Atlanta is well-known for embracing its LGBTQ community, and the annual Atlanta Pride Parade and Festival is proof of this. First organized in 1971, two years after the Stonewall Riots in New York, Atlanta Pride welcomes visitors from far-flung places to join the fun. Initially scheduled for June, the date was changed in 2008 to the weekend closest to National Coming Out Day in October, and it has remained an October event ever since.
Atlanta Pride, the largest pride festival in the Southeast and one of the biggest in the US, hosted over 300,000 guests in 2017 and 2018.
The first annual Atlanta Black Pride celebration was held in 1996 over the Labor Day holiday weekend, welcoming approximately 100,000 attendees.
Atlanta is often referred to as the gay capital of the South due to its progressive reputation, highly visible and robust LGBT community, vibrant LGBT nightlife culture, and a growing number of LGBT people relocating to the city. In 2010, The Advocate named Atlanta the "gayest city in America."
For full details on Atlanta Pride and all previous editions, be sure to check out the official event program. Happy Pride!