and only Sherry Vine, Pandora
Destrange, Olivia Gardens and much more. To
see them and other celebs, attend our Friday and
Saturday night shows in the city park!”
BisbeePride.com
Austin Pride
Another diamond in Texas is Austin Pride, taking
place August 29. If you visit here, you’ll most likely
leave the city with a love for its beautiful scenery,
popular music scene and friendly LGBT community.
During Pride week, get dressed up for the Werk!
Fashion Show, play Sushi Coochi Drag Bingo or
participate in the Stonewall Rally on the steps of
the state capitol.
PhotoCourtestyofAngieWingerd
Austin Pride President Paul Huddleston points out
his favorite things to do for locals visiting the city.
“The Bats on Congress are a must-see—we have the
largest colony of Mexican free-tailed bats roosting
under the Congress Street Bridge Downtown. They
fly out at dusk and it is an impressive sight. The
gayborhood on 4th and Colorado, dubbed the
Warehouse District, is where the majority of the
gay clubs are: Rain, OCH, Highland and V. There
is also Iron Bear on 8th and Colorado, and Bout
Time II in North Austin. We also seem to have a
never-ending supply of gourmet and fusion food
coming out of food trailers—very popular here.”
AustinPride.org
PhotoCourtesyofnLocationPhotography,Snap
MonkeyPhotographyandMerichPhotography
PhotoCourtesyofnLocationPhotography,Snap
MonkeyPhotographyandMerichPhotography

7. www.gaycationmagazine.com
PRIDE Vermont
Northern New England’s premier Pride
celebration, PRIDE Vermont is a weeklong schedule
of family-friendly activities in Burlington, Vt., from
Sept. 6-13. Events range from a high-heel race to
a food and travel expo. “Be sure to check out the
Northern Decadence Food & Travel Expo, where
you can sample some of Vermont’s best wine,
beer, spirits and specialty foods,” says Willie
Docto, PRIDE Vermont president. “The new beer
garden will feature some of Vermont’s world-class
beers, including Heady Topper by The Alchemist.
Then there is the Gender Fun tent, which explores
transgender issues through games, art and a
scavenger hunt. Live entertainment will feature
some of Vermont’s best LGBT performers, plus the
talented and gorgeous women of The Glamazons
singing their latest hits.”
As for other must-sees in Burlington, Willie
recommends the art at the Shelburne and Fleming
Museums, shopping and dining at Church Street
Marketplace, and romantic walks along the bike
path on Lake Champlain. PRIDEVermont.com
OBX Pride
For a Southern twist on Pride and fun on the
sand, come on down to OBX Pride in Outer Banks,
N.C., from Sept. 18-20. Pride events include beer
and wine on the beach, a production of Pirates
of Penzance!, Sunset Booze Cruise, Drag Brunch
and Wedding Fashion Show at Hilton Garden Inn
Pier House and an afternoon of local bands and
microbrews.
OBX Pride Chairman David Miller shares his
local perspective on what visitors to Outer Banks
should check out. “If visitors are here on the third
Sunday of the month they should definitely come
to Kelly’s Restaurant & Tavern for late-night drag
shows and fun times. The best places for man-
watching are the beaches on Hatteras Island where
you’ll see plenty of hot surfers. Look for ‘Canadian
Hole’ just before Cape Hatteras, where you can
PhotoCourtesyofDavidGarten/BurlingtonVTPride
Photo Courtesy of David Garten / Burlington VT Pride

8. Gaycation Magazine | 43www.gaycationmagazine.com
climb up the dunes and watch the surfer guys hang
10—and if you’re lucky you may see a few ‘hung
10’ while they are changing into their surf trunks
next to their ATVs. They DO show all and don’t
care when getting suited up!” OBXPrideFest.com
Aaron Drake is Executive
Editor of Gaycation
Magazine. He has
contributed to The
Advocate, Out Traveler,
Man About World and
Amtrak Ride With Pride.
When he’s not writing
and traveling the globe,
you can find him at
the beach, at the movies, or playing with his two
mischievous dogs. Follow his travels and travails
on Twitter and Instagram at @theaarondrake.
PhotosCourtesyofOnLocationPhotography,SnapMonkeyPhotography,MerichPhotography,AngieWingerd,GretchenBaer,DavidGarten,CapitalCityPrideOlympia,DallasTavernGuild,IndyPride
Inc,DougBrenner,OBXPride,UtahPrideFestival,andJonathanBalash