OutSpokane Rainbow Festival 2013

Spokane, WA

OutSpokane Rainbow Festival

Since 1992, Spokane has seen the LGBTQA community come together to honor those brave individuals that fought back against the police raids in 1969 at the Stonewall Inn in New York. The Stonewall Riots were a turning point for the gay rights movement. The following year, in 1970 the cities of Chicago, Los Angeles and New York all held parades commemorating the anniversary of the Stonewall Riots. Since then, cities around the globe have started marches and parades as well.

The first march that happened in Spokane was literally on the sidewalks and was sponsored by PFLAG. The following year a permit was ordered and the march was in the streets, followed by a small rally in the part. In 2004 our march turned into a parade. That first parade brought together 300 members of the LGBTQA population. We’ve grown a bit since then, with 2011 bringing in 5,200+ people. Large organizations like UUCS (Unitarian Universalist Church of Spokane), Spokane AIDS Network, and Planned Parenthood as well as smaller groups like Spokane Transpeople, EWU Pride Center, and the SFCC Alliance participate in the parade. We have groups that march with banners, groups on bicycles, others in cars and floats. Some make their own music and others bring their own. Floats and lots of Rainbow are encouraged.

We invite you to join us on the second Saturday in June in Downtown Spokane. The parade starts at Noon so be sure to get down early. Following the parade please walk on down to Gondola Meadows at Riverfront Park (South-West corner of the park by the Bloomsday Running Statues) for the Rainbow Festival. This is a day to celebrate who we are, honor the past, and look forward to the future. Be out and be proud.