Midtown’s Heart Beats for Pride: What to See + Do at the 54th Atlanta Pride Festival
10/03/2024
BY BRIAN CARR
October in Atlanta means being part of one of the nation’s largest Pride festivals. Now in its 54th year, the Atlanta Pride Festival offers something for everybody. We spoke with Atlanta Pride Committee Executive Director Chris McCain about what makes this event special and what you can look forward to seeing. Read on.
Rooted in Activism. Supported by Volunteers.
A movement this large – and an annual public event this large to celebrate the movement – doesn’t just happen on its own. Rooted in activism since the early 1970s, The Atlanta Pride Committee continues to play a pivotal role in shaping both. The committee began as a small group of activists and has grown into an organization with a small staff and hundreds of volunteers. This year, the Atlanta Pride Committee will engage up to 400 volunteers to help bring the 54th iteration of this festival to life.
“Atlanta Pride isn’t just about the festival – it’s about creating a community space that welcomes everyone,” said Atlanta Pride Committee Executive Director Chris McCain. “We work with many different partners and vendors to pull off aspects of the festival, but the Atlanta Pride Festival could not happen without volunteer support. And that has been consistent throughout our history.”
Held in Piedmont Park, and near so many Midtown landmarks that define seminal moments in the Atlanta LGBTQ+ movement’s rise, the festival has become a tradition for many Atlantans and visitors from around the region.
The Parade: One of the Largest in the City
A signature highlight of the festival is the parade along Peachtree Street, which has been the route since the first march in 1971. McCain describes Peachtree as the “central artery of Atlanta,” where people want to be. Stepping off at noon from the Civic Center MARTA station and heading north on Peachtree to 10th Street, the parade features thousands of participants, colorful floats, and vibrant displays of pride and solidarity, reinforcing Midtown’s identity as a place where everyone is welcome. Looking for a place along the route to watch the parade? We put together this list of venues hosting watch parties.
“To show up and be visible as your whole self in public is an important expression of who we are as a city,” he said. “This is our city at its best, presenting this welcoming, inclusive, and joyful place for people to come together. And to do that right on Peachtree Street is just synonymous with Atlanta.”
Beyond the Parade: History and Art Intersect with the Pride Festival
This year’s festival promises all of the traditional highlights, but also a range of other activities that celebrate the diversity of the LGBTQ+ experience.
The Committee is presenting a historical exhibit in the Piedmont Park Visitor Center created in collaboration with Georgia State University and the GSU Archives. It will feature a series of panels showcasing the rich history of LGBTQ+ activism in Atlanta.
For those interested in learning more about the movement’s origins and rise in the city, be sure to read the City of Atlanta’s definitive work, the LGBTQ+ Historic Context Statement for the City of Atlanta, published in 2023.
Visitors to Oak Hill in the park can also view the AIDS Memorial Quilt – a poignant reminder of the community’s resilience – and a new exhibit with local stories and archives about the fight in Atlanta to overcome the AIDS epidemic presented by Emory University’s Stuart A. Rose Manuscript, Archives and Rare Book Library.
“We are such an old organization that has so much history, and this year we wanted to lean into sharing more of it,” McCain said of these historical exhibits.
McCain suggests attendees with kids visit the Family Fun Zone in Piedmont Park, featuring drag story hour book readings and face painting.
Every Atlantan knows Piedmont Park is great at hosting events with artist booths, where people can support the local arts economy. During Atlanta Pride weekend, attendees can also stop by the Mayor’s Grove in the park to shop an artist market featuring local artisans and more than 200 vendors and sponsors.
The Largest Free Pride Event in the U.S. Happens Here
Visitors to Pride events in other major cities often encounter situations where the entertainment areas are ticketed, making the experience more costly. But the Atlanta Pride Festival is notable for being the largest free Pride festival in the country, a fact that McCain takes pride in sharing.
“There are no tickets, no gates – just a celebration of community,” he said. “And to me, that drives a lot of what makes it feel special.”
However, the committee relies on donations to sustain this model, and McCain encourages attendees to consider contributing so Atlanta Pride can remain a free and accessible event for everyone.
“It is a free festival, but a free festival that comes at a cost,” he said. “So we appreciate contributions, and value all of the support we receive from sponsors and donors who make it possible.”
Whether you’re a first-time attendee or a longtime supporter, the message is clear: Atlanta Pride is about bringing people together from all backgrounds and celebrating the rise of a movement that traces its origins to Midtown, the heart of the city.
Know Before You Go
Download the 2024 Pride Guide for a full listing of events, plus a map and the entertainment schedule for the weekend.
Visitors are encouraged to take MARTA to the Atlanta Pride events. The Midtown Station is just one block west of the parade, and an easy 10-minute walk to Piedmont Park.
